Fate worse than death
"Zachery, It's time to get up! You'll be late for school!" Yelled the young wolf's mother. Rubbing crud out of his eyes, Zack sprang from his bed. Usually on a school day the young cub would slide out of bed, taking as long as he could to do just about everything but today was different. Today was the last day of school for the summer and Zack was doing his best to get it over with as fast as possible. Going into the bathroom, that was across the hall from his room, he brushed his teeth, combed everything that needed to be combed and took a big swallow of mouth wash. Spitting it out he quickly walked back into his bedroom and went to get some clothes. Usually Zack would take his time looking through the walk-in closet, going through clothes, shorts, and slipping on his favorites pair of Spike-E's but as soon as he heard, "Zackery Goliath Young, you get your tail down here!" he sped through the closet, grabbing his clothes at random and throwing them on himself
Heading out of his room, taking a left down the hall he enters the kitchen. The smell of freash pancakes was everywhere.
"Hey mom! What's for breakfast?" Zack asked, already knowing the answer.
"Shit on a shingle." Replied mom, trying to keep her face straight in the end they both burst out laughing.Since Zack's dad left, his mom has been letting some curse words slide. Zack ate his breakfast, drank his juice and told his mom that he'd be staying over with some friends after school, "You're not hanging out with that Bowers kid are you?" She asked abit concerned. Jake was almost out the door and said over his shoulder, "No mom, someone like me wouldn't hang out with such a loser kid like that and besides, I'm thirteen, I think I can take care of myself." That seemed to convince her so Zack left for the bus stop a few blocks away.
Though Zack didn't like to do it, he lied to his mother about Bowers. He wasn't just friends with the pitbull, he was best friends with him. Victor "Vic" Bowers has always considered himself a bad boy and he dosn't have that many close friends, so Zack always considered it kinda an honor to be considered one. A group of furs were standing at the bus station and as Zack walked towards them he could make out Vic standing in the group. Vic noticed Zack and waved him over. When Zack got close enough to talk Vic motioned him out of the crowd and over to a nearby bench.
"Hey, Vic, what's up?" Zack asked sitting down on the steel bench. Vic was abit excited but tried to keep his cool, "Nothing much, man. I got some great news and I thought that I should let you in on it, since we're best friends and all." Zack's ears perked abit, "Alright, what's the news!?" Vic smiled, "I have decided to start a gang and I want you to be my first initiate." Zack almost jumped off the bench, "That's great, real good idea Vic... wait.. initiate? You mean I'm not in the gang yet?" Vic sat down next to Zack, "You will get in the gang, no worries about that, but you must pass a test, so I'll know that I can trust you." Zack thought about it for a second, being Vic's best friend was great and being in a gang might be fun, "Alright, what's the test?" Zack asked, excited to start.. "Well, first, we need to skip school today and head to the carnival."
Zack's ears lowered abit, he had never missed a day of school before and he wasn't sure how his mother would react if she found out but after thinking about for a few minutes, he agreed. "Good, lets get going before the bus comes and sees us leaving."
The Carnival had come in a few days ago, one of those old style ones with lion tamers, strong men, and fortune tellers like they use to have. It was already set up, some furs where already enjoying some of the rides and attractions. Zack and Vic entered the Carnival and sat near a concession stand, Vic looked around to make sure that no one was in ear shot of them.
"Okay, now, here's the test. To get into my gang you have to steal something from one of these attractions." Zack's eyes widened, he couldn't steal anything. His mother would kill him, plus it's illegal. "I can't do that! My mom would have my ass if I did!" The smile on Vic's face faultered only alittle, "Come on Zack, you already skipped school, might as well enjoy the time, right?" Zack's ears lowered alittle, "But when my mom finds out!" Vic's smile turned into a look of impatience, "You mean IF she finds out and I'm pretty sure she won't." Zack didn't know what to do, he thought Vic was a great friend but still. After some more perseuading, Zack agrees to do it but only if it's something small and not too precious.
Walking around the carnival Vic suggested a few different places but it was really Zack who finally choose the target. A small stand stood on the edge of the carnival and on the sign where strange symbols and a paw with an eye in the middle, next to it where the words, Paw Readings - $12.00. Below it where a few more options with prices, "This looks like a good one." Zack said nervously, Vic eyed the stand then shrugged to himself, "What the hell you gonna steal? The owners Crystal ball?" Vic chuckled while Zack looked at his feet, "I figured I might steal their tarot cards." Vic thought for a second then nodded, pushing Zack towards the stand, "Alright, Kid, but don't take too long."
Zack never felt more nervous. He walked over to the stand and sat down on a lawn chair placed in front of the stand. The stand itself was old, wooden with wheels attached to the bottom. Different cases of things lined the inside of the stand. An old-style crystal ball sat on the counter, it's surface polished and scratch-free. No one seemed to be manning the stand and Zack noticed a bottle of purple liquid just within grabbing reach. Figuring that he could take it and leave Zack reached for the bottle but as soon as he got close to it he heard someone scream, "Don't touch that!" Zack Immediatly flinched as someone rose from behind the countier.
Zack was scared he half-expected his mother to appear out of nowhere and scorn him but instead a elderly snake looked at him with one eye, the other was white and Zack remembered his mother telling him that meant they where blind in that eye. Her clothes were tattered and looked like they once seemed to be bright blue and red but the color had fadded into those disturbing colors that only age can make. Zack started to apologize but was cut off by the shop owner, "Don't you know that it isn't good to touch things that don't belong to you! Especially if it's something of a gypsies!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Zack tried to say but could only stutter. The Gypsie looked at him, she seemed to stare into his soul with that one eye but soon stopped saying," Well, you're here so you must want something. Ain't that right Zack?"
"How'ed you know my name?" Zack said the words comming out faster then his mouth can say them. The old women laughed, "We gypsies know a lot of things." Zack was nervous but he managed to stammer out, "I want you to predict my future." The gypsie eyed Zack for abit longer, for a second Zack thought that she was going to tell Zack to sod off but finally she held out her scaly hand, "That'll be $15.00." Quickly, Zack reached into his pocket and brought out the money he was going to buy him lunch, plus alittle bit more that he would of used if he decided to go to the arcade on the way home.
After giving her the money she reached under the counter and placed a pack of tarot cards on the counter. The back of the cards where solid black and traces of gold raced through the black forming different shapes and patterns. The gypsie began to count the money Zack had given her and when she was convinced that it was the correct amount she bent down. Zack didn't know what she was doing but when she bent down he saw his chance. He reached over to pick up the cards and had them in his paws when the gypsie came back up. Quickly he retracted his hand but it bumped into the crystal ball and it landed on the concrete with a loud clunk. The gypsie looked in horror at her crystal ball and began screaming, "My crystal ball! You ruined it!" Zack was terrified and quickly snatched the cards and ran.
As he ran he heard the gypsie scream, "My cards! Get back here or suffer the consequences!" He continued to run past crowds of furs playing carnival games and waiting in line to go on rides. Zack continued to run, running past Vic, who just came from a kiosk that sold snow cones, Vic opened his mouth to say something but Zack couldn't hear him, he was already out the gates and he continued to run untill he came to the local park, a few blocks from the carnival. His heart was pounding and his head ached but he had did it, he had stolen the gypsies cards and was now in the gang. Sitting on a park bench, he held the cards in his paw, still looking at the back. He was about to flip them over and get a look at the fronts when he saw Vic walking through the park.
Vic walked casually through the park coming up to Zack. When he was close, Zack got up and went over to him, "Hey Vic! I got the torat cards!" he almost screamed but managed to keep himself under control. Vic looked at him abit puzzled but Zack was too excited to notice and quickly handed Vic the cards. Vic looked down at them, flipping through the cards with the same puzzled look. Zack's tail was wagging as he waited for Vic to congratulate him on a job well done but instead Vic looked at him and said something Zack never thought he'd hear, "Um... okay, first, who are you and second, how do you know my name?"
Zack was stunned but thought Vic was just playing him, "You know me, Vic. It's Zack, your buddy!" Zack laughed but Vic's expression never changed. "Zack? I don't know anyone named Zack." Zack was stunned\par
"What do you mean, Vic? We're friends! You told me I could join your gang if I stole something! I stole those tarot card. So, does that mean I can be in the gang?"
Vic looked around, "Friends? I don't have any friends, never needed them and I never told you anything about starting a gang, I don't even know you! Plus, these are not even tarot cards." Vic threw the tarot cards on the ground and pushed Zack, who was staring at him in disbelief, Zack fell down, hitting his head against the bench that he was sitting on. Vic looked down at the young wolf, who only stared at him, "Now, beat it kid or something bad is going to happen to you." With that Vic walked away.
Zack's head hurt but Vic's words hurt the most, "Friends? I don't have any friends." The words rang in Zack's head and it made him want to cry. He picked himself up from the dirt and brushed himself off as Zack started to pick up the tarot cards he noticed something on them. The front of the cards were white and blank, except for a phrase that made Zack's heart beat faster, STOLE FROM A GYPSIE NOW PAY THE PRICE: A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH YOU SHALL SUFFER. Zack was puzzled at the phrase and looked throught all the cards. On each card was the same phrase, nothing else, and with each card Zack looked at his fear deepened. Zack use to hear stories of gypsies being magical but he grew out of them when he was seven. He picked up one of the cards and slipped it into his pocket. Not knowing what to do, he decided to head home, he was still hurt from what Vic had said and his mom always knew how to cheer him up.
As Zack headed home, he saw his other friend, Mark, a golden retreiver that had once dared Zack to do a complete 360 on the playground's swing seat, Zack had almost done it but his paws slipped and he fell, head first, into the gravel, resulting in hours of pain, followed by a doctor picking gravel out of a gash in his head. Zack waved at Mark but was rewarded with a strange look. This made Zack move faster as he headed back to his house. Zack walked up the drive-way and turned the door knob. To Zack's surprise the door was locked, his mom always kept the door unlocked when Zack was at school just in case he comes home and she isn't there. Zack knocked on the door and waited. After a few minutes his mother finally came to the door and opened it, she stood there looking at Zack, her dark gray fur blew in the breeze and Zack wanted to hug her tightly but something was off.
Instead of looking at him with loving eyes, like his mother always did, she looked at Zack strangely, "Oh, hello, Who are you?" Zack's heart stopped and he could feel tears building up behind his eyes, "I'm Zack, your son, remember?" His mom looked at him, "Sorry, I'm not your mother but if you tell me where you live, I can find her for you." Zack couldn't take it, those tears that had built up now exploded and stained his fur, "Here! I live here!" He screamed between sobs. His mother looked at him with a sad expression, "I'm sorry, you must be mistaken, I don't know anyone named Zack but, if you wait here, I can call the police and someone will find your mother." she went into the house and Zack sat down and cried, "How could this happen... how could she forget me, her own son!" He thought to himself, "First Vic, then Mark, and now... my own mother." He said the last part out loud, which sadden his heart even more.
It seemed that everyone was forgetting about him and he had no way to stop it. Zack thought about Vic and felt angry towards him, if he hadn't stolen those cards from that... gyspie, "Of course! That old gypsie might know how to stop this!" Zack said to himself. He got up from the ground and ran towards the carnival as fast as he could, running faster then he ever ran before. It didn't take long untill he was at the carnival, going back to where he met that old gypsie in her booth. Zack almost believed that the gypsie had left but he finally found the stand and sitting inside was the old gypsie polishing the crystal ball that Zack had knocked over. At first Zack almost walked the other way but his mothers words continued to repeat itself in his brain, "Sorry, I'm not your mother." and Zack walked up to the gypsie.
At first the gypsie didn't seem to see Zack, even after he had gotten to the chair that he had sat in but when he got close the gypsie's one good eye spotted him. Zack prepared himself for the worst and even said a prayer in his head but when the gypsie spoke her voice didn't have a trace of anger in it.
"I knew you'd be back." Zack was angry at the gypsie but he managed to keep his anger under control, "What have you done to me?" He demanded but the old snake only laughed, "What do you think I did to you! I put a curse on you." Zack was confused and afraid, "A curse?" The gypsie laughed abit more, "Yes! I told you that you should never touch things that belong to a gypsie but you decided that stealing from one was perfectly okay." Zack was starting to cry again but held it back, "I'm sorry! Alright? I'm sorry for everything! I'm sorry for knocking off your crystal ball and stealing your cards!"
The gypsie looked down at Zack from the booth and he hoped that she was considering accepting the apology. After abit of thinking the gypsie finally spoke, "Alright, I forgive you, while I was getting rid of the scratches in my crystal ball it showed me your past and you seemed like a pretty good kid but that dosn't mean the curse is lifted, that kind of magic cannot be removed... atleast not by me."
Zack's tail wagged slightly, if there was any way of the curse being lifted he wanted to hear it. "Please, tell me. Is there anyway to get rid of this curse?" The gypsie thought about it, "Yes, now that I think of it, you can lift the curse. In this town there is one other person besides me that still remembers you. If you can find them and get them to touch this photograph." The gypsie flicked her wrist and a photo appeared in her hand, after giving it to Zack, he recognized it as a picture of him at the beach that he and his mom use to go to when they went on vacation, the very same picture that Zack had lost awhile ago. the gypsie continued, "But be warned, if you don't find the person soon you will, literally, fade from memory, and so will you in this picture." Zack was scared again, only one person that still remembers him and what does she mean fade from memory
The gypsie pointed to Zack, "You better hurry, it's already starting to happen." Zack looked at himself and saw that his fur was starting to gray, most of the fur seemed to be almost transparent. Not wasting any time, Zack jumped up and started to go around the carnival talking to people that should know him. His doctor, the same one that pulled the gravel out of his head so long ago, didn't recognize him. A few of his mom's friends where by a ferris wheel and Zack asked them if they knew him but still nothing. The baker that had made a cake for Zack's thirteenth birthday didn't know him either.
Zack had walked around the entire carnival, asking people if they knew him, meanwhile his fur seemed to get grayer. Zack was losing energy and decided to try people in the park. The walk over to the park seemed to take longer then normal and Zack was getting more and more tired as he went. Taking the picture out, Zack saw that he was almost completely gone in the picture, only abit of his face and faint outline seemed to be visible. Zack continued to go towards the park untill he finally reached it, Zack could barely breath everything seemed to go in slow motion and he was tired. walking down a pathway Zack tripped and landed against a tree. If Zack was hurt, he didn't feel it, he was too tired, Zack decided it would be a good time to take a short nap, he needed more energy anyways. So, leaning against that tree, Zack feel asleep.
An hour later, Cloe Timble would walk by. She had seen Zack race out of the carnival like he was being shot at and had been looking for him ever since. During her search she will find a lone photograph of a sandy beach and nothing else. Soon, Zack would be a distant memory even for her. Zack had made a bad choice and paid the worst price, he was alone... alone and forgotten.