The scream still ringing in the air when Coker start running. He didn't wait. His feet move before his mind even finish thinking. Behind him, the girl run too, but quiet, like she was part of the forest, like she already know this day will come.
The path was not smooth. Small stones and sticks try to stop him, scratch his leg, but he didn't stop. He jump over a log, push away branches, and keep going. The village was not far, but today it feel like it was moving away from him. The sky was turning dark, even though it still morning. The clouds was thicker now, black and round like bad dreams. The air was heavy. It smell like smoke, like blood.
When Coker reach the edge of the village, he freeze. His legs don't move anymore.
There, in the middle of the road, a house was burning.
Not any house. It was Old Man Feno's house—the one who always shout at kids and throw rocks when they pass. Coker don't like him much, but... he didn't want him to burn.
People was screaming. Running everywhere. Some carry water buckets, some just shouting at nothing. Nobody know what to do. Fire was already eating the windows, the roof breaking. But that's not what made Coker's heart stop.
It was what was standing in front of the burning house.
A shadow.
No face. No body. Just shape. Like a man made of smoke. It was tall. Taller than any man he ever saw. And it had eyes. Not real eyes. Just two red lights glowing like coals. They was looking at the fire... or maybe at the people... or maybe at Coker.
Coker step back. "W-what is that?"
The girl catch up to him. Her breath was fast, but her eyes wide open.
She didn't answer his question.
She just said, "That's your curse."
Coker blink. "Huh?"
"The curse you carry. It's not just a curse. It's a being. A spirit. A sleeping monster inside you. And now... it's not sleeping anymore."
He look back at the smoke-man. The shadow moved. Not fast, just slow, like it was waking from a deep dream. Then it raise one arm. The fire behind it got stronger, like it was feeding the flame.
"How do I stop it?" Coker ask, fear crawling all over his back like ants.
"You can't stop it," she said. "But maybe... you can talk to it."
Coker look at her like she was crazy. "Talk? To that?"
"You're the only one it listen to," she said. "Because you are the one who born it."
He shake his head. "No... I didn't born nothing. I didn't ask for this. I just want to be normal. I just wanna live!"
She step closer and hold his hand. "But you're not normal, Coker. And maybe that's okay."
The shadow start walking. People scream more. It wasn't fast, but every step it take make the ground shake a little. Dust fly up. The air turn hot. One boy throw a rock at it. The rock went straight through it and fall on the other side like nothing.
Coker walk forward, shaking. His legs feel like sticks, but he don't stop. Every step felt wrong. His breath was short. But he keep going. The people didn't stop him. They was too busy running. Only the girl stay behind him, close.
The shadow stop when Coker get near.
Coker don't know what to say. He open his mouth, but words stuck.
The shadow speak first.
But not with mouth.
Inside his head.
"Why do you fear me?"
Coker almost fall. The voice was loud inside his brain, deep and cold like a river under ice.
He say back, "Because you're... you're hurting people."
"You called me. You broke the seal. I only answer."
"I didn't call you!" he shout, but the shadow's eyes glow more.
"You cried. You bled. You screamed at the stars. I heard it all."
Coker blink. He remember... the night he cry alone under the rain. When his mother said he was cursed and lock him out. He remember the anger. The pain. The wish that the world disappear.
Maybe he did call something.
Maybe it had been waiting all this time.
"What do you want?" Coker ask.
"To protect you."
"By burning everything?"
"They want to hurt you. I stop them."
Coker look back. Some villagers was watching from far. Their eyes full of fear. One man hold a pitchfork. Another with a knife.
Were they really afraid of him?
Or were they always planning to hurt him?
The girl come closer. She speak now, not loud, but strong.
"That's not the way, Coker. You don't win by destroying. You win by choosing who you are."
The shadow eyes flicker.
"She is not like us. She doesn't understand."
Coker turn to the shadow. "She the only one who understand me."
Then something strange happen. The shadow blink. Not real blink, just... flicker. It look smaller.
"Maybe I do need you," Coker say. "But not like this."
He walk forward and touch the shadow.
It was cold. Not burning. Just cold like old sadness.
And then the shadow vanish.
Not explode. Not fade.
Just vanish, like mist in morning sun.
The fire behind stop. Smoke still rising, but no flame.
People was quiet now. Watching. Waiting.
Coker fall on his knees, breathing heavy.
The girl run and kneel beside him. She hold him. Her arms soft but strong.
"You did it," she whisper.
"No," he say. "We did."
She smile.
Somewhere behind them, a bell ring. Not alarm. Just the normal village bell.
A new day start.