Cursed Ones

Farrah's Lament

Farrah sat near an open window, breathing in the scent of the breeze as it entered her room. She sighed dreamily, her hand caressing one of the petals from a bright, red rose that had sprung near her bedroom. It was the only one of its kind, and Algol swore he never planted roses in the gardens to begin with.

Farrah made sure to always keep the flower watered and in return, it kept her company when her children were out on their daily walk.

Having these moments of silence where she could be alone with her thoughts seemed to help her out with her mental struggles. It was no secret she was still traumatized from Isen's death. At times in the night, she could still feel him in her arms, his life slipping away as he muttered his last words "I love you." When they first met, Farrah would never have expected to fall deeply in love with Isen. After all, in her youth she always thought she'd be going out with a rich man in Hollywood. Despite not being human, Isen turned out to be much better than some man with loads of cash. He fulfilled her every need, and he gave her two beautiful children she would die to protect.

"It's a lovely day," Farrah whispered to the rose, watching as it bobbed its head in agreement, "The sky is beautiful, and the sun is warm. I'm sure you already know, though."

Farrah wiped a strand of hair away from her face, closing her eyes as the sweet sound of the trees swaying with the wind lulled her into a deep relaxation.

She hummed a little tune, exhaling as a vivid image of the creature she loved formed in her mind.

Isen was there, his claws outstretched towards her as if inviting her into his embrace. She couldn't object, and in her imagination, she ran towards him, enjoying his strong arms wrapping themselves tightly around her fragile body. Isen was warm, gentle, and his hugs made Farrah feel like nothing could harm her.

She opened her eyes, realizing she was hugging herself. The joy in her face vanished and she let go, her hands resting on the windowsill.

"You know," Farrah began once more, talking to her small friend, "I sometimes feel very lonely." Her eyes moved up towards the purplish, blue sky.

"Algol has been distant lately. I feel like he hasn't been the same since-"

She traced her finger across a pattern on the wall, chewing on the inside of her mouth as if in deep thought, "He used to come by every day, but now he doesn't. I can't imagine there's much to do in space. "

Farrah was unaware of the different dimensions that littered the entire universe. The Earth she once lived in was only a small fraction of a much bigger picture. Unbeknownst to her, her own children were already aware of the fact that other worlds existed. Their Uncle Hallow made it very clear to keep it a secret every time he took the children to a different Earth during Halloween time. They promised they wouldn't tell Farrah if they wanted to keep sneaking out of their secluded world. 

If Farrah knew there were other places like her own previous home still littered with humans, she would have been upset. After all, humans were the ones who had killed Isen. Despite being one herself, she hated people. 

At one point, Isen had told Farrah she needed to find peace with her kind. She knew she could no longer keep that promise, not after what the humans had done to him. If only Isen was still alive, then maybe she wouldn't feel so guilty. Maybe they'd still be back on Earth, living in Windsburg while their children ran around.

Farrah began to chew on the inside of her cheek, drawing a bit of blood. She was so consumed by her thoughts, she failed to notice her good friend watching her from the doorway the whole time.

Algol made sure to keep quiet, examining the aging woman with a hint of sorrow in his soul. Her once beautiful, blonde hair was now turning gray. Her delicate eyes were dark with sorrow. The wrinkles on her forehead and revealed several years of anxiety and worry. Algol sometimes hoped Farrah would find happiness once again, but without Isen around he knew it was impossible.

"I know you're watching me," Farrah abruptly spoke up, turning towards Algol with a knowing smirk.

"I just got here a second ago," Algol lied, stepping towards the frail woman. He got down on all fours, seating himself next to her as they both stared outside her window. A soft gust of wind entered the room, surrounding the two. Farrah smiled, exhaling as she placed a palm against Algol's bony snout. He didn't say anything, even as she began to pet him like he was some sort of puppy.

"You've been gone a while."

"Well, you know. I had to act as a priest in a wedding, then something happened off some coast-."

"It's fine, Algol. I don't need an explanation."

He paused, carefully taking Farrah's small hand into his own. For a moment, none of them said a word until Algol cut the silence, "You're not fine. There's no need to put on a mask. Your kids won't be home soon, so stop pretending."

Farrah felt her smile falter, and it only took those few words to form a crack in the wall she had building. With a forged laughed, she hastily wiped a few strands of tears from her cheeks, "I'll be fine. It's just a little hard."

"I'll be with you every step of the way until you get better." Algol responded, examining the blood red rose that stared back at them both.

"I just want to thank you for spending time with Vulcan and Nova. If you weren't around, I think-," Farrah cut herself off, forcing the knot in her throat back down, "I just don't think I'm all that fine, after you know what."

"I don't think humans ever really recover from a loss."

"Neither do aliens, huh?"

Algol's gaze lowered to the floor, and he found his thoughts travelling back to the night his world had changed completely- the night Isen died. He remembered the sound of gunfire, the painful stings of the bullets, Isen's blood spilling on him as he attempted to protect the wounded Algol...

"Love does that, doesn't it?" Algol spoke up, "It changes individuals, makes them want to act better towards those around them." He slowly stood from the floor, "I used to think it was impossible for Isen to have a good side- but then he met you and everything was different."

Farrah felt her eyes brimming with fresh tears as she cracked a side smile.

"I could sense nothing but love in his spirit when he left us. He went in peace, Farrah, and I'm sure he would want you to live your life free from hate."

The woman did not respond, but her eyes said it all. Algol tore away from her before he was filled with guilt. He exited the house as quickly as he entered, standing outside the front garden with a deeply troubled mind.

There was something big coming, something he wished he could tell Farrah yet knew he couldn't. She had been through a lot, and the news would only make her even more upset. She wouldn't even see him the same way...but Isen would have told her. Isen would expose everything for his love and his children.

Algol stared up at the sky, reminding himself of his own mission. He had to complete it, even if it meant lying to Farrah.

Perhaps one day she would understand.