The Silk Diamond

IB: Day 1

"Haven't seen you boys around these parts before", the gruff bearded man remarked as he loaded the groceries into the bags at the counter of the dusty general store. "Y'all new in town?"

Syman looked at his brothers and spoke up first.

"Yeah we just moved in. I'm Syman Arthur. These are my brothers, Kirian and Ibrahim", he gestured to his brothers, introducing them.

The man fixed the brothers with a funny look. It was one the brothers each knew so well. They had all experienced it at one point or another when introducing their small family to other people. They got so used to the incredulous stares in stranger's eyes when they saw three young men who were obviously different races. Looking at Syman who was obviously of Asian decent with his dark hair, cynically mischievous smile, and almond smile; then at Ibrahim, who as far as anyone could tell was from the Middle-East with his apathetic demeanor, standing a formidable six foot five in height, and tan skin. Finally, there was Kirian who was a bit more of a puzzle, racially ambiguous, standing at about average height. His eyes were hazel and his hair so light brown it was almost blonde. His skin was somewhere in between a tan on spring break and caramel.

"No shit?"

"We're adopted", Kirian offered with a flat expression, exasperated at having to explain it once again. 

"Oh...", the man said, embarrassed. His ruddy cheeks seemed to flush even more. "Sooo, Where y'all from?"

"California", they all said at once.

This elicited a hrumph from the man. "Welp, name's Roger—Roger Carson. Anything you need you boys come find me. I'm always here...'less I'm out huntin'" .

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Carson", Ibrahim said.

"And back at you, boy. Welcome to Briesman Forest—best damned town in this state."

"What do you hunt," Ibrahim, ever curious, asked.

"Deer. Every now and then I bag a deer if I'm lucky. I'm guessin' y'all don't have much hunting experience, being from the city, huh?"

They all shook their heads.

Roger pulled an empty Maxwell House coffee container from beneath the counter and spat a black loogie into it. "Where abouts you kids staying? I know all the houses in town—it ain't that big a town and I don't remember nothin' being on the market—the realtors 'round these parts are old drinking buddies of mine...don't remember them saying nothing about a new crop of kids..."

This time Kirian spoke up. "We just inherited a house, it's on Crescent Road."

Roger stopped bagging groceries and sharply looked up into Kirian's eyes with something that resembled anger...or was it terror? His voice, full of gravity shook and rose. "N-not 717 Crescent, eh? The old Silk Manor?!"

"Uh, yeah. It was left to us by some Aunt...Grace or something."

"She finally did it, the crazy old bat did it", Roger whispered shaking his head, talking to himself seemingly.

"You boys better be careful around that place. If I were you, I'd pack up my shit and go back to wherever the hell you came from. Can't be worse than that hellhole."

The brothers looked at each other. Ibrahim rose an eyebrow. Symon's brow furrowed. Kirian just pursed his lips.

After a long pause, Ibrahim spoke up. "What's wrong with that house?"

"It's Cursed," the old man said simply. It was as if Ibrahim had asked him for the time.

"Cursed?", Syman asked.