Cursed

22

*UNEDITED*

As all children knew, there were some things that you just didn't bring up with your parents.

'Perhaps', Lily pondered, 'telling your father you want to go on an unsupervised road trip to find the woman who royally messed up his life was one of them.' 

When reasonability was considered, the very idea was idiotic. Though, as much as Lily liked to think of herself as reasonable, she couldn't deny that there was something inexplicably enticing about the taste of independence. She wanted to prove her competence to him. To show him that despite her visual impairment she was just as able to accomplish things as he.

The whole quest had become less about actually seeing— that was just a minor benefit— and more about helping her father. 18 years ago a witch had destroyed the proud being that was Dante Abrams and Lily wanted to be the one to bring him back. It was obvious that her being blind was something he placed on his shoulders, an additional cross to bear after the death of her mother, and so if she were to regain her sight perhaps it would change things. The search to break her curse had slowly been consuming him over the years and could only end in disappointment. She knew that if he turned up at Elvira's doorstep he was as good as dead.

She just had to hope that Elvira would be more forgiving towards her. She may have Dante's blood coursing through her veins but she couldn't possibly be blamed for whatever happened that dreadful night. Perhaps the witch would even pity her. She'd take the pity with little complaint if that meant she could improve things with her father.

"Hey, dad?" her voice was small in the large kitchen, swallowed up by her nerves. If she knew anything it was that her father would take a lot of convincing.

The sound of him rifling through the cupboards paused for a second, "mhmm?"

"I-I need to ask you something."

That definitely got his attention.

The kitchen lapsed into a tense silence and suddenly she felt as if she was 11 years old again and had gotten her first period. She had the same sickly feeling inside of her then at bringing up the topic but her father had ended up being incredibly understanding. She would be foolish to hope for anything like that once again.

"Do you remember the witch we went to on my birthday?" Her head was turned in the direction she had last heard a sound from, her posture impeccable to try and convey some sense of confidence.

"Yes..."

"Well, the witch... she told me something..." Lily took a deep breath and decided to just rip the Band-Aid off "I know where Elvira is."

Her father was silent for a few beats and she waiting, trying hard not to fidget as she waited for what he'd say.

"Really? Where?" He finally questioned, voice a little sceptical

"See that's the thing," Lily started biting on her lip "I can't tell you because you're not going."

She heard him intake a deep calming breath at that before he stiffly said "excuse me?"

"Yeah, you see," she continued with some growing confidence, feeling herself relax a little, "I'm going to be the one to see her."

He barked a laugh at her, one that did not at all sound amused but rather quite disbelieving. "You?" He questioned, "Sephora, you can't be serious."

She pursed her lips at his incredulous tone, trying not to snap when she next spoke "and why not?"

"You're not exactly in a position to be doing something like that." He was dancing around the subject, avoiding saying it directly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She challenged, her voice taking on a cold edge.

"You know what I mean," he sighed, "you're... well you're blind."

"And whose fault is that?" She snapped at him, feeling her temper finally flare. She was baiting him and they both knew it.

Her father's voice was strained when he next spoke, as if he were trying his best not to express his growing anger. "Now, that's hardly fair I—"

"No, you know what's not fair?" She interrupted, 18 years worth of frustration pouring out of her, "because of your actions I grew up without a mother. For years I've had to deal with the constant feeling of people's eyes trailing my every move because I am a living result of your mistakes. Yet, you have the audacity to walk around you're the one who's been wronged. I feel like I'm the bad guy here. You barely acknowledge my existence—"

"Sephora, I think you've said enough," he cut in, voice deceptively calm but with a sharp edge. It was a warning.

"Actually, I'm just getting started—"

"I said enough!"

Lily almost flinched back at the anger in the tone, knowing she had crossed a line. Whatever fight she had had inside of her quickly dissipated as she waited for what was to come next.

"You're not going." His voice had returned to its normal quiet, "I will not have you going anywhere near Elvira unprotected. You don't know what she's capable of."

"And you don't know what I'm capable of," she argued back though without her usual conviction, instead the words were whispered. She simultaneously hoped that he both had and hadn't heard her.

If he had, he didn't acknowledge it. "I have work to do, I'll be in my study if you need me." And with that she heard his footsteps slowly move away from her, her heart plummeting with every fading step. She didn't know what she was supposed to do after that. She had her one shot and she blew it.

"What now?" She muttered dejectedly to the kitchen walls, hoping that maybe the cutlery had some answers for her.

What she hadn't expected was a female voice "perhaps I could be of help?"