The Solstice family were an odd bunch; murder, witchcraft, and funerals were integral parts of their everyday life. Elvira Solstice was no exception. Her parents married out of pure loathing, and spent their lives slipping poison into each other's f...
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Every Solstice was born with a dead, pitch black heart. It did not jump when frightened, nor quicken when exhausted. It didn't do anything, really, except sit there inside of our chests; a broken, useless thing. It didn't even pump the blood through our veins; that's why we were all so pale.
However, Grandma Amethyst told me when I was young that one day it would spring to life. That always frightened me. I didn't wish for it to revive. My world was just fine without a working heart to complicate matters. Still, she insisted. Grandma Amethyst said that every soul was broken in two pieces, and that when I found my missing half, my chest would be set ablaze.
She wasn't wrong.
As I stared at that ebony-skinned beauty, I thought that I might die from the influx of admiration that consumed me. That certainly wouldn't be appropriate on Cousin Larry's Death Day... He would never forgive me if I stole his spotlight.
"Dear Elvira!" Aurora gasped in horror. "Your face is turning bright red! Has someone put a curse on you? Oh, how wonderful!"
"Surely she would feel it if a curse had been placed." Came the very distinct voice of Aunty Jude - it was akin to sandpaper being rubbed against ancient oak and suited her appearance perfectly. She had grey hair tied into a loose bun, and a face that looked like a giant wrinkle. Aunty Jude was an expert on hexes and spells. She'd even turned her own husband into a frog once...or perhaps she just married a frog and told us that he was cursed. "Let me take a look."
Aunty Jude waddled over on her peg leg, then took my palm into her hands and examined it closely. She traced each line with a quiet hum, when this did not seem like an efficient method, she reached up and plucked a long strand of raven hair from my head. My scalp near screamed at the suddenness of it all!
Without hesitation, Aunty Jude ran the long strand across her tongue and smacked her lips together. "That is no curse."
"Then what could it possibly be?" Aurora asked with a furrowed brow.
"A cursed individual tastes like curdled milk and a straight shot of vodka." Aunty Jude explained. She lifted the strand skyward, and I noticed that it shined just a little brighter than usual. Howvulgar. "This has the distinct flavour of cherry pie...and fairy floss."
There was a universal gasp that seemed to carry throughout every nearby family member; Uncle Beelzebub dropped his full glass of wine, Cousin Medusa turned several shades of green, and Nana October almost fell topside over! Even Aurora was fanning herself rapidly with her right hand, trying to prevent herself from fainting at the very mention of flavours so sweet.
"That is simply horrifying!" Aurora screeched. "What could do such a thing?"
Aunty Jude tucked the strand of hair into her pocket and grumbled a word so foul, why, I could have died right then and there. "Love."
