Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 16: Safety and Warmth

I had been terribly nervous about this first day in Serge's home without Karen to run interference between us.

I had not even been there a week, but already I really did not believe I had a logical reason to be afraid of Serge.  His deep regret of the one crime he committed against me made it difficult to imagine he would ever harm me further.

But my emotions, in the grip of the curse did not care about my logic and reason.  I was as terrified of being in the same room as him as ever.

Still, I had forced myself to get out of bed and try to follow my new routines.  I had met him in the kitchen, took the medication Doctor Fischer left and managed to force breakfast down my constricted throat before going and running in my narrow loops through the forest.  Afterwards I showered and got dressed, listened to my two songs on repeat, forced myself to look through the photographs, and texted my family that I was okay.

There was a sandwich waiting for me on the counter when I came out for lunch.  I assumed it was meant for me, but the curse was convinced I had no business eating as if I deserved to so I ate less than half.

Then, I resumed hiding in my room.

I was so startled when Serge interrupted me with a knock that I almost fell off the bed where I had been attempting to inattentively read.

"Y-yes?"

"You've got a guest," he told me through the door.

I abandoned the book and scrambled quickly out of my room.  He was no longer there when I opened it, so I cautiously walked down the hall and into the main area of the house.

It took me only a moment to spot Matthias.  My handsome friend was sitting on the couch and looking in my direction as I approached.  Pleasure at seeing him mixed in a maelstrom with the anxiety the curse wrought inside me.  I tried to ignore the magic as I followed him out to Isaac's truck and saw the load of goodies he had brought.

It would have been pure joy if I had been free to feel only my own emotions.

As it was, it was still nice wobbling somewhere between guilty terror and fun and affection with my friend.

Matthias was clearly distracted because he was not playing very well, but that did not matter because I was having trouble focusing myself.  I could get into the game, but then some game action or errant thought would remind the curse to plague me once again.

Still, I got a nice little burst of excitement that overshadowed the curse when I got Matthias with a sweet headshot as he walked obliviously into my line of sight.  Sure, he had clearly not had his mind in the game, but his distraction and my curse seemed to be similar handicaps so I counted it a fair win.

I tried the same trick of hiding and waiting for him to go by again, but this time he snuck up and got me from behind.

"Hey, cheater!" I joked.

"Did you really think I would fall for the same trick twice in a row?" he asked innocently.  He met my eyes with his own mischievous gaze.

I chuckled and shrugged.  "Still worth a try."

"Want to play something else?" he asked, setting down his controller beside him.

"Sure," I agreed.

"What do you want to play?" he asked.

"You pick this time," I said.  I was tired of fighting my way past the curse to make decisions.  Everyone I came in contact was being so solicitous and I appreciated that, but it was tiring, because the curse would not stop plaguing me.