Deaths

The words on the phone sent shivers down his spine, flooding his mind with a rush of thoughts. Overwhelmed, he collapsed onto the ground with a pallid expression.

It's like our family is really cursed... Was it my fault? Did I wait too long? Am I going to die too? What will happen to my future?

Tala can't seem to shake this overwhelming feeling of sadness and nervousness that's weighing heavily on him.

"I understand that you're shocked right now, but try to take a deep breath and calm down a bit. If you can, come to the hospital. Maybe there's something we can do to help the situation."

Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he replied, "Yes, I'll come to the hospital in a few minutes." He couldn't shake the feeling of dread that came over him as he looked down at the motionless body on the floor. He didn't know who the man was, but the thought that he might have caused his death weighed heavily on him. He knew he had to take care of the situation before leaving for the hospital.

In order to prevent the man from making noise if he woke up, Tala wrapped a strong piece of duct tape over his mouth. This man might hold important clues about the story behind the curse: why he had attacked him in the first place, why he was after the book and the statue, and why he didn't want him to finish the ritual. Given all these unanswered questions, it was clear that Tala couldn't let him go, no matter what.

"This should do the trick. Hopefully, no one will come into the house now." But then he paused, his voice heavy with sadness as he spoke. "Actually, it's just my house now."

Tears streamed down Tala's face as he cried softly, feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next. Suddenly, he remembered that his father was still on a business trip, which had been going on for two and a half years. A glimmer of hope entered his eyes as he picked up his phone to call his father. However, after several attempts, his father still didn't pick up. Becoming more anxious, Tala took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down before deciding to try again later.

"I suppose I'll go to the hospital for now. Maybe my mom and the doctor are just playing a joke on me," Tala said so, hiding sadness in his voice

After locking the man in the closet, Tala descended the stairs and slipped out of the house through the same window he had broken into. He didn't bother fixing the window, not wanting to attract any unnecessary attention. As he made his escape, Tala felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He couldn't shake the feeling that his grandfather's words were true -- that the family was cursed, and that something terrible could happen to him at any moment. What if a car came barreling towards him right now? The thought made his heart race.

"I did exactly what Grandpa asked me to do, so there's nothing to worry about anymore," Tala reassured himself as he made his way back to the hospital.

After walking for a few minutes, he arrived at the hospital. As he approached, he noticed an ambulance parked outside and a group of people gathered nearby. It was obvious to Tala why they were there, and he didn't need to ask any questions.

As Tala approached the crowd, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him. "Hey, Tala, over here!" Dr. Htet beckoned to him, and Tala reluctantly made his way over, trying to hide the pain that was etched on his face as he looked down.

Tala's family had been on good terms with Dr. Htet for years. Despite his stoic demeanor, he was a kind and caring man who always went out of his way to help them with their health problems. If the issue wasn't too serious, he would even check on them for free.

Dr. Htet had two children: Hein Htet Aung, who was the same age as Tala, and Htet Htet Aye Kyaw, who was a year older than Hein Htet Aung. Both of them attended the same school as Tala, and the three of them were good friends.

Dr. Htet felt a deep sense of sorrow as he learned what had happened to Tala. He knew that this would be an incredibly difficult time for Tala, especially given that his father was often away on business trips. With no one else at home to support him, Tala would be facing this challenge alone.

"I am so sorry for what happened to them, Tala," Dr. Htet said, placing a gentle hand on Tala's shoulder. "I wish there was more I could have done to save them."

Tala was tempted to talk to Dr. Htet about the curse, but his cautious nature held him back. Instead, he asked the doctor about the details of his family's death, hoping to gain some insight into how the curse might have killed them.

"Doctor Htet, did you witness their death?" Tala asked, hoping that the doctor could provide him with some clues about the cause of their tragic end.

"I wasn't there at the time of the accident," Dr. Htet replied. "But according to the witnesses, your mother was holding your sisters' hands and was crossing the road. Before they could reach the other side, a taxi with broken brakes ran over them."

Inside the crowd is a wrecked bloody taxi which hit the tree on the platform with fleshes and bones stuck inside the wheels leaving big blood stains on the road and bloody pool of one of Tala's sister's dead body which is smashed flat on the ground with tire patterns all over her body.

Tala strained to catch a glimpse of the wreckage through the crowd, but before he could get a clear view, Dr. Htet pulled him back by the shoulder.

"Sorry, Tala," he said. "Don't look. It will only make you feel worse." Dr. Htet's grip on Tala's shoulder was firm, as if he wanted to shield him from the pain and trauma that lay beyond the crowd.

"have u seen it?" said Tala

"Yeah..... , these kinds of tragedies can happen from time to time," said Doctor Hein in a gentle yet firm tone. "Stay strong, kid. You're not alone. You can come stay with us for a while, and I'll try reaching out to your father."

Tala admired Doctor Hein for his stoically kind demeanor and looked up to him for guidance during this difficult time.

"I actually tried calling my dad earlier when I was at home, but he didn't pick up," Tala shared with Doctor Hein.

"Perhaps he was simply occupied at the time. Don't worry, we can try reaching him again later," reassured Doctor Hein. "In the meantime, go pack up your things. I'll send Hein Htet Aung and Htet Htet Aye Kyaw to assist you."

With that, Doctor Hein let Tala go to begin preparing for their stay at the doctor's residence.

Tala's eyes glistened with tears as she turned to Doctor Hein, his voice choked with emotion. "Thank you, Doctor Hein. You're doing so much for me," he said, bowing deeply in gratitude.

Dr. Hein interrupted Tala's bowing and rushed off to tend to other patients, leaving Tala to return home. As he made his way back, the sun was already setting, casting long shadows across the ground. Tala crawled through the broken window and onto the ground, stretching out his arms and legs as he tried to process everything. But before he could take a breath, his phone rang, and he answered quickly.

"Hello, Dad?"

The voice on the other end wasn't his father's, but that of a stranger.

"Hi Tala, this is your father's colleague. Can you put your mother on the phone? We've been trying to reach her but can't get through."

Tala's heart sank. "My mother was hit by a car," he said softly. "Can you please put my dad on the phone?"

The man's tone turned anxious. "What? Is she okay?"

Tala couldn't hide the grief in his voice. "No, she didn't make it. Along with my two little sisters."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Tala, we're so sorry, but your father was on the cargo ship that sank earlier today. We found him this evening, but we couldn't save him."

Tala's eyes filled with tears, but he tried to stay composed. "Thank you for letting me know," he said, hanging up the phone.

He fell to the ground.

Half an hour later, he heard a knock on the door. His friends, Hein Htet Aung and Htet Htet Aye Kyaw, had come to pick him up.

After getting no replies from inside, his friends came in through the broken window.

In the darkness, Hein Htet Aung fumbled for the light switch, revealing Tala lying on the ground, his face swollen with grief and tears staining his cheeks.