The sleeping beauty

His legs trembled as he took a step ahead, murmering several prayers in his mouth. "Oh dear father, please help me. If there is any evil spirit please make it leave."

He then took another step when the storm suddenly halted abruptly and the swing instantly halted into stillness. Marc stared at the swing in much shock and sprinted towards Lisa's house. "Lisa! Lisa!"

He rushed towards the door and banged it twice with much force. "Lisa, it is me Marc. Please open the door."

Marc turned to look at the dark surroundings and he was now regretting coming to the woods. "W... What if Lisa is not in her house and maybe she does not live here." The boy's heart was now beating rapidly as he kept staring at the dark pond looking absolutely creepy.

He then yet again banged the door with much force. "Lis..." Suddenly the door was pushed open and all Marc could see the darkness inside the room, which earlier had a beautiful fireplace lit alongside several lanterns highlighting the drawings on the walls.

"S.. so dark." He frowned a bit and after much thinking took a step inside the house. "Lisa... Lisa... are you in there?"

His gaze was now stuck on a small flickering light that was emerging from the adjoining room. "Lisa... I am coming inside. I... I have to talk to you about something important." Marc tilted his head a bit, trying to have a view of the room on his left.

He walked a little further ahead and noticed a tiny bamboo table on which a small mud lamp was burning. The room was almost empty except for a small bamboo chair and a few books lying on the table.

He walked a little further ahead and noticed a middle sized wooden bed, covered with a beautifully embroidered cloth. On top of the bed was lying down a girl, with her back towards Mark. She seemed to be in a deep slumber, as Marc could see her breathing deeply.

Her long fawn hair were falling down from the bed, while her body was curled up a little like that of an unborn baby. Marc looked at the girl and smiled a bit. She had changed into a loose pink colored attire, upto her knees. He could not help but notice how beautiful and pale her legs looked. "She is so pretty. Just, how can I not fall for her?" The boy sighed and instead of going inside the room he quickly stepped inside the kichen area.

He tip toed and looked around, looking for the fluid which Lisa was preparing earlier. "So, let us see if it was actually blood."

Marc went nearer to the bowl and dipped his finger inside the obnoxious smelling mud bowl. He then licked his finger a bit and slapped his forehead. "This is tomato soup and some herb."

Marc rolled his eyes and then walked back towards the girl. He quickly tip- toed towards the girl and walked in the other direction to look at her face. He was simply too eager to look at the beautiful girl's sleeping face.

As soon as he saw her, his mouth dropped open in shock and he took a few steps back. "You..."

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We all suffer under a curse, the curse that we know more than we can endure, and there is nothing, absolutely nothing we can do about the force and the lure of this knowledge.

- Anne Rice

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