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Prologue
………………………….
Henri
THE CURSE OF BLOOD & DARKNESS
by
Henri Mercer
I THINK THERE COMES A POINT in everyone’s life when you wake up.
You wake to the truth of who you are, what you’re doing, and who you’re meant to be.
Some people wake and realise they’re on the right path already.
Others wake and come face to face with all their mistakes.
Near-death experiences can cause such an awakening.
Reaching rock bottom can slap you into seeing.
Sickness and burnout, terror and tragedy—they’re all feared but can grant such freedom if you submit.
Pity I didn’t submit.
Pity I wasn’t ready.
Because when my awakening happened…
I broke.
Chapter One
………………………….
Ily
“THIS WAY!” PETER HOBBLE-RAN beside me, dripping with pain and grunting with every stride. “I know a shortcut to Neverland!” He chuckled, but it came out more like a sob.
Every jewel spurred onward, so used to obeying Peter when he was sober and smart, not questioning his judgement now he was high and hurting.
The way we ran as a group reminded me of track at high school. How we’d always start as a group and slowly thin out the more distance we covered.
Would that happen here?
Would jewels fall back? Would we slow to stay together? Or would some bolt ahead, chasing after hope that they might find escape, if only they ran quick enough?
Gasping for breath, I glanced at Peter. The target mark on his chest rivered into streaks of black, white, and red. The paint smudged and soaked into the band of his nude-coloured boxers. His glazy eyes and feverish skin far worse than even ten minutes ago.
Rachel scowled, holding her full breasts as we ran, preventing them from bouncing too much. “You are not Peter Pan, Pete. There is no such thing as Neverland.”
“Pretty sure I am.” Peter spread his arms. “Share his name, don’t I? Bet you I could fly if I threw myself off the cliff.”
“No one is throwing anything off the cliff.” Rachel grimaced. Shooting me a look, she couldn’t hide the depth of her terror. “He’s lost it,” she whispered to me.
“Fly faster, friends!” Peter shouted, almost falling to his knees from running on burned feet. “Shortcut ahead!”
