Chapter 2

Chapter 2

His words left me perplexed. I furrowed my brows, sifting through my memory. The day my child was born, our hospital room was bustling with relatives and friends bearing gifts, but I didn't recall Justine being among them. There was a traditional charm believed to bring long life, given by the child's aunt, so I thought nothing of it.

I answered softly, "No."

Online, netizens began to ridicule:

"Finally caught in a lie! Checked out this 'Christopher's' profile, and it's all just drawing charms and temples. Probably just scamming people online. Haha, busted!"

"Even if there was a Longevity Talisman, so what? I had one when I was little, and I'm perfectly fine now! Total fraud!"

...

"But Leyla did give the child a talisman. She said Justine had someone get it from a temple and specifically instructed us to keep it on the child for protection. Since the baby was so young and I didn't believe in these things, I just tossed it on the bedside table."

Christopher didn't respond in the comments but sent me a private message, asking me to unfold the talisman and take a photo. He seemed to want to avoid the noisy netizens.

Shortly after I sent the photo, Christopher's reply came, and it was shocking.

"This is no talisman; it's a Soul Entrapment Curse."

"Burn it outside immediately!"

My heart pounded.

At this point, I didn't care if he was a real spiritual practitioner or a fake. Everything seemed distant until it involved my child. I couldn't afford to be reckless. I decided to burn it immediately and keep nothing of the sort near my baby in the future.

With resolve, I stuffed the charm and a lighter into my pajama pocket and headed out.

Christopher told me that this Soul Entrapment Curse contained evil spirits and needed to be burned at a busy intersection where negative energy is strong.

The road in front of our community was a bustling six-lane road, fitting his criteria perfectly. It was 10:30 PM, and there were still people out for a stroll, so it felt safe enough. I estimated about ten minutes to get there and back.

As I stepped out of the living room, Leyla's voice called out, "Melany, where are you going with that charm so late?"

I froze, realizing the tassel of the charm was peeking out of my pocket.

Quickly forcing a smile, I needed an excuse:

"It's the talisman you got for the baby. My friend recently got a similar one online and wants to compare it with ours. I'll be right back."

We lived in the same community, so Leyla knew my friend often called me out for evening walks. This lie wouldn't raise suspicion. As I moved towards the door, Leyla already stood up, blocking my way.

She glanced at the visible charm, "You took the wrong one. This isn't the talisman."

She pulled out the tassel to reveal the triangular yellow paper charm. Inspecting it closely, she said, "When I was tidying up your room, I saw the talisman on the bedside table and worried it might get lost, so I placed it under your pillow. This charm isn't it; the talisman should be in Justine's room. Ramona must have been rummaging again. I'll have to scold her when she gets back."

I frowned but said nothing.

Ramona was my six-year-old daughter, always curious and likely to rummage through things.

Leyla added, "Do you know about the Holt family's eldest son? He's been ill recently with no explanation from the hospital. They asked Justine for help, and she said he was scared by something on the road, scattering his soul. She crafted a Soul Entrapment Curse, but it went missing. Turns out it was here! I'll definitely scold that little girl when she gets back from her aunt's!"

Leyla put the charm back in Justine's room and returned to watch TV, her actions appearing perfectly normal.

I confided to Christopher about what had happened, and he replied after a long pause:

"It can't be a coincidence! Be careful. They might be in on it together!"

What!

Leyla and Justine in on it together? To harm their own family? But my child shared their blood. Could they really be so heartless?

My phone buzzed twice. Christopher had sent another message:

"The old woman's birthday shows she died at least fifty years ago. Who is this person in your house?"

Goosebumps rose on my arms, and a chill ran through me.

So, Justine had died in her forties?

Oh my God!

Who was living in my house then? Could she have extended her life using our real great-grandmother's lifespan?

I couldn't bear to think any further. My fingers shook, making it difficult to type coherently, deleting and retyping in chaotic bursts of thought.

As I grappled with this overwhelming information, Brodie appeared behind me, his eyes falling on my phone.

"Honey, what are you looking at? You've been distracted all evening."

I turned off the phone screen, unsure whether to tell him the truth or make an excuse. But he spoke first, "Why is everyone acting so strange today? What happened?"

"What do you mean by strange?"

He glanced at the closed door, then pulled me closer and whispered, "Ever since Justine arrived, Mom and Dad have been acting weird. They seem different. Dad doesn't go fishing as much, and Mom rarely goes to her dance classes. They stay home all the time. Although the baby needs attention, they didn't need to fire the nanny! We're not short on money."

I remembered the nanny with the Virgin Mary necklace, who took great care of the baby but quit due to Leyla's constant pestering.

I didn't dare to think further.

Swallowing hard, I decided to trust Brodie and tell him everything unusual that had happened today.

"Also, several times when I got up at night to use the bathroom, I saw the light on in Justine's room. It was one or two in the morning. Didn't she always say her secret to longevity was going to bed early? What's going on now?"

At that moment, my phone buzzed again. Probably another message from Christopher. I sat back on the bed, leaning against the headboard, listening to Brodie while checking my phone.

Christopher: "'Borrowing life' rituals are extremely complex and can't be performed by one person. They need helpers, and someone must ensure the child stays in the house for 49 days. Everyone around you is suspicious."

The words caught in my throat. I mumbled to Brodie, excusing myself to the bathroom. I needed to contact Christopher directly via Whatsapp, afraid of being overheard, so I put on my Bluetooth earphones.

"Mr. Moss, what should I do with my child?"

Christopher frowned on the screen. Though young, he had a mature and composed demeanor.

"Show me the layout of your house."

It was past 11 PM, and my in-laws had retreated to their bedroom. The living room was empty. I tiptoed and turned on the light, showing him the entire house with my phone. A voice suddenly said, "Stop." My phone was pointing at the balcony plants, which appeared ordinary.

"Those plants are emitting black energy. Look closely; there must be something hidden in them!"