The Plan Part 2

"What, Grandma?" Annie said, tears forming in her eyes.

Grandma shook her head and replied, "Sweet girl, I know you want to protect him, but destiny has already decided on him. He should go, otherwise he'll die never giving himself the chance to save himself."

Annie paced the floor. I wanted to placate her, but could I have said? She trembled. I grabbed her hand as she passed.

Annie slowed her steps, and her eyes glossed over me. Finding the strength to support her and keep my own fears at bay was all I could have done.

I walked her over to Grandma, who gave her a few pats on her hand and a sigh. One question ran through my mind and though I scared for the answer. I was more afraid of Annie.

"Grandma, what about Annie? Will she also experience this curse?" I asked. Annie's head popped up. Grandma shrugged. "Let's hope not." Grandma looked at me again. "You'll need tools. Does Joel have some he can spare?"

"I... I think so," I said.

"Good. Take this with you." She reached into her box and brought out a bush wrapped in cord. "It's sage. It will protect you. Carry it on your person. I'd love to know how your trip goes."

"Annie, are you okay?" I asked. She looked up at me. Color had drained from her face. "Yeah, yeah. I'm okay." She nodded.

That was when I realized something. The next few days of my life held even more purpose. I must live out those few days and lead by example. If this fate should ever befall anyone else, I can be somewhat like a lit candle, adding a dim light to the shadows.

I needed to start my journal and document my own journey. To do what Nial could not and complete the journal, writing down to the very last day. And I needed to go to that mountain now more than ever to record everything that happened.

If there is an actual way to reverse this curse, I would record that too. The cycle had to end with me. At least that I desired for no one to go through the pain I was going through. A century from now, my journal can be handed down by my relatives as this was handed down by my ancestors.

If the same fate befalls him, he'll have my experience to learn from. Even better, he'll know if there's a way to stop this from happening. I didn't know if there was a way, but that's why it was my duty to find out.

I shared this news with them. "I know what I'll do Grandma, Annie."

Grandma looked up, a glimmer in her eyes. "What, son?"

I inhaled and motioned with the book in my hand. Their attention now drawn to it, I said, "I'll start my very own journal so I can be like Nial, but really complete it this time so someone else can use it as a guidebook."

"Young man!" she exhaled and a big smile grew on her face. "I was hoping you would say that." Grandma said.

Me and Annie both looked at her in shock. I didn't know why we were in shock. Granny always had a knack for knowing things. After all, she knew of this curse.

Grandma extends her hand behind her and pulls out this box from the short wooden shelf behind her. The box was made of wood. Strange archaic symbols were cut deep on either corner, making it four impressions, while in the center was a black painted symbol which resembled a fruit.

Grandma brushed the top side of it, and with a pop, pulled the roof of the box. She reached inside the box and pulled out an old, but a book that was in better condition than Nial's journal. It was a decorated leather-covered book with embellishments on the cover.

Grandma held out the book towards me. "Look inside", she said.

I took the journal and took in its beauty, the natural comfort with which it rested in my hand. I opened it and on the inside of the cover; I noticed a small embroidered detail. I squinted my eyes to read it, but couldn't make it out.

I took a closer look at the ingrained signature. It read 'N. Stylus'. The book shuddered in my hand. Disbelief and shock washed over me. I showed it to Annie. She was also frightened, unconsciously stepping back as if the book would attack her. In sync, we both looked up at Grandma.

"Granny…" I started.

"How?" Annie added. Then continued. "Did you always know this was going to happen?"

"Not really," her shaky voice replied. Her head shook from one side to another as she regarded us. "I just also started to connect the dots recently."

I stared at her. Grandma was a woman wise beyond her years. In a manner of speaking, she was the keeper of our ancestor's history. The one we all came to for guidance.

Something had me wondering about how well she knew about this curse. I wondered if she had an intimate knowledge of it. Had she known Nial?

The journal had not showed which time period Nial was from, but some things in his story told me it was not recent.

"What dots?" I asked.

"Your Grandpa created books for a living. He died young, but just before he passed, he created this book and embroidered that signature on it. He said 'pass it down to my Grandson' and so I did." Grandma smiled at the memory, but it still explained nothing.

Thankfully, she continued. "Of course, we never managed to have children. So when I became much older and met your parents, young and in love, your mother was very pregnant with Annie and we became closer, I suppose I felt some grandmotherly attachment to you before I even knew you."

She looked toward Annie. "I suggested that if the baby were a boy, they'd name you Nils. It was pure coincidence that you already had the surname Stylus."

Me and Annie shifted in our stance. This was a lot to take in.

Grandma exhaled, then nodded. A somber pull of her eyes elicited her saying, "But sweet Annie was born instead. Then you came later, and they agreed to name you Nils. I was going to save this journal for your eighteenth birthday, but then the shock of the curse happened. I remembered the story I had listened to as a child. It was a very well-known story, and I remembered the journal that was passed down through centuries which held the personal recount of Nial's experience."

I was never reaching that age now. Still, such a coincidence was quite interesting. That sounded like a curse that was likely to be passed down. The question was who came before Nial in that case.

Grandma raised her hand in prophetic declaration. "When I gave Nial's journal to you, I forgot everything about this book here. So, when you said you were going to start your own journal, everything just fell into place in my mind and I knew the moment had come to give this to you. I hope I get to read your story."

We both looked at Granny, speechless. I looked back down at the book. It was destiny. This was mine before I even knew myself.