Gift or Curse

That morning, Lucy sat in the corner of the dining room, staring at an untouched cup of tea. Her eyes were puffy, her face a mess. Uncle Wiryo's voice still echoed in her ears, like a lingering whisper she couldn't shake.

"You don't have a choice."

Those words cut deep, adding weight to her already heavy heart.

"Lucy, eat something first, dear," Auntie Rati's gentle voice pulled her back to reality. The middle-aged woman, who had been taking care of Lucy's family home, placed a plate of fried rice and a glass of avocado juice in front of her.

Lucy gave a faint nod. She wanted to speak, to explain what had happened, but her tongue felt tied. How could she admit that her friend had died because of something she had done… or more accurately, something she had said?

After a few minutes of silence, Auntie Rati let out a small sigh and said, "Uncle Wiryo said he's coming again this afternoon. He mentioned it's important."

Lucy looked up, meeting Auntie Rati's kind eyes. "Important?" she asked softly.

"Yes, something you need to learn," Auntie Rati replied before heading back to the kitchen, leaving Lucy alone with her thoughts.

****

That afternoon, Uncle Wiryo showed up as promised. The old man carried a small wooden box tied with a rattan string. His face was serious... more serious than usual.

"Lucy," he said bluntly, "I'll help you understand what's happening, but you need to be ready. There's no turning back after this."

Lucy swallowed hard, fear and curiosity mixing in her chest. "What do you mean, Uncle?"

Uncle Wiryo opened the wooden box, revealing an old black book with a worn cover. An odd symbol was etched on it in gold ink, circling endlessly like a never-ending loop.

"This book belonged to your ancestors passed down through your mother," Uncle Wiryo explained. "She knew this power would one day be passed to you. Inside are your family's teachings spells, knowledge, warnings. But remember, Lucy, this isn't just a gift. It can also be a curse."

Lucy stared at the book with fear. "A curse?"

Uncle Wiryo nodded. "This power comes from your family's legacy. But if you're not careful, it will destroy you. You've felt it, haven't you? Losing control, words slipping out without meaning to."

Lucy nodded slowly. The memory of the previous night made her shiver. "I don't want this, Uncle," she whispered. "I just want a normal life. Ericka's death.... it's crushing me."

Uncle Wiryo looked at her with a mix of softness and sternness. "A normal life isn't an option anymore, Lucy. You have to learn to accept this, or this power will destroy everything, including you."

****

That night, under Uncle Wiryo's guidance, Lucy began reading the book. Its pages were filled with handwritten Javanese script and intricate diagrams. She struggled to understand every word, every symbol.

"Start with meditation," Uncle Wiryo instructed. "The key to controlling this power is controlling your mind and heart. Don't let your emotions take over."

Lucy followed his instructions, sitting cross-legged on a mat with her eyes closed. She tried to focus on her breathing, but her thoughts kept drifting to Ericka... her smile, her sarcastic laugh, and finally… her death.

"Lucy," Uncle Wiryo's voice broke the silence. "Clear your mind. Focus.!!!"

She tried again, this time imagining a calm sea. Slowly, she felt something shift inside her, like a small door cracking open. Behind that door, she sensed a pulsing energy, wild and powerful, waiting to be touched.

"Do you feel it?" Uncle Wiryo asked.

Lucy nodded, eyes still closed. "I feel it… like it's alive."

"That's your power," Uncle Wiryo explained. "It'll obey your will, but only if you can control it. If not, it'll consume you."

****

The following days, Lucy dived into training. Every night, she read the book, trying to understand her family's legacy. She learned basic spells under Mr. Wiryo's guidance, trying to manage the energy coursing through her.

But the more she learned, the more she realized this power was far greater than she had imagined. She could feel its strength, how tempting it was to misuse it.

One night, while practicing alone in the backyard, something happened. As she recited a spell, the wind picked up violently, shaking the trees around her. The ground beneath her feet trembled, and she felt the power surge out of her, forming a circle of energy around her.

"Lucy! Stop!" Uncle Wiryo's voice shouted from a distance.

Startled, she stopped, and everything went still. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

Uncle Wiryo ran to her, his face tense. "You can't use that power recklessly!" he scolded. "One moment of losing control, and you could destroy everything!"

Lucy looked at him with teary eyes. "I can't do it, Uncle. I don't know how to control this. I'm scared of myself."

Uncle Wiryo took a deep breath, calming himself. "That's why you need to learn, Lucy. There are no shortcuts. You have to take it slow, carefully. Don't let fear rule you."

Lucy nodded, but deep down, she felt like she was drifting further away from the person she used to be.

****

Days later, while walking through the market to buy supplies, Lucy felt something strange. An unsettling feeling, like someone was watching her.

She stopped, her eyes scanning the crowd. Nothing seemed out of place... just regular people going about their day. But the feeling remained, growing stronger.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone standing at the end of the street. A man in a long black cloak, his face hidden under a hood. He didn't move, just stood there, staring at her.

Lucy's heart pounded. She tried to ignore it and kept walking. But when she glanced back, the man was gone.

The incident haunted her thoughts all day. Who was he? And why did she feel so scared?

That night, she told Uncle Wiryo about it.

"This is just the beginning," Uncle Wiryo said grimly. "The power you hold doesn't just attract humans. There are many other beings in this world that will want what you have. You need to be ready, Lucy. This is only the start."

Lucy stared at him, exhaustion and fear swirling in her eyes. She knew her life would never be the same again.

And in the shadows of the night, the cloaked figure stood in the distance, watching her house. Waiting.

****

In the middle of the silent night, Lucy sat in her room, the legacy book lying open in front of her. The small lamp in the corner of the table cast a dim light, adding to the gloomy atmosphere. But it wasn't the contents of the book that caught her attention now it was the turmoil in her mind.

The figure in the black robe hadn't left her thoughts. There was something about his presence that felt more than just a usual threat. Lucy tried to remember every detail, trying to find a clue in her memory, but only fear kept rushing back.

As she began to daydream, a soft knock on the door startled her. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Lucy?" Aunty Rati's voice came from behind thedoor. "You're not sleeping, dear?"

Lucy sighed in relief. "Not yet, Bi. Come in."

Aunty Rati entered with a glass of warm milk in her hand. "Drink this. You look so tired."

Lucy smiled faintly, accepting the glass with trembling hands. "Thank you, Bi."

Aunty Rati looked at her with concern. "What's bothering you, Lucy? You look so restless, not like your usual self."

Lucy hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "I feel like someone's watching me, Bi. There's this shadow, like something out there is waiting for me."

Bibi Rati stared at her for a long time, then spoke cautiously, "Sometimes, when we're given great power, many will be drawn to it, both humans and... non-humans. But don't worry, dear. You're not Uncle Wiryo is here to guide you."

Lucy nodded, though her heart was still full of doubt. As Bibi Rati left the room, she turned her gaze back to the book.

Suddenly, the pages of the book moved on their own, opening to the middle where a symbol resembling an open eye appeared. The ink in the symbol seemed to shimmer, as though alive.

Lucy froze. Then, a voice in an ancient language echoed softly, reverberating in her mind.

"Mratine kayekten sampun kabukak. Pilih kanthi bijaksana, Lucy. awit dalanmu sampun kawengku kaliyan takdir ingkang langkung ageng."

(The eye of truth is now opened. Choose wisely, Lucy, for your path is now bound to a greater destiny.)

She stood still, feeling the cold air envelop her room. As she quickly closed the book, she realized one thing... the figure in the black robe might not just be an observer, but a sign that something far greater was targeting her.

And that night, Lucy knew her life had not only changed, but she had also become part of a game of powers far beyond human understanding.