„Humanity is the biggest paradox in the universe. We put certain people in power, thinking our situation will get better, only to watch as conflict spreads and the sorrow follows. We all demand purity while hiding our own wrongdoings. We create weapons to destroy eachother and assume we are privileged enough to decide the fate of someone else, not realizing that if we could all accept and understand one another, everything would be much easier. Yet nobody wants that. Nobody wants to start something new. A world such as this isn't worth seeking the effort to gain its approval. Hypocrisy will always exist, it's simply in our nature, and we can't even realize it sometimes. Deceitfulness is innate, sometimes invisible, sometimes pushing to the surface."- Hillary Wolf
The two walked to the same pathway that lead to Leonard's office. Vivien and Sylas were aware of the glurb that was still trapped in the narrow and dark pathway, so they needed to be careful not to make a single wrong move.
If they were touched by it, they would turn into the same creature, as Jude had told them. The both of them believed Jude wholeheartedly.
They walked forward, a bit nervous of what was to come, but still courageously kept up their task. Sylas touched the space on the wall of the university this time, the wall flickering bright purple.
They carefully looked inside once the passage opened, noticing that the green monster with pink dots was not there.
„Our friend isn't here anymore."
„Leonard probably took care of it.", she responded.
In a swift motion, the two walked inside and held their ground, bracing for any attacks in any case. Lucky for them, the creature really was nowhere to be found.
Vivien took the lead and walked forward, coming to the end of the narrow passage. So what if they got cursed to have terrible lives in the future?
The both of them would keep moving forward, no matter what it takes. Staying in one place will always bring more feelings of despair.
She survived recurrent panic attacks, sleep depravation for days because of her shortness of breath, crying sessions for hours, feelings of deep loneliness and being invisible in this world, like everybody else except her matters, hurtful, heavy comments being adressed to her by her classmates- replies which carried a deep desire to show their hatred towards her, and certain physical illnesses.
Having went through all of that, she can also walk through a futuristic realm and fight of monsters without any hint of fear. She was sure of it.
When she was alone, she felt a hint of fear, as if she'd always be solitary for the rest of her life. It brought onto her a sense of emptiness, like she was searching for something that simply wasn't there.
The apathy would slowly build into something she'd have to go through every single day, coming with thoughts of how uninteresting and undesired she was. For her, being alone was an inescapable nightmare.
That all disappeared once somebody talked and joked with her. That is why Sylas' presence meant so much more to her than he could ever know. Not just his presence, but Grace's and Rachel's, too.
Reading also helped her escape from the dread of everyday life. She would engage in stories and understand the thoughts and feelings expressed by her favorite writers. It was a form of connection she desired to build with people around her, which was easier to achieve when reading, instead of speaking.
Reading was pure happiness for her, she connected with the characters.
The girl wondered if one day, collective hatred against certain people won't exist anymore.
We are also human, and wish to be treated like everybody else, not with hatred. We may be different, but all we ask is to be treated kindly. It's a shame we have to ask for respect and not to be mocked, as if some of us are undeserving of hapiness.
It's a pity this is the way some humans choose to be: rude, cruel and ignorant, and it's misfortunate this is the world we chose to create. Why can't we just be a good example to future generations so that we can eradicate these unrealistic standards of who deserves to be liked, and who doesn't? Because it's too difficult to change, and most of us either prefer to stick to our own ways, are too tired to make a change, or are simply indolent.
In the modern world, everything is done already for us. We don't go out to buy track records or write love poems anymore, we simply stay in our bed and search up everything on our devices.
We learnt that we don't have to put that much effort, anymore.
She knew a lot of distinct parts of life were hidden away from her, but she simply had no idea how to change and be like everybody else.
She hoped that all the hard things people go through would make everybody stronger and more gentle.
While Vivien pondered about all this, the two arrived at the end of the narrow tunnel. The passage closed behind them, and they took a look around Leonard's business office.
They walked to his door and knocked a few times, then entered.
„Welcome, take a seat.", Leonard said softly.
Vivien and Sylas sat down and waited for Leonard to speak up.
„Have you considered the deal I have established?"
„Do you have any proof you really are the one that cursed us?", Sylas asked, a bit skeptical of him.
„I don't, but I own multiple devices here that could help you two go back into time or forward into time."
„That's what I thought. You tried lying to us! If we were to kill an unknown creature deep in the mountains, we'd have to make sure this deal would stand. But since you have no definitive proof you actually brought this curse upon us and that you can get rid of it, we're inclined to have to refuse."
„The Huldra is easy to lure and to kill. I can't promise the curse will be taken off of your shoulders, but I promise to offer help if you also help me erase the threat to my business. I can give you more years to figure out how to solve this issue, or the power to travel back into time when you gained this curse."
Vivien stood quiet for a while. She was thinking that receiving help from somebody like Leonard, who grew a time commerce business, could raise their chances of getting rid of their curse.
They would both end up having a terrible future because of the curse if they didn't do something sooner. Sylas' future was tragic, but at least he knew what would happen to him if he didn't reverse that curse.
The girl still couldn't find herself in the future, and wanted to know what her life would look like subsequently.
„Why don't you get rid of the Huldra yourself?", Vivien asked.
„The Huldra knows me. She wouldn't be happy to see me again, and she would immediately attack."
Sylas chimed in, his attitude displaying nonchalance and fearlessness.
„Alright, Leo, we'll accept your sinister and questionable deal. As long as you promise to keep your word. You lied once to us, and that's enough to make me skeptical about your intentions. Careful, another strike such as this one, and we'll lead the Huldra straight to you."
„As far as we know, you could be lying about the fact the Huldra would recognize you, as well."
„Tsk tsk tsk, what is with the lack of trust? I am a man of my word, and if I promise you two freedom from that curse, your future will look better than ever before. Besides, I am your only hope. I can add years to your life, and give you devices to turn back and forward into time. I thought Vivien agreed to this deal the last time we saw each other."
„I changed my mind.", she said in a rough tone.
„I admit, I lied, I was not the one that cursed you. But tell me, would you have agreed so easily if I hadn't said I can erase your curse?"
„Most likely, no."
„Bingo. You have to learn how to gain what you need, because life simply works that way."
„You don't actually think that we could still trust you after what you just said."
„Trust me or not, I still am your only hope for survival. Anything else you'll try will not be useful to your attempt to escape the nightmare that is to come."
The both of them went quiet, Vivien starting to feel a hint of anxiety surging in sheepishly.
„I promise you, I am a reliable individual, I make deals with others every day. This is just another one of my deals, or more so, an exercise of trust."
„Okay, I also accept, we'll do it. We will kill the Huldra", Vivien responded with certainty.
Sylas looked at her for a bit in disbelief, not assuming she would have agreed to it.
All of a sudden, he let out a small laugh, confusing both Vivien and Leonard. The girl waited for what he was going to respond with, absorbed in her own insecurities and anxiety. She needed the confirmation that what she chose to do was right, and that Sylas wouldn't get upset at her.
„This curse is a matter of life an death for us... but a simple lady with superpowers, a threat to your so called time gifting business, is the only problem you have. Make it make sense! Come on, you can't seriously tell me this isn't hilarious."
„Make up your mind already, then leave! You robbed from my time.", Leonard answered, as if nothing mattered to him in the world except his money making business.
„I can tell, the time you have and that power you hold is more significant to you than someone's very own life. Money from your time commerce keeps you thriving, doesn't it?", Vivien responded.
She got up from her seat, followed by Sylas. The two walked out of Leonard's office without another word, leaving the tension that was in the room to collapse softly beneath their feet.
She could've used a vacation, a very long one at that.
„These powers have to stem from somewhere... Leonard acquired the power to either augment one's lifespan or to take from it. We can travel only forward into time from the present and get back, albeit never two years backwards from our present timeline. A lady with a cow tail exists, and she too possesses preternatural capabilities... superpowers that we know absolutely nothing about. Indubitably, there has to be some correlation. Everything is tied together like a knot we need to untangle. A correlation subsists, for sure!"
„Vivien...", Sylas added.
She turned to look into his eyes, and he had the biggest smile on his face.
„... that's exactly what I also thought about."
Sylas raised his hand, strands of black hair getting into his eyes. The girl looked up at his palm, confused at first, but then, she walked forward and high-fived him.
„Sylas, are we friends?", she asked.
His smile disappeared for a bit, then he regained his usual demeanor.
„What do you think?"
„I think that we are.", she answered, lacking confidence in her response.
„Obviously, we are. Sooo... caramel tarts?"