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July 5 - July 5, 2020
A cursed lamp is a much more interesting topic than, say, a visit to the dentist. Although one could argue that both are cursed.
Between a demon that could end the world and a seventh-grade girl, Aru (and probably most people) would choose the demon any day.
They were like the moon: distant enough not to enter her thoughts too often; bright enough to inspire wonder.
Do I get powers? Or a cape?” “There shall be no capes.” “A hat?” “No.” “Theme song?” “Please stop.”
I was never a tale, but a truth.
Aru stared at her. This was the other legendary Pandava sister? Descended from a god? The girl started digging through her backpack. Boo face-planted onto the grass. Aru could hear his muffled sobs of whyGodwhyme.
“May all the doors you face in life swing open and never smack you in the butt as they close!”
“They gather on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and during full moons and new moons, and also for the season premiere and finale of Game of Thrones.”
Maybe that’s why superheroes wore capes. Maybe they weren’t actually capes at all, but safety blankets, like the one Aru kept at the bottom of her bed and pulled up under her chin before she went to sleep. Maybe superheroes just tied their blankies around their necks so they’d have a little bit of comfort wherever they went. Because honestly? Saving the world was scary. No harm admitting that. (And she could have done with her blankie right about then.)
“Worse,” said Boo. “He’s a…” His voice dropped. “A writer.” He shook his head in disgust.
“Why do we always end up in parking lots?”
The snake boy winked at Mini. She walked into a telephone pole.
A particularly good book had a way of opening new spaces in one’s mind. It even invited you to come back later and rummage through what you’d learned.
Mini looked highly affronted. “What do you mean, useless? It wouldn’t be a unicorn without a horn. That’s what the word means! Uni, for one. And then corn for, you know, horn. One-horned.” “Yeah, but they’re supposed to be all peaceful and nice. Why would a unicorn need a horn? What’s it do with it?” Mini turned red. “I dunno. For shooting off magic and stuff.” “Or they use it to maul things.”
“My curse is that, in the moment when it matters most, you, too, shall forget.”
Secrets are curious things. They are flimsy and easily broken. For this reason, they prefer to remain hidden. A fact, on the other hand, is strong and powerful. It’s proven. Unlike a secret, it’s out there for everyone to see and know. And that can make it more terrifying than even the deepest, darkest secret.
This is what we get for thinking that scaly orange skin and fake hair could keep that former demon out of elected office.
“Where’re the others?” “Sleeping,” said Boo in a duh-why-do-you-think-he’s-called-that-it’s-not-like-he’s-known-for-his-own-epic-napping-skills tone.
Aru was twelve years old. Even she knew that half the time she didn’t know what she was doing.
Aiden had been standing with his mom. At one point, it looked like he had seen Aru watching them from the museum window. Aru had flashed her most attractive smile (she even sucked in her nose) before remembering that she was wearing a pair of metal horns. Boo had insisted that she wear them whenever she was at home. (What if you need to wear a helmet while fighting demons? Your neck needs to be strong!) Aru had panicked, walked straight into the fridge, and fallen flat on her face. She’d then continued to lie on the kitchen floor for another hour.
“I know where you live!”
