Chapter 8: The Dagger’s Hunger

Five years had gone by since Ethan and Samantha exchanged their vows. Building a life together and making memories of a laughter-filled, passionate, and lovely couple. Alongside the two gorgeous children, the couple was enjoying a peaceful middle-class life. The boisterous sound of Lily and Ethan Jr. racing through the house and Samantha trying to tame them into some semblance of order.

Ethan stood in the kitchen doorway, witnessing everything to come. He savored his morning coffee while smiling at his wife’s tender patience with those restless offspring. And yet, even as he smiled at the scene before him, there was an ache he couldn’t ignore - a weariness creeping into the bones like autumn frost.

One day, passing by the hall mirror, he caught a glimpse of himself. The fine lines now etched around his eyes, silver strands woven through his hair, shocked him. The curse of the dagger was claiming him once more. He felt its dark tendrils coiling tighter as bit by bit each passing day, the vitality being leeched away.

Samantha noticed it too, however, she never came out once and said anything directly to him about it. Rather, her eyes seemed to hold a deeper concern these days whenever she met his gaze now. Her heart feared the worst, an illness that could threaten their peaceful lives. She made sure to lavish extra love upon him in the quiet moments when just the two of them were alone together.

He knew that he had no other choice but to face this fate. The memories of what he had done all those years ago were still fresh in his mind. But he was not ready to leave Samantha yet when there was so much life still left to be lived together.

It was on one of those mornings that a letter arrived addressed to Ethan. Peter, old college buddy, and occasional golfing companion of the real Ethan has contacted him again. He’d asked for loans here and there over the years and Ethan had always ignored it, hoping Peter would give up. But this seemed different, an admission that he’d finally reached rock bottom. People tend to do crazy things when they get desperate.

Ethan, old pal, the note read, I’m in some serious financial trouble. The business is failing, and we need investors fast if we’re going to keep afloat much longer...

Trailing off was the figure written with an asterisk next to it that set Ethan’s pulse racing uncomfortably. He could not have Peter coming to his door to meet him. Even after this many years, exposure still seemed to hang over him ominously. Get it wrong by just one degree, and all he had created would be threatened with unraveling.