Lilyfield surprisingly hadn't changed much since I last saw the place. The main road ran down the center with residences near the entrance. The homes stopped at the edge of a river. On the other side of the river sat the markets and shops that kept the village going. Everything was empty as we walked deeper into the eerily quiet place.
"Has this place always been a ghost town?" Teresa asked as she looked around.
"No, not at all, But the curse has everyone afraid to leave their homes," Mila answered before I could.
"When I lived here these streets were filled with people. I've never seen it this dead before," I answered.
"So, what do we do now? I guess we gotta talk to whoever runs this place, right?" Bella said.
"Aww I wanna see where Love grew up, maybe have a little fun in his first bed," Teresa said and winked at me.
"I actually do want to go to my parent's house. So, Bella, you come with me, and Mila, will you take Teresa to see the governor? That way we can get a better understanding of what is happening here," I said.
"Aww why can't I come with you?" Teresa whined.
"Because we need to focus, and when you decide it's playtime, I find it hard to say no," I answered honestly.
"Okay, follow me," Mila said and led Teresa away.
I took a deep breath and started walking toward my childhood home. The closer I got the heavier my heartbeat seemed to get.
"Simeon, remember you don't look like your original self. You don't have to be nervous, because only you and I know who you really are," Bella said.
That slightly eased my nerves, but not completely. I didn't even know if my parents still lived in this village. They could've left at any point in the decades I was away. Or what if they were both sick with the curse? There were too many factors to consider for me to remain calm. I did my best to stay calm as we walked to the small wooden house. I stared at the door and tried to gather the strength to knock.
"Is this the place?" Bella asked and knocked on the door.
I wrung my hands together as we waited for an answer.
"You weren't even this nervous when we were fighting that frost troll," Bella said and chuckled.
"That frost troll didn't raise me," I said just before the door slowly began to open.
After what felt like ages a short, white-haired woman appeared from behind the door. My mother looked smaller than I remembered, but her deep brown eyes were the same as I remembered them. I opened my mouth to speak but Bella cut me off.
"Hello, we are looking into the matter of the curse that is plaguing this village, we were wondering if you had any information that may be helpful to us," Bella said.
The woman didn't seem to hear anything she said, her eyes were fixed on me.
"Sim.... Simeon, is that you?" She said and walked over and wrapped her arms around me.
I hugged her back as I stared at Bella in disbelief.
I thought she wouldn't know it's me, I silently mouthed.
I have no idea how she can tell it's you, her magic must be stronger than mine," she mouthed back to me.
We battled with our eyes as my mother squeezed me.
"I thought I was never gonna see you again Sim Sim, I was so sad when you suddenly disappeared," she said and looked into my eyes.
"I didn't mean to worry you," I said and wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Come in you two, we can talk inside, "she said and led us into the house.
She led us into what used to be the room we cooked and ate in. I was expecting to see our little table against the wall, with the cooking pot in the center of the room. What we walked into looked more like a hospital. There were bedrolls laid out all over the room, with sick people in each of them. There were 11 people lying around the room. My father was kneeling next to a child wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Adreona, we need more clean water over here," He called out over his shoulder.
"Sigma we have company," she responded as we waited for him to turn and face us.
When he turned around his eyes immediately landed on mine. There was a brief look of recognition on his face, but it faded just as quickly.
"Are you two sick or hungry? We don't have much, but we will spare what we can," he said and stood up.
"You don't recognize him, really Sig?" My mother asked him, the humor was evident in her tone.
My father walked over to us and looked me up and down. He stood eye to eye with me. He had aged but time hadn't touched his physique.
"You do seem familiar to me, but I don't recognize your face. I would remember those eyes," he said.
"Aren't they amazing?" Bella said with a goofy grin on her face.
"Yes, they are," My father said with his eyes fixed on Bella's breasts.
"I knew they would distract you," My mother said and giggled.
"What the hell!" Bella yelled and covered her chest with her arms.
"Sorry dear, he can have a one-track mind sometimes, what's your name?" My mother asked.
"I'm Bella, stop staring at me old man," Bella said and glared at my father.
"Nice to meet you Bella, how do you know my son?" My mother answered.
"You know my son? How is he? Where does he live now?" My father asked rapidly with his eyes wide.
"He's standing in front of you Sig. I can't believe this little disguise fooled you," My mother said.
"You can't just claim this man as our son. I'm sure he has his own parents somewhere. I'm sorry for her, she gets carried away sometimes," he said to me.
"She's actually right, it really is me," I said and rubbed the back of my neck.
"Look, I don't know what you two want, but I have sick people to help. So please take your sick joke somewhere else," the hopeful look he had in his eyes vanished.
"Okay, I'll prove it. Ask me something only I would know?" I said confidently.
"Okay, I'll play along. What was my nickname for Simeon?" He asked with a smirk.
"That's easy, you called me lefty. You told people it was because I slept on my left side at night, but it was really because in my first fight, Mavell dropped me with a left hook," I said and crossed my arms.
"Wait, you knew that was the real reason the whole time? He asked me with a hand over his mouth and wide eyes.
"Yes, you laughed, threw a left hook, laughed again, and then called me lefty for the rest of my time here," I said.
"You were teasing my baby that whole time," My mother said as she slapped my father in the shoulder.
"Okay I have to say this, you seem like a happy family, why did you leave, Simeon?" Bella asked.
"He had to leave, if he didn't the governor was gonna try and frame him for rape," My father said.