"Who do you think will be next then?" Tom asked idolly from where he lay, gazing wistfully into the distant blue sky streched out above them. He did not sound much like someone discussing the unfortunate fate of his late cousin Courtney.

Bryony decided to make a point of telling him so, "Have a little respect for the dead." she snapped.

"What's got into you Bryony?" he brother asked, oddly suprised, "You never used to be this bothered by it."

"We scarecly knew Aunt Matilda!" she thought for a moment, "Or Uncle David, or great Uncle Jeremiah. We saw Courtney just a month ago."

"Alright," said Tom, turning serious, "I suppose you are right. It's juts hard to take in. I mean, struck down by a falling pheasent! And I thought that incident in the beer tent at the agricultural festival was bizare!"

--

There was a definate harsh irony to Tom's words Bryony now thought as she stared up at the plaster, her eyes shiny with tears that refused to fall.

She understood the feeling now. She could scarecly beleive what had happened, she had gone to sleep and Tom was there, wishing her goodnight, teasing her about the way she had blushed at the park that evening when Dilan... yes well, that wasn't important anymore was it? This morning Tom had not been there are that was all that mattered.

"Will you calm down Bryony?" her mother called through the bedroom door, "Tom's only been gone a few hours, he's probably only gone for a walk or something."

Bryony would have liked to beleive that and had it been anyone else she might have but for two reasons. Tom was a part of their family so 'the curse' as she now refered to it covered him the same as anyone and secondly, Tom had a fully functioning computer in his room. Why would he go out for a walk in the morning when he could be playing one of his military stratagy games?

No, Tom had gone missing for sure and if they didn't find him soon he'd become the next victim of some bizare accident and only she could save him because only she was prepared to beleive it.

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Author guidance for This story

I don't mind what is done with this! I'm an unexpirienced writer so what would I know? I ought to mention though that Bryony is supposed to be 13-15 years old, something like that. If that helps.

updated Jun 12 '09 by Xanthe