Trifecta: Ice [Complete]

Ch 44: New Bonds

Pastor Jensen made his way back into the fellowship hall.  He was carrying a haphazard stack of books and papers.  Serge got up to help him and I looked away.

My eyes found the bulletin board and wandered around again.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  John 15: 13

The curse began to gnaw at my neck, it slide down my spine and diffused into my blood.  I felt my whole body tremble and I had to grasp the table to keep myself from slipping to the floor.

I froze while the feeling washed over me.  What was that overreaction?

"What's wrong?" my father asked.

I just shook my head.  I did not know myself.  Something had agitated the curse.

I waited until my heart slowed and then I very deliberately reread the verse.

Greater love has no one than this,

I felt fine, well, as relatively fine as ever.  It was not that.

that someone lay down his life for his friends.

The curse attacked me again with the same fervor as when I had dared to imagine Serge's death.

Pastor Jensen had apparently been talking the whole time.  I swung my focus back to him, but my mind kept slipping away.  What was it about that bit?

Then it hit me.  It was the self sacrifice.  The curse was raging against the thought of its removal.  Perhaps, maintaining its grip on my mind was its highest priority.

If Matthias had not held me back from interfering in Serge's fight, if I had thrown myself in to save him, would the curse already be off of me?

Of course, I could also be dead, but it would have easily been worth the risk.

I felt fear sweep through me again, carried on wave after wave of icy tremors.

"What's wrong, Elise?  You're trembling.  Something's the matter," my father said.  His brows were furrowed as he closely observed me.

All three had stopped talking and were watching me.  I tried to answer.  "Gr-greater l-l-love has n-no one..."

Pastor Jensen picked up where I dropped off. "Than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  What about the verse?"

I looked towards Serge, then at my father.  "Mrs. Lindale," I said, hoping they would get the hint.  I hoped they would figure it out, because it was hard to get out words through my constricted throat.

There was a long moment of silence and finally Serge said, "That story she told, the one where the thrall threw himself into danger to save his master.  Have you heard any tales like that, pastor?"

I turned my gaze to him.  "Well, I know the one of which you speak."  He began flipping through papers.  "Yes, the curse did seem to come off, although I don't know of any other instances of self-sacrifice being the cure, I'm afraid."

"It's tr-true," I said.  I was certain of it.  The curse slammed me again with all its fury.

"Perhaps," agreed my father, "But it remains difficult to find such an opportunity.  Would it work if we set it up?"

"I doubt it," Serge said, voicing my doubts as if he could read my mind.  Everyone fell silent.

The pastor finally spoke.  "It's odd how helpless you are under the curse.  Most of the people cursed are forced to work, but they manage handily.  Normally they spend all their time running over their transgression in their heads, seeped in guilt, not shaking in fear."