Birthday King

Oh, it’s all fun and games while we celebrate but once everyone’s gone, the truth comes out.

“Happy birthday!” they cheer.

I groan being tired of the stupid birthday tradition. You’d think that after five hundred years of birthdays people would stop celebrating, right? NO. They’re still doing it. While inviting mortals! I cringe at the thought of one of the leaders walking in on one of these parties.

I rub my hand down my face and turn on the smile. My aunt looks at me knowingly.

“It’ll be okay,” she chides. “Don’t worry, we’ve never gotten caught. Plus we’re cursed, they can’t kill us.”

I smile grimly. “No, but they can make the next five hundred years living here a huge pain in the --.”

“Damien!” my aunt shrieks.

“Sorry!” I mutter. She didn’t like swearing. I forgot.

“Hey when are we doing cake?” one of the mortals asks.

“Right now, dear!” my aunt glares at me, but then goes sashaying to cut the cake for everyone.

My old friend leans onto my shoulder. “Ready to kick this stand?” Tucker asks me.

“Yeah, except my aunt won’t let me leave,” I remind him.

“Well, as a leader, I’m sure she’d let you go,” the voice turns.

I turn around shocked. I see a flash of a face of the leader that changes back into Tucker.

“Wait, can I do that?” I ask interested.

“No, it’s an older curse,” he shakes his head.

“Darn,” I mutter. “Well, yeah, I guess we should get going.”

“True, because you’ve got explaining to do as to why there are so many mortals here,” he glares.

I cringe. I should have known we would eventually get caught. I just didn’t realize it would be by the one guy I thought was my true friend.

We walk outside. He stays in the form of Tucker to avoid suspicion.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t haul you off to jail?” he demands.

“Because they don’t actually know anything?” I offer. It was mostly true. They knew we lived a long time, they just don’t know about the curse.

“Right and how many years have they celebrated with you?” he asks knowing as Tucker did.

“So you’ve always been Tucker?” I ask.

“Yeah, sorry kid, but your family has been breaking rules for years, someone had to stop them. They sent me to befriend your aunt, but you came around instead. While giving me way more information than she ever would have to a newcomer,” he admits.

“Thanks for telling me the truth,” I sigh.

“Why don’t you like the party’s?” he asks me.

“Because it reminds me of someone who isn’t celebrating with us anymore,” I shrug. It was true. There was one man who hadn’t been cursed. He was the one person I missed every year on my birthday. When he was alive he would shoot off fireworks for me. Now, he’s a distant memory. He was too pure to gain the curse. Unlike the rest of the family, my dad was a good man.

“Your dad?” he guesses. “He’s the only one I’ve never seen around.”

“It’s a family kept secret, he was a saved one,” I roll my eyes. It was family language. Only the family understood what it meant to be saved and kept from the curse. Everyone else was given years and years to live, and endure many lifetimes of mistakes.

“Well kid, I guess you’re off the hook,” he tells me.

I turn and see the other leaders coming in to take away the rest of my family. It wasn’t a normal escapade. It was quiet. Stillness overtook the property.

“Why am I the only one not going to jail?” I ask Tucker.

“You’re the only one who doesn’t deserve the next curse,” he tells me darkly.

I turn shocked. “You can control them?”

“No, but we’ve been able to determine when and where they happen based on a new system we installed. The next one is in a prison. Your family will be taken there, give them about ten years and the spreading of the curse should be over with. Then you can be around them again,” he tells me vaguely.

“It’s not fair to them!” I object.

“Nothing’s fair, that’s why people get cursed. It’s the law, it’s how the world works these days. we don’t make the rules, we just follow them,” he reminds me carefully.

“Right,” I nod solemnly.

“You’ll get over it,” he mutters briefly.

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“I have a birthday gift for you…” he says slowly.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“A way for you to be with your day instead of going back with your family,” he offers the temptation.

“You can’t kill the cursed,” I remind him.

“No, but once someone has served out their years and they decide they want the curse done with… they can talk with the Decider,” Tucker smiles. A figure steps onto the yard towards me. “Good luck.”

Another test. Great. There’s always a test right before a curse. Most people failed them miserably. There was no hope.

“What do you wish?” the figure asks me.

“I wish for my dad,” I answer.

“That’s petty. You could have had the world. You waste your wish on a mortal man,” he scoffs.

He snaps his fingers. I feel myself being snapped. A sensation only felt when being cursed. The man had just extended my curse.

Tucker yells. “NO! You promised! You promised to spare him!”

The world seems faint. The pain lessens. I shake my head. I should have known I’d be cursed forever.

“Happy birthday,” I mutter to myself. “Happy five-hundredth birthday.”

I’d always remember this. When the next curse came, when the next mortal died, I’d remember. I wasted my wish. I would never get it back. It was hopeless. I would never get anything back. My family is gone, my father isn’t coming back, and I’m still cursed.

Oh, the joys of being the birthday king.