Breaking the Curse

1943. World War II. The Vietnamese government, under the control of France, began to build a military base near Lakewood, the border province of Indochina-Cambodia. The base spans 260 acres of land and it is called Camp Huntsville. Rumors suggest that the Camp was run by both the Thai and American governments, not the Vietnamese government.

After gaining independence from France in 1953, Cambodia's official name was changed to the Kingdom of Cambodia. However, a successful coup led by the general of the nation resulted in the country getting its name changed again to the People's Republic of Cambodia in 1955. The Vietnam War began in the same year.

By the end of the Vietnam War and the fall of Saigon in 1975, Camp Hunstville was shut down for undisclosed reasons.

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This story is about a town. A small and peaceful little town located in the northwestern People's Republic of Cambodia and the people who live in it. From a distance, it presents itself like so many other small towns all over this newly established Republic. Safe. Decent. Innocent. Get closer though and you start seeing the shadows underneath. The name of the town is Lakewood.

And so our story begins, I guess, with what the four kids from Genevieve Middle School did last Friday...the night of the Independence Day Festival.

On the ninth of November, just before nightfall, Ellis, Miles, Alice, and Sabastain drove out to a Church Festival located on the other side of their town. And the next morning tragedy struck.

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The Day of Independence Day, Ninth of November 1960

In Lakewood, after it was returned by France to Cambodia in 1955, this small quiet town never seemed to have anything go wrong.

Like the majority of residents of Lakewood, Alice began her day as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary or strange. After waking up, she took a shower before seeing her mother and younger brother. While Alice's little brother was watching cartoons on TV, her mother was preparing breakfast.

Alice was different from the rest of the family. She liked to keep her problems to herself and be on her own. Besides, her mother doesn't own the kids she has. She's a foster parent and adopted two little kids into her family. She likes her younger brother but he can be annoying at times. But then again, who isn't?

Alice went to meet her friends at the usual spot. They all came one by one. First came Ellis, then Miles, and the final person to arrive was Sebastian. He was always late but came nonetheless.

"So how is your mom?" Sebastian asked Alice. Alice had such a good friendship with Sebastian, but the Brother, not so much.

"She's doing okay. " Alice told them.

"That's good, she's okay with what happened last time?" Sebastian asks.

"What happened last time?" Ellis asked, east dropping on their conversation.

"It's... nothing." Alice couldn't bring herself to tell them as she didn't want everyone to know her business.

The kids arrived at the school parking lot, the kids parked their bikes in the bike slot, and walked into Genevieve Middle School together.

"Alice, are you okay?" Ellis asked.

Why was Ellis so protective all of a sudden?

"It's nothing, Ellis!" Alice says, irritated.

"Ellis, leave her alone." Sebastian sided with Alice as she continues to walk toward the school's front door.

"I just wanna know?" Ellis told his brother.

"She's not comfortable right now," Sebastian added,

Alice walks off and lets them talk about her behind her back.

"Why did you go and do that?" Alice heard Miles's question. she also could hear Sebastian running and coming up to her.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell him anything." Sebastian spoke and pat her shoulder with a cute smile.

"I wish it was simple to forget, but the memories keep replaying!" Alice told Sebastian.

She had been through a tough time with her mom and dad. Her dad worked away, which led to an accident with her mom. She stopped her but she still did it and made her feel beside herself. She couldn't look after her and the others, but she had to for her dad.

Miles walks up to Sebastian and Alice. He tries to cool the situation down and change the conversation subject.

"So Sebastian, you are still going tonight, right?" Miles asks Sebastian if he is still coming to the Festival that takes place tonight at the church.

"What about you, Alice, also come too? Miles asks Alice.

"Yeah, sure, totally, wait for me in front of my house, okay, I might be late, because I need to help my Mom with my younger brother's homework," Alice replies.

"Okay, it is totally fine with me, Ellis, and Sebastian will wait outside, maybe around 7 o'clock, okay", Miles added.

"Okay, got it 7 o'clock" Alice replies.

"Sebastian, you come to our house first, right," Ellis asks Sebastian.

"Yeah, I will meet you guys at your house at six thirty," Sebastian replies.

"Okay it's set then, now let's go to class, we're late now". Miles Added

The school days went by really fast today for the kids because all they can think about today is the Full Moon festival that is about to happen tonight.

On the night of the festival and back in the loud and messy room upstairs at Sivan's Residence, Miles, Sabastian, and Ellis start arguing with each other about the stupid stuff that any other teenager always argues about.

"Guys, I got 500 reils, what's your haul?" Miles asks Ellis across the room.

"Take your pony haul and multiply it by four," Ellis shouts back.

"What!" Miles asks back with amazement.

"While you are scrounging around like a homeless bum, I clean the dish, do laundry, and water the flowers," Ellis says, proudly.

" Mum has given you that kind of money? —-Anyways, what do you have hah Sebastian?" Miles asks.

"Multiply Ellis's hole by another three," Sebastian says with a smirk.

"No way!!" "There is no way!" they Both replied.

"YES, now cut the BS and go get your bike, and let's go, Alice is waiting," Sebastian says as he put on an old shirt.

"Don't you have one of that shit already?" Ellis ask.

"Nahhhh, I need more. Now let's go, the festival is about to start soon." Sebastian walks to his bike and starts riding to Alice's house.

"Mom! I'm heading to Alice's house," Miles says as he walks into the living room.

"Okay, Bye sweetie! Your father will be home later," Miles's mom says as she irons one of Miles's expensive shirts. Miles glanced at the clock, seeing it was already seven.

"Okay. I'll call if I'm crashing at someone else's place," Miles says as he kisses his mom.

"Okay, honey. love you!" Miles's mom says as Miles walks out to the front door toward his bike.

While Miles rode his bike, he passed by a new house.

He saw a moving van parked outside, along with two adults. He gave a questionable look as he passed by.

Bright red hair caught Miles's eye as he petalled away. It was a girl with pale skin and long ginger hair.

Miles gives a questionable look again and asks" Is she American or British?"

Ellis heard what Miles said and reply" I'm pretty sure she's Russian."

Miles smile as he continues riding toward Alice's house.

When Miles and Ellis arrived at Alice's house they see Sebastian is already there.

"Miles, Ellis, how much do you have, I have 2000riels total," Sebastian asks them both.

"I have 500riels, " Miles said.

"Oh shit, where is my money!!!! I'm pretty sure I put it in my pocket." Ellis replies with a panicked face.

"Wait here" Ellis rushes back to his bike and rides back to his house.

"Wait here, Sebastian! I will be right back," Miles said to Sabastian.

When Miles arrived back at his house, he saw his brother Ellis rush back to his bike as his big Sister Adeline ran through the front door in hurry and started yelling at Ellis.

"ASSHOLE!!!" Adeline yells as Ellis rides off back to the boys.

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Ride back to his brother, Miles stops his brother, gives him a quick smile, and asks:

"Lemme guess. You stole her money again?" Miles asks.

Ellis just rolls his eyes, not responding.

"Oh come on, that's hilarious," Miles laughs. Ellis starts to chuckle, then it turns into a laugh.

While Ellis and Miles talk, Sebastian joins the two of them on his bikes. Once they finally make it back to Alice's house, the three of them park their bikes and wait for Alice.

Sebastian leans against a pole while waiting for Alice. Soon enough, Sebastian hears a door close and then sees Alice on her bike riding toward him.

They all wave at her and wait for her in front of her house. When Alice finally came, they high-fived each other, and they all ride toward the festival that was about 3KM away from Alice's house.

Once The Kids finally make it to the Church's grounds, the four of them park their bikes in the parking lot and went straight to the Festival together.

Sebastian immediately walked towards the Archery booth game. He put his quarters in the box and started shooting the dragon as a target.

"To slay the dragon, use the magic bow!" The boys surround Sebastian, as he shoots the arrow against the small dragon target to win a dragon doll as a reward.

"Ah jeez, Sebastian, you are a poor archer," Ellis says to Sebastian, as Sebastian continues to miss the target.

"Right there!" "Hit it hit it!!" "Come on!!" All of them yelled as Sebastian comes closer and closer to losing. They all started talking at the same time.

"Don't mess up," Alice says to Sebastian, and of course.

He messes up.

"No no no!! I hate this overpriced bullshit!! Piece of shit!" Sebastian yells as he throws the bow away. Miles laughs, as does everyone else.

"Hey hey! you break it you buy it, kid." Said the owner.

"You're not nimble enough. But don't worry, you'll get there someday," Alice says as she pats him in the back.

"If it wasn't for you, Ellis I would've won!" Sebastian says as he points at Ellis.

"I didn't do shit!" Ellis says as he put his hands up in surrender.

Sebastian hears Alice laugh, causing him to blush. Yes, Sebastian liked Alice, but no one knew.

Sebastian knew she liked him back though, Sebastian heard her thoughts and felt her emotions around his. They were too powerful to ignore.

"Until then, I'm the only one in the group who won the dragon of York!" Ellis exclaims as he looks at the Dragon through the Glass.

"Nothing like the raging hormones for an 8th-grade boy," Sebastian says with a smirk and an eye roll. As Ellis playfully glares at him.

Whatever. I'm still the only one in the group who won the dragon of Angkor" Ellis says with pride, puffing his chest out.

"You sure about that?" A voice says from behind Ellis.

Teng turns around and is met with the nerdy man that ran the nearby booth game. He ate his banana chips, as usual.

"Sure about what?" Ellis asks the man, not responding.

"Stop your kidding me," Ellis says as he pushes past all of the boys.

He runs to the nearby booth and sees he is, in a matter of fact, not the only one who won the dragon anymore.

"No!! Dammit!" He says as he looks over his shoulder.

"She got two!!!!!!" Sebastian and Miles halfway scream together.

"That's impossible," Alice says with a head shake.

"Who's that Redhead girl over there?!" Ellis asks the man. Miles looks and starts to recognize that red hair girl."

"Better than you," the man replies with a snicker. Ellis flips him off.

"Do you know her?" Alice asks the man.

"NO! Never seen her before, I think she newbie in town." The man said.

"Then who is?!" Ellis asks. "Yeah, spill it, James !" Sebastian adds.

"You want information, then I need something in return," James says while looking at all of them. Everyone turns to Miles and Ellis.

"Teng just give him the date, man! "Sebastian said.

"That isn't all that could work, "James mumbles as he rubs his first finger and thumb together, marking cash. The group looks at Ellis.

"Oh HELL no! I'm not giving my money away," Ellis says as he protects his pocket.

"Oh come on Ellis! You have plenty of it," Sebastian says.

"Oh yeah! Why don't you give him your, Sebastian?" Ellis looks at Sebastian with a serious face.

"Nah ah ah, I'm saving it for my new bike!" Sebastian said.

"Come on, man, It's for a good cause," Miles says.

"No!! This is mine-," Miles says, but cuts his sentence off short.

"You know what, don't give him the date either. He's going to end up spreading his rash to our entire family," Miles says as he points at James.

"Acne isn't a rash you idiot," James says back in return.

Miles and Ellis continue arguing with James as Alice watched Sebastian walk toward someone that she has never seen before with strange cloth and hair color.

Alice follows Sebastian quietly. He stops a little bit. Alice closes her eye and taps into Sebastian's thoughts or anything of that matter.

Finally, Alice stops him and asks" What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I just keep hearing voices of kids screaming inside my head all day long," Sebastian said.

"You look tired, Let's go get your bike and go home, I ride with you, is that okay?" Alice says to him.

"No, I'm fine, you stay here with the boys and have fun, I think I just had a headache, that all? no need to worry about me?"

Sebastian said as he says goodbye to the boys and went home.

On the way back to his house, Sabastian whizzes past a house at the far end of the neighborhood.

Sebastian is biking along an empty forest road. All alone. He lives much further out than the rest of his friends. It is even darker out here and quiets; unnervingly so. Only the sound of cicadas and a gentle breeze, to keep him company.

He bikes past a LARGE DARK FOREST. A warning sign reads:

"DANGER! DO NOT ENTER!"

Sebastian suddenly notices something strange: the hair on the back of his arms is standing straight up. It's like he's in the middle of a massive electrical storm. And perhaps he is...

A LOW-END RUMBLE reverberates above him. He looks up.

Sees nothing but darkness. Clouds over the moon.

He looks back down. His eyes shoot wide.

A TALL FIGURE STANDS WITH A STICK THAT GLOWS RED IN ITS HAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

Sebastian spins the wheel -- loses control --

He veers off the road --

And falls into --

THE FORBIDDEN FOREST.

The bike flies down a steep hill and --

Crashes. Sebastian flies off the bike. He skids, rolls, and eats dirt. As he lies there on the ground, gasping for air, he hears:

A strange guttural sound came from behind him.

He pushes to his feet and turns to the sound.

Foliage shudders. The sounds grow. Something is coming.

Sebastian abandons his bike --

And runs for his life.

He ran up into the woods. The Forbidden Forest.

A dark, deep forest has a lot of dark history in it, and the locals fear it to this day.

Sebastian ran as fast as he can and try to find something big enough to hide from the mystery figure that keeps following him behind.

A shaggy mutt and big lighting suddenly strike the tree that Sebastian hides next to, causing the tree nearby to catch fire.

"MOM?! DAD?! MOM?" he shouts in panic in the middle of dark wood, where the nearest place that people live is 1km away.

Sebastian continues to run and suddenly stumbles upon a tall ancient stone wall. He looks up and realizes it is an ancient temple ruin,

He walks slowly inside the temple, pulling his flashlight out and trying to explore the ruin.

"HELLO!!! HELLO!!! IS ANYBODY HEARS ME?" He shouts in terror as both his legs began to shake.

Sebastian pauses. He hears something on the other side of the wall. But not a voice -- it is that GUTTURAL SOUND like he heard back in the forest. The pitch rises and falls, making a series of strange sounds. Words? It is as if the figure --- whoever -- whatever it is... is somehow speaking to him.

Behind him, a red-flying creature begins to growl behind him. Sebastian lowers the flashlight and looks back. A shadow fills the crack at the base of the front entrance of the temple. And then somehow, impossibly, the chain bolt begins to slide open, as if drawn by an invisible hand. The metal shrieks. Sebastian drops the flashlight and --

Whom! Sebastian rushes down into the basement of the temple and it led to some kind of a cave entrance with a closed wooden door. He sprints into it without hesitation and accidentally knocks down some kind of an old ceremony or witchcraft table or something and --

Wham! He slams the door behind him. Breathing loudly. His eyes dart. Searching for something. The cave is cluttered and dark, lit only by a naked red candle, hanging from the ceiling. The bulb buzzes and flickers. At last, he spots it:

An old sword. Dusty. Hanging on a stonewall mount. Sebastian yanks it down and holds it very tight in his shaky hand. He is so scared his hand's sweat and shake. THUD. THUD. THUD.

Heavy footsteps echo across the small space. Then guttural nosies.

Sebastian looks back to the doors. And slowly-- ever slowly -- the wooden door began to yawn open.

Sebastian quickly reaches up to take the sword in front of him which seems to be his only defensive weapon to defend himself from this mysterious figure.

Both of his hands grip hard on the sword's wooden handle as he aims it at the door. The sword trembles in his hands. The black wooden doors slowly yawn open the rest of the way, strangely there is nothing coming out from behind it but a cloud of black smoke.

And Sebastian, his skin was withered, pale, slick. He just stares at the mysterious black smoke. Paralyzed by fear. The hairs on his arms stand up again. His ears began to drip blood. And then his nose. He fights his tears.

"P-please----- Don't hurt me!!!" Sebastian begged.

The silent sound starts creeping back into the cave, but Sabastian, the child, has already vanished or is captive? but by who?