Chapter 2

When I opened my eyes, I was home and in bed, but at the same time not. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I lay in a silence that lingered in the air, when I heard a little girl shriek and the deep hardy laugh of a sailor. Then an icy hand brushed my shoulder and a soft whisper passed my ear, "don't forget," it said and kept repeating in the low hoarse whisper. The room began to spin and twist and everything was a haze. Then abruptly it stopped. A shadow slowly creot across the floor toward my bed. I was silently telling myself to wake up to be rid of the nightmare, but inside me, somewhere, there was an icy fire telling me it was real. All of it.

I eyes shot open and my heart hammered against my chest. I couldn't remember coming home, but I was. I kept thinking about the dream. What did it mean? I kept thinking that over and over when i heard someone next to me, breathing. I slowly turned my head and tried to scream but I couldn't because of the strong hand that clamped down over my mouth. There was a boy that I didn't know standing next to me staring down with dark brown pleading eyes. His hair was dark and wavy. He slowly took his hand away. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" I questioned. Why did I sound so calm when I was just about scared to death? "My name is Johnny Pyla and I'm here to help you," he said. I noticed he had some sort of accent. Itsounded a little southernand a little british, butmostly southern."Help me with what my math homework?" I asked. I knew it was no time for sarcasm but I wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of letting him knowing he had scared me to death. "You got the Fisherman's curse and died of it so I'm here to help keep you from dieing of it too." He said. He's dead. There's a dead boy in my room. These thoughts kept racing through my head. "How long have you been dead?" I asked. I didn't mean to be rude, but I was curious. I was becoming more comfortable. "1960" he said. He was looking away now and his voice was weak. I changed the subject "How do I get rid of the curse?" I asked. "You have to find the body of the fisherman and bury it so he can rest. If you succeed no one can get the curse and I'll be able to rest too," He explained " and if you don't..." his voice trailed off. Now, I thought. I'll end it right now. With that I left with out saying a word to johnny. But that was the worst mistake I could have ever made.