Cleveland State University EngagedScholarship@CSU ETD Archive 2019 Cursed Connections Asia N. Wyley Follow this and additional works at: https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/etdarchive Part of the Fiction Commons How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! Recommended Citation Wyley, Asia N., "Cursed Connections" (2019). ETD Archive. 1170. https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/etdarchive/1170 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by EngagedScholarship@CSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in ETD Archive by an authorized administrator of EngagedScholarship@CSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CURSED CONNECTIONS ASIA WYLEY Bachelor of Science in Education Ohio University August 2017 submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN CREATIVE WRITING at the NORTHEAST OHIO MFA and CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY MAY 2019 We hereby approve this thesis For ASIA WYLEY Candidate for the MASTER OF FINE ARTS IN CREATIVE WRITING degree For the department of English, the Northeast Ohio MFA Program and CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY'S College of Graduate Studies by Thesis Chairperson, Eric Wasserman _________ English Department March 19, 2019_______ Department & Date Imad Rahman _________English Department _March 19, 2019_______ Department & Date Mary Biddinger English Department March 19, 2019 Department & Date _____________March 19, 2019_____________ Student's Date of Defense CURSED CONNECTIONS ASIA WYLEY ABSTRACT This thesis is a work of fiction. It contains the first fifteen chapters of a novel in-progress. The novel will use five different perspectives to tell the origin story of problematic issues that led to the creation of magical divide between the magical and nonmagical beings. Cursed Connections explores the circumstances that divide families, lovers, and friends while examining the consequences of one putting one's duty over their loved ones. By using the perceptions of a mother and her three daughters along with an unknown fifth perspective, this novel will tell the story of what happens when each character contributes to saving humanity by making the ultimate sacrifice. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................... iii The Prophecy .................................................................................................................................. 1 The Discovery................................................................................................................................. 2 ONE .............................................................................................................................................. 12 TWO ............................................................................................................................................. 27 THREE.......................................................................................................................................... 42 FOUR............................................................................................................................................ 53 FIVE.............................................................................................................................................. 66 SIX ................................................................................................................................................ 72 SEVEN.......................................................................................................................................... 85 EIGHT .......................................................................................................................................... 92 NINE ........................................................................................................................................... 106 TEN............................................................................................................................................. 114 TWELVE .................................................................................................................................... 123 THIRTEEN ................................................................................................................................. 133 FOURTEEN................................................................................................................................ 142 FIFTEEN .................................................................................................................................... 154 iv The Prophecy The town and surrounding fields were engulfed in flames. The war was no longer on the other side of the world. It had crept its way through life-filled lands to position itself here. They were its next target. The brink of war had lurked in the shadows, watching and waiting for his prize. He didn't attack. He wanted them to think they were safe, that the rumors were just rumors. But he knew different. He knew what he wanted. He wanted her. He needed her because, without her, there was no chance. No chance at all for humanity. No chance there would ever be anything for anyone to look forward to. He knew something they hadn't: 23 years ago, a warrior was born, but this warrior wasn't supposed to exist. It was just lore. Just something families told their children as bedtime stories to provide them encouragement to be strong against the “creatures”. The warrior would be one that gave birth to a nation and through this nation, one child would be born and forced to bear the burden of breathing life into the nation's future savior. No one knew which Charaz received the vision. We just all knew that the warrior would be broken and with the help of others she would become whole again, but before she could become whole again, she had to lose everyone she loved. 1 The Discovery “Good morning Ingrid, Charlie, and Joseph. ” I spoke softly, trying to prevent the growing buds from being startled by my voice. It was my week to care for the plants and I wanted to make sure that each lily grew strong. Mother loved her lilies. She would be angry if they weren't grown right. As the water fell from the spout, it slowed down and then stopped moving in mid-air. Gasping, I quickly let go of the watering can and studied the scene. The watering can, and the water, stalled in time. I had finally mastered it. When I first noticed what I could do, I was playing near the charbarkys trees. Mother had just finished watering them and I decided to climb to the top. When I placed my hand on the tree's trunk, beads of water formed at the bottom. I waved my hands over the beads and they moved up the trunk. I was fascinated. I was the reason they moved. I didn't tell anyone. It was my secret. My dad told me that I was special. I never believed it. Or, at least I didn't feel like I was. I spent the next week mastering my newfound skills, soon realizing that I could freeze things in real time. I knew I had to show Izelle. I decided to bring her proof. She would never follow me outside, which meant I needed to bring the show to her. I 2 grabbed a droplet of water in my hands, gently holding the precious bead. The water rolled around in the palm of my hands. I steadied my pace as I walked. The cream, wooden glass paneled doors swung open as I pushed them with my foot, exposing the foyer. Walking past the golden arches of the kitchen into the main hallway, I looked down to make sure that my water bead had stayed in my hands. As I reached the corridor, my heart fluttered. Everything was glowing around me. I stared at the various pictures on the wall. We were never really great at taking family photos. All the smiles seemed forced. Mother always made sure the pictures were color-coded. We had fourteen photos in total. Each photo contained the five us: my mother, my father, Gizelle, Izelle, and me. In each photo, my smile was less convincing than the one that came before. I hid my sorrow well. But the familiar loneliness, I usually felt when I walked down this hallway, was no longer present. With these powers, my family had to accept me. They could no longer push me to the side. They would have to listen to me, now, because I am special, too. Maybe even more special than them since none of them had ever mentioned possessing magic. The thought of acceptance caused my mind to recall a happy tune. I hummed along as I closed my eyes. I let the tune carry me down the hall. The music guided my feet through the warm darkness. I needed to calm myself from the excitement I felt. Once I was sure I was more settled, I opened my eyes. I sighed at the entrance of Izelle's room, but she didn't seem to notice my presence. I walked through Izelle's open door. She was on her bed with her head near the end. 3 “Izzy, look,” I yelled with excitement. Holding out my hands towards her face. She looked at my hand for a few moments, and then continued reading. “It's a freaking bead of real water. How is this not interesting? ” “It's not.” She didn't look up from the book. My anger and resentment returned. I never knew why she hated me so much. I never understood what I did to her to make her feel this way towards me. “Why are you so mean? ” I growled. She looked up from her book and stared at me. Her gray eyes scared me. They were dark and still. She swallowed hard, which made me swallow harder. “Fine, show me. Show me what you did in the garden.