The Curse

 The Curse

As I returned to the beautiful, yet small speck of a town called Midway, I had a turmoil feeling of uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. My hometown, Louisville, Kentucky was a much different scene compared to the farmland that now took the place of city skyscrapers. The sound of the train replaced the constant sirens that echoed outside my windows. Car thefts, Black Lives Matter Protests, and the deadly coronavirus created a catastrophic environment. Churchill Downs and the State fair had decided to slash the customer capacity in half. Local businesses were either vacant, vandalized, or boarded up with thick wooden panels. My mother had to learn how to use online technology before she could teach, the basketball courts no longer had shouting, and my packed house finally had its sixth member back. Even after doctors, scientists, celebrities, and our own mayor Andy Beshear had warned colleges from opening, I found myself driving my unreliable 2002 red Saturn to Midway University for the 2020 semester. 

2020 would be my third year at Midway University. This year was very different though. A pandemic was ongoing, I was driving alone to move-in day, and for once in my life I felt homesick. But one thing hadn’t changed for my third move-in day - I was late. My mother handed me a new item to pack after every sprint to Red Ruby. The night before I had put my blue backpack full of equine books and my laptop by the door in order to finally arrive on time and get the first choice of the three beds awaiting me in Midway. Even though most of my family and friends believed that the campus would be eventually shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak, my mother wanted me to be extra prepared. She kept finding clothes, school supplies, and advice that was filling Red Ruby and my bed options. As I finally hugged everyone and waved out the window of Red Ruby, I put the car in reverse. After about five minutes of racing away from my neighborhood, my windshield began to be the palette to the cloud’s tears. Halfway on my hip hop filled highway journey I had to slow down to the speed limit due to a thick fog that was emerging from the heavy rain. 

The University communicated through email that the crowded, tiny dorm rooms last year would not have the full capacity that it had the previous years; however, that email was incorrect. Midway’s dorm rooms were originally built for just two students, but due to the abundance of new students and poor planning, the rooms began to house three instead. As I approached my temporary home, unfashionably late, it began to rain cats and dogs - which makes driving very difficult for a legally blind person. I rushed towards my room, refusing to take any help as I carried my bags in a trip that should have taken five times. My wrists and fingers wavered and stuck as the plastic straps bore into my soaking wet skin. I entered the room full of my two roommates and their families. In a state of panic, I realized that my hair was still in its tight braids underneath my magenta bandanna. I introduced myself in my rag-doll state and hastily exited back to Red Ruby. The rain had made my hair much frizzier than anticipated, but luckily as I untangled the twists my hair looked slightly less like Raggedy Ann and more like a poofy version of Rapunzel. As I sat alone in my car, I felt a little embarrassed that my family hadn’t come with me - especially since it was only an hour drive. But nonetheless, I was determined to make a better second impression. Since I was over thirty minutes late, I was stuck with the middle bed - which made sleeping very awkward because whichever way I turned I was stuck with another pair of eyes. Also, being an insomniac did not help my “stuck in the middle” situation. 

As I conversed with my new roommates I realized that we were all three very relaxed and shared a lot in common such as soccer, hiking, and church. Being the eldest in the trio, I proposed that we go to church the next morning. Well the church service was… to put it nicely - different. It was modern and felt a little too showy compared to my traditional Catholic church back home. Fluorescent, blinding purple and gold lights filled the congregation throughout the service. As we gladly thanked God for the beautiful outdoors we decided to head back to eat brunch at Midway. Since the sun was shining for us we decided to eat outdoors at the picnic table. I was the first to sit down. My legs were on fire! I thought, Man, this seat is hot! That is when I realized that my quad was hot - not my hamstrings. I jumped up as dozens of yellow jackets swarmed my poor legs. After I ran to a safe distance I counted the damage. Seven major stings, and a couple that luckily weren’t as deep. My legs began to swell and rapidly turn red. Never in my life had I been stung by a wasp or yellow jacket - but the trouble didn’t end there. 

My bad luck followed me as I went to my first cross-country practice of the year. Since I am a double athlete (Soccer and Cross-Country), I rarely get to go to Cross-Country practices with the team. But we would soon find out that the gray cloud and wasps safer me would soon transfer to the team as well. Every cross-country practice that I could make (usually two a week), it unprecedentedly monsooned. Filling our new navy blue Nikes with so much water we heard squish squish wherever we walked. Our hair felt so heavy as it clung to our necks and backs as if it had been plastere with cement. A couple practices later, my teammate also got stung by a wasp. And so my first month back to campus I knew that I had been cursed. The curse didn’t stop at just my teammates.

I went to my room and heard two loud screams. CRUNCH. In shock and fear my roommates and I locked our eyes on the fat mouse lying underneath her shoe. After everything that had been going on we decided to leave the room - and forgot our keys..locking the dead mouse inside. Unfortunately, prior to the crushing departure of our unwanted guest we had been stargazing that night - meaning it was around midnight now. After searching for a courageous night owl, we finally found someone who removed the mouse for us. 

I’m unsure of what caused my curse, but ever since I left home it has been torturing my every move. At first I thought it only affected me, but as I sadly watched my friend roll down the hill and twist her ankle I knew that it was a tormenting aura surrounding me. Now, it is my quest to find out how to solve this unlucky curse that has befallen me. I know there are several treatments and cures - but I am unaware of how to get rid of this bad mojo once and for all. I think I need to try a home remedy.