CURSED SOULS

“This better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all” were the mere words I’ve learned
throughout my whole life as an immortal soul, a soul who has never experienced anything else but the
feeling of heartbreak, the foreboding feeling of knowing that I will be alone till the ends of time.

To have someone you love and to be by your side forever is a gift, through the irises of my eyes have
seen only death, agony, and despair. It’s bewildering to have heard the statement “I wish I could live
forever” come out of a man's mouth. If only they knew. I’d pass them this curse that has lived inside me
within a heartbeat.

Eddy. Eddy Sten, child of Reyna Seth and Eric Gorm Sten. How did I get given such a curse you might ask?
Well, my parents did me such a favor by participating in a raid that involved in having to destroy a sacred
temple created by the gods. In return, they’ve given me the curse of immortality. Unlucky right? I was
born in the slums of Kattegat Norway Viking era, but I can’t really remember much since it was quite
literally thousands of years ago. the only thing I can really recall was the faces of both my parents as they
were killed before my eyes, blood splattered everywhere as they were hung, my young self having to
watch in complete horror. Since then I’ve been suffering, having to deal with love and loss since that was
all I’ve ever had, the feeling of being loved was the best feeling in the world so I took ‘love’ and used it to
the extent. But this stupid of a curse made me realize that all good things had to come to an end, so
there I was living my everyday knowing I could never love like the ordinary.

Here I sit once again, the cold metal bed rails touched by my fingertips as I take in the awfully familiar
setting before me. Immediate flashbacks fill my head every time I walk through these doors, tears
prickled my eyes, and my heart ached but I still held myself back, I thought I’d gotten used to this. I
obviously thought wrong. The hospital room, crisp white sheets, IV bags and stands, nurses and doctors
scattering around the area like mice. Laying helplessly before I was my 27th wife, The map of wrinkles on
her face told of the most incredible journey. Her eye lines told of laughter, warm smiles, and affection.
Her forehead told of worries past and worries present. Hair of platinum, soles of the classic page, the old
woman was all the world to me. Yet there I was, the face of someone you’d think was of youth, although
I am older than all of the people around me combined.

2136 years and counting to be exact.

Cries and grunts of pain came out of her mouth with the will, Doctors rushed beside her as chaos
bestowed through the room. My vision blurred as tears threatened to come out, there it was, It was
happening again I thought. Her heavy pants and whimpers were all that was heard, a doctor holding her
down as desperateness was vivid. I held her hand firmly closing my eyes as I leaned my head against her
frail body.

Beep.

Her heart stopped, and my world stopped.

Shown in the monitor was a line, a continuous one… that line meant death.

Two months have passed. I am back to my old self. Drinking and Having fun with strangers knowing again
they will all die except me. I sit in this stall trying to mask everything that has happened to me, being
blinded by my past, altered by reality. Questions piled and piled within my head "Why is it me?" I cry
"Why Can't I live normally just like the others" "I thought this was a blessing, turns out it's more of a
curse". In the past, I tried a lot of methods how I will kill myself. It all started when my 3rd wife died. She
was the most amazing woman I've ever met. I couldn't live without her. I thought I could embrace what
was coming but I couldn't, I got slapped back into reality and of course, reality often disappoints. So after
that, I began doing things that could end me, I was tied chopping my head, using ropes to hang myself,
paying an executioner to kill me, summoning the wardens and dueling them one versus one, and all that
kind of stuff. Soon I realize, that I couldn't die. even diseases that killed all my fellow villagers did nothing
against me. I began to accept that this was my fate, I couldn't die. I even muck and curse to the gods,
begging them to just take my life away. Slowly I beginning to start a new life again. And soon enough I'm
beginning to understand that this is my way of life now, my life is basically a loop but with different
timelines. And so on I keep on living embracing and discovering what's ahead of me.

Walking around the streets of Oslo, the same place I’ve been throughout this cursed life. I watched the
place before I grow, as It was once a place of ash and stone showered by the crippling leftovers of life
now it’s as beautiful as ever, ash and stone replaced by huge skyscrapers. It has been 30 years since Tina
passed, and I’ve decided to not partake in anything that involved “Love” knowing that I’ll be hurt. I’m
alone as I’ve always been, irrelevancy cramped in a 2 story modern house hidden in the slums of the
deep forest. You could say I was wealthy, having worked thousands of Jobs, I’ve saved quite a bit of
money.

I strode through the doors of a local café the ambiance and its homey aroma, drawing my soul into its
cocoon for a few blessed moments. Throwing a smile at the cashier, I ordered the usual, “En Americano
takk” meaning one americano, please. It smelled of heaven as croissants, cakes, and macarons were
displayed all over, adding to the innocence and purity of the place. I sat near a large window unveiling
the beautiful setting before my eyes I smiled wearily, heart in a wrench as I looked towards the now
empty seat in front of me, the seat in which my beloved Tina used to sit. This beauty of a place was
where we first met, my clumsy self bumping into her as I somehow caught myself within her vicinity. I
called it love at first sight.

I zoned out quite a bit, the happy memories replaying in my head. It was until a waiter gave me the
americano I ordered, I looked into her green eyes and there was a spark. I don’t know what kind of spark
it was, but it felt like we were connected somehow. I don’t know, I’m just being stupid. Next thing I know
she was gone.

How weird, he thought. The same girl from yesterday was there at the park with him. Bobbed hair,
tanned skin, grey attire, sunglasses. Her face was sullen as her attention was fixed on a book, eyebrows
crinkled. I walked past her stealing a glance as I once again went on with my day.

‘I can’t believe this’ I mumbled, every single day I would see her. I walk down the streets and I see her, in
libraries I saw her, shops, parks, my window. I saw her, and weirdly enough she saw me. I thought I was
going insane, “Is she following me?” I questioned. It was the same routine, every day I would see her in
the most random places, It bewildered me to such an extent that I finally had the guts to come up to her
and introduce myself. I hesitated though, I held myself back. Looking back on the promise that I made to
myself. ‘Don’t fall in love I repeated that to myself constantly but somehow I always went back to the
question that had invaded my mind fully.

Was this fate?

My palms were sweaty,

They had no idea, they seemed to know each other.

She has been suffering from the same agony and curse as Eddie. They grew up in the same village in
800AD, and as children, they played a lot of sword and shield games because they lived during the era of
the Vikings, or Norsemen, of Scandinavia, who were the dominant sea power in Europe from around
800a.d. Exploring the coastlines of Europe, the British Isles, and North Africa from 800 to 1150. Viking
influence extended from Russia to Greenland, and they established peripheral contact with the
Byzantine Empire and the shores of North America thanks to their technologically advanced longships,
skilled seamanship, and military-like raiding parties. Norse raiders had a significant impact on medieval
Europe. The Vikings' trade routes facilitated the flow of coins, silver, and limited goods from the Middle
East to Northern Europe. Norse settlements altered the Middle Ages' political map by encouraging the
rise of strong local leaders and armies to defend populations from Viking marauders. The Norse
established direct rule in some areas while plundering others. Regardless of the permanence of Viking
rule, many historians of the period credit Viking raids as the impetus for nation-building in Europe and
note the proliferation of Norse law in the earliest codes of some modern European nations. Turns out
Thea knew Eddy very well, they were childhood friends. They got separated because Thea's parents
brought her to Greenland and left Norway and settle more lands in the west. They continued their life
there. until such time that Thea knew that she was immortal mirroring Eddy's experience at that time. All
those memories, sadness, and heartbreaks. It turned out that Thea and Eddy were childhood friends.
They split up because Thea's parents took her to Greenland and left Norway to settle in the west. They
carried on with their lives there. until Thea realized she was immortal, which mirrored Eddy's experience
at the time. All of those memories, sorrows, and heartbreaks.

Eddie approached Thea and asked, "Hey, I know this is awkward, but can I ask? Why do I always see you
in random places? It seems like every place I go to, you're there, is this just coincidence?" Eddie looked
into her eyes and immediately felt the same feeling he felt at the cafe and realized because it seems like
he is very familiar with her," he stuttered, "I know you from somewhere I don't know where but you're
familiar for me."

Thea responded, "Ahh your the guy from the cafe" *smiles* "I'm Thea and I'm the waiter at the cafe, I
always thought the same about you, you seem to know where I always spend most of my time, In the
library, park and other places which I go a lot with my spare time" "Glad you approach me because I
suspected you for being a stalker " *giggles* "Honestly I just like being alone and going to places on
which I can relax " "Nice to meet you, what's your name? "

Eddie replied "I'm Eddie, and yes, I'm the guy who is always at the cafe, who appreciated your "En
Americano Takk." "I always did think about you, and I always see you in the majority of the places where
I spend my hobbies."

"Ahh I see, I often see you at the park holding a necklace. Is it okay if I ask what it is?" said Thea.
"Ah yes, this?" Eddie replied, "*he grabbed the necklace on her neck and showed it to Thea* " Thea
responded, "ah yes that one you always seem to hold into your hand whenever you sit near a fountain in
the park."

Eddied said "A yes, this is just the last thing that my previous wife gave me, and it resembles her, We
used to spend a lot of our time here, playing with the kids, walking the dogs, doing fun time, and more,
and that is why I always bring the necklace she gave me here because sadly she passed 30 years ago,"

Thea said "Ohh I am so sorry for your loss, sorry for asking"

Eddied replied "No no, it is fine really. I'm, I'm glad you asked"

Thea replied " The same happened to me tho let us just say a couple of years back, My husband died in a
car crash, it is making me mad, that I cannot do a thing *her smile faded*," Eddie said " Oh wow I'm very
sorry for yours. It is just sad how time flies and the next thing you know your loved one is next to you on
a hospital bed lying there saying their last words. It destroys you with it and you cannot do a thing it
crushes you." Thea said "Yeah we cannot help but embrace it, " Eddie said "This is life now " "Well Thea
nice to meet you, It's getting dark now it's to head home" Thea responded "Oh yes yes, We should go,
We should do this quite often, you know just talk about how our lives become shitty day by day, you
know if you wanna have someone to talk to, Just meet me at the shop lets should hang out sometimes,"
Eddie said"I agree, I'm just glad I approached you about this and talked about it I really enjoyed talking to
you I'll see you at the Caffe," Thea said, "Sure thing goodbye"*smiles and waves*, "Eddie said "Take care
Thea"

From there Eddie always visits Thea at the cafe and they will have a drink have dinner together and
spend the weekends together and hang out together. They became great friends, best friends perhaps. It
is been 7 months that they hangout. Eddie decided to move to Thea's house because thea agreed for
Eddie to move into her house. The same place they used to go. to and one day they went to the local
pub to drink a couple of beers and ails the pub danced together and spent the night together they were
having fun definitely the most fun that they had since the last time. They got so drunk to went home
drunk. since the pub is near their apartment. they went home, they brought the beers from the pub, and
went walking they talked and talked while walking until some dude with a black hoodie approached
Eddie and put a bullet into his head. Thea screamed at threw the beer bottle toward the shooter. and the
shooter ran. Thea cried and cried, cried a lot. but moments later. Eddie woke up smiling and didn't know
what happened while Thea was crying beside eddies head. It turns out Eddie just got knocked by the
bullet in his head. And got unconscious for a couple of minutes. Thea was shocked and frozen that Eddie
is still alive after 3 bullets were taken through the shootout. And Immediately knew that Eddie is
Immortal. She never thought that He could find a fellow Immortal just like her. She cried more and
hugged Eddie because of the relief she felt. Eddie hugged Thea gently. Eddie looked straight into her face
and slowly leaned towards her and kissed her gently, they both felt an emotional spark through their
feelings. and their cold stone heart became warm. Eddie stopped kissing and said "I I . I'm so sorry, I I
couldn't control mys-" Thea grabbed him and she kissing Eddie once more. They were both shocked but
relieved they both giggled and smiled that that just happened . and went home. They made love and
they feel more alive than ever. It turns out Eddie was mistakenly Identified by the shooter as his target.

The next morning Eddie went to the kitchen and saw thea cooking them breakfast. Eddi hugged Thea in
the back and kissed her neck. Thea turns around and kissed Eddie. and smiles. and continued cooking
breakfast and never said a word.
Until such time Eddie was in the bedroom,thea went in and told him what happened last night ."You
were shot in the head 3 times" Thea said. "The only thing That I remember last night was you kissing me,
I couldn't remember much" Eddie said.

"Why didn't you die? Are you - are you an - are you an Immortal?" Thea said. Eddie was in shock and also
couldn't speak clearly. They both lay there in the bedroom. Silently until

Eddie spoke the truth about his true Identity. Eddie explained everything. And thea just listened. And
then such time Eddie mentioned, "I live in a Village called Kattegat back then, I used to play with this girl,
We played a lot of sword and shield games but I forgot her name because it's been centuries since I last
saw her. It is after the temple raid he vanished and I never saw her again". Theas again froze. "What?
What's the matter you seemed shocked again?" Eddie said. A little tear came out of Theas eyes. and
gently told Eddie that. She was the girl he used to play with. And then right after Theas explained
everything, from traveling to Greenland to settle from then she discovered she's Immortal like Eddie She
kept it a secret and switched names every lifetime. and Once again traveled back to Norway a few
centuries later. After that, they began to understand each other they slowly beginning to remember back
when they were kids. They talked the hole day laughing and sharing great memories and surrows . They
understand each other now and went back to the bed together and slept.

A few weeks later they married. and they set out to work on each other's lives. Some years later, they
accompanied each other very well. They both decided to become an author writing books about
knowledge, technologies, and other complex stuff. After years of deciding, they helped humanity by
deciding to hand over themselves to the scientist to allow them to study, Why they are Immortal and the
Scientist found a new element that allow them to become Immortal. Which is called Kt - Kattegat
Element. Which is named after their old village. It broke the laws of all living things and scientists
couldn't explain how. They helped humanity become better and better by sharing their knowledge with
scientists and even cured cancer with it. They became a great couple. Since they cannot die. They just
embrace every possible outcomes and challenges they face throughout humanity. They lived happily and
at last, they find peace by accompanying each other. They are indeed the cursed souls.