No Regrets

      “We received reports today that Neopians across the globe have been turning Grey,” Allan told his wife Ruth, one early spring night.

      She gave him an uneasy look. “Any here in the Haunted Woods?”

      He shook his head. “Not yet. The cause of this grey curse is unknown but the Wards are doing everything they can to learn more and reverse the effects.”

     Summer Y26

      “Are you still going to leave for university in Neopia Central?” Hattie asked her twin brother.

      “I’ve been planning this for a long time, Hat. I’m not going to give up for anything, not even this.”

      “Neopia Central was the first place affected by this curse. They haven’t found a way to reverse it yet and there’s every reason to believe that Neopia Central will go completely Grey just like Meridell and Brightvale.”

      “I know.”

      The twins held each other’s gaze for a long moment, their conversation continuing in that way that only twins seemed to have.

      Hattie sighed, shaking her head slowly before looking back at Thatcher. “Will they even let you go?”

      “We’re adults now, Hat. They can’t stop us from doing stuff anymore.”

      “But you should at least talk to them.”

      “Alright, I will.”

      The twins went to find their parents. It didn’t take long to find them in their father’s study.

      “I need to talk to you about something,” Thatcher began.

      Their parents exchanged a glance.

      “About attending university in Neopia Central with the state of affairs there?” Father guessed.

      Thatcher nodded.

      “What are you thinking, son?”

      “That I’ve worked too had to give it all up now.”

      “Despite the very real risk that you will be exposing yourself to the Grey Curse?”

      “Yes.”

      Father nodded slowly. “Your mother and I suspected you would make that choice. We know how important this is to you.”

      “We aren’t going to pretend that we’re happy about you leaving but we will support you regardless,” Mother said.

      Thatcher looked relieved. “Thank you.”

      “You’d better bring it up with your Uncle Allan and Aunt Ruth,” Father said.

      Thatcher winced. “Yeah…”

      “There’s six weeks to go until you leave. Anything could happen between now and then. At the very least, Uncle Allan may be able to give you advice to protect yourself against the curse.”

      Thatcher huffed a breath. “No time like the present, I guess.”

      Hattie glanced at her twin and he shook his head. He would do this on his own.

      The green Bori left his house and headed for Ward headquarters. Since the curse had made it’s first appearance, the Wards of the Woods had had been working overtime to learn everything they could about it in order to break it. As one of their chief curse breakers, Allan Paine was among that number. Thatcher made his way through the ever-busy HQ for his uncle’s office.

      His uncle looked up in some alarm upon seeing Thatcher enter, alone. Not surprising, given that Thatcher could count on one hand the number of times he had visited his uncle at work and never alone.

      “Is everything alright?” Uncle Allan asked in concern.

      “Yes, Uncle. Sorry, I didn’t mean to alarm you. I just came by to talk. Is now a good time?” Thatcher asked.

      “I always have time for family,” Uncle Allan responded at once, waving towards the empty chair across from him. “What can I do for you, Thatch?”

      Thatcher suddenly felt nervous but knew he couldn’t delay. “I’m still going to university in Neopia Central.”

      Uncle Allan stiffened, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they were had with anger. It was an emotion Thatcher had never seen from his uncle before and it took everything he had not to flinch away.

      “So, you’re going to put your personal ambition before your family?” Uncle Allan demanded.

      Thatcher shrugged. “It can’t be helped. Neopia Central is the only place I can go for a degree in civil engineering.”

      Uncle Allan snorted. “And never mind that its currently dealing with an unknown curse.”

      “I can’t just put my life on hold indefinitely!”

      “Not even for the sake of your family?”

      Thatcher clenched his jaw, trying not to snap. “This isn’t about the family.”

      “Except that it is, even if you’re too stubborn to acknowledge that."

      Thatcher waved a hand in exasperation. “My parents are willing to support me anyway. Why can’t you?”

      “You know what curses have done to our family!”

      “Yes, I do know but this is something I have to do.”

      Uncle Allan sighed, the fight leaving him all at once. “So that’s it then.”

      “That’s it.”

      Thatcher rose to his feet to leave, taking this as his dismissal. He paused at the door as his uncle spoke one last time.

      “Speaking from experience, I hope you don’t live to regret it.”

      “I won’t.”

     Month of Gathering, Y26

      Thatcher had been at university for less than a month.

     In the weeks before he left home, the Grey Curse had spread to Kiko Lake, drawing ever closer to Neopia Central; and they were no closer to figuring out a way to reverse it. Even then, Thatcher hadn’t changed his mind about leaving. Things had become tense at home with Uncle Allan and Aunt Ruth resolutely opposed to his decision while his parents continued to support him. Uncle Allan and Father were twin brothers and rarely disagreed about anything, let alone this strongly. So, it had put a strain on the entire family.

      In the end, it had been a relief to leave.

      Thatcher had taken the time to adjust to his new life. It hadn’t taken him long at all to fall into a rhythm with his classes. Though, he was still learning his way around the city. He was loving every minute of his new life so far. It was everything he had been imagining it would be.

      Life was good.

      Until the day that he woke up Grey. Before he even opened his eyes, he knew what had happened. His body felt unnaturally heavy. As he sat up, he felt tired even though he had had a full night’s sleep. He couldn’t tell just from looking, of course, given his tritanopia. To him, everything looked the same but it felt different.

      He reached for his phone just as it rang, knowing it was Hattie before he’d even answered it.

      “Thatcher?” Hattie’s voice was taut with fear. “Are you-”

      “Yes,” he sighed, feeling the weight of that single word.

      “So, what are you going to do?”

      Thatcher stared into space for a moment. He was standing in the same place he had just the day before. Has anything really changed?

      Well, yes. Yesterday, he would have felt a rush of determination instead of despair. But, he still knew what he was going to do.

      “I won’t magically get better if I leave. My life is here now, Hattie. I’m going to stay and continue as if nothing has changed. Because, for me, nothing has.”

      They shared a moment of silence.

      Hattie understood him like no one else. Even when she didn’t agree with him, she never tried to argue. She just accepted him the way he was. He couldn’t have asked for a better sister.

      “And tell Uncle Allan he was wrong.”

     The End.