Cursed - part 2

Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part two of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!

I don't greet my mum as I trudge past her into the house. I can hear her concerned voice carrying up the stairs after me, but my head is buzzing and I can think if little but what I have just seen.
We don't know much about the curse. Now that Josh has it, I'll have to change that. With everyone else having already given up before even trying, it is up to me.
I lie back on my bed, thinking. The curse, if it is going to manifest, comes between the ages of sixteen and twenty. At nineteen, Josh and I thought we were in the clear; apparently not. I swallow a sob and force myself to keep thinking. This can't be hopeless. If I use my head, there must be a way to save Josh.
Nobody can work out why some people get the curse and others don't. It sometimes runs in families, sometimes not. The kind of work the person does, or the environment they live in seems to have no effect on it.
The only consistency is how the curse itself acts. The person cursed becomes immensely powerful - so powerful that they can kill anyone with just a touch. That wouldn't be a problem if their minds weren't corrupted. They quickly start to lose themselves, until they are filled with a desire to kill any living thing.
There is not cure that anyone knows of; to protect others, those with the curse have to be killed.
I get up and start pacing, not able to lie still any longer. Whatever I do, I'll have to do it fast, before Josh can't be controlled anymore. At that time, his father will have no choice but to hand him over to the king's men, who will take him to one of the facilities. No one ever comes out of those facilities alive.
"Lara? Are you ok?"
"Fine!" I call to my mum, hoping she won't come in. I must look a mess right now, and I realise I can't tell her about Josh; she will try to keep me away from him for my own safety. Of course, nothing can keep me away from him, but her efforts will slow me down, and I need to save him fast.
I hear her footsteps coming up the stairs. Cursing, I dive under the covers and pretend to be napping.
"Lara? You seemed upset."
"I'm just tired," I mumble, keeping my eyes semi-open.
"You were going to see Josh - you said you hadn't seen him in days and you were worried."
"He's sick," I say. "It's contagious, that's why he was staying away from everyone. Anyway, I think I've got it now. I just want to sleep."
"Of course, honey," my mum says. "I'll bring you supper later."
"Thank you."
As she closes the door, I realise I will need to act soon. Sooner or later, she will find out that I am lying. I need to get out before that happens. I'm not sure if I can do this alone, though... yet do I have the right to drag someone else into this?
Jane. My best friend would help me, if I asked. Can I ask, though? We could both be killed... yet if I don't get help, Josh will definitely be killed. It is that which makes up my mind. I wait until everyone is asleep, trying to act normally. Near midnight, I grab my pack and start putting in things for a journey. I'm not sure where we'll be going, but it has to be somewhere where there aren't many people who would kill Josh.
I slip out of the window and climb down the tree next to my room. Shouldering the pack, I jog down the street to Jane's house.
"Jane! Jane, wake up"."
I tap gently on the window. Jane has always been a light sleeper and she sits up at once.
"Lara! What's wrong? What's the bag for?" she asks, opening the window.
"I need your help,"  I say, climbing in. "It's Josh. He's in trouble and we need to rescue him."
"I'll pack my things."
"Wait. First, I must tell you everything. Josh has the curse."
I hear Jane's sharp intake of breath, but can't see her in the darkness. "You think you can save him?" she asks.
"I have to try."
"I'll pack my things," she says again.
As Jane goes around the room shoving things into a pack, I try to plan how we are going to do this. If we don't do it right, not only will Josh and I be killed, but I'll take my best friend down with me.
"Thank you," I whisper. I can always count on Jane, even for something such as this.
In her rush, she doesn't hear me. I stare out into the night, wondering about what we are going to do.

To be continued