The house was empty and quiet. Quieter than it had been in months. The only sounds echoing around the room were the soft creak of a rocking chair and gentle sobs.
Suddenly a knock on the door broke the silence as it echoed and bounced off the walls. “I’m busy,” whimpered Ariana as she stopped rocking and looked towards the door.
“I know you’re not. It’s okay,” replied Bethany as she gently pushed the door open, the creaking breaking the heavy silence that wrapped around the room. “You okay?”
“You know I’m not,” sighed Ariana as she watched Bethany slowly walk into the room and sit down in front of her. “I thought he was the one.”
“I know you did. But stuff happens,” comforted Bethany, “And it hurts, but we get through it and find what is destined to be.”
“This happens every time,” groaned Ariana as she buried her face in her hands. “I’m so stupid. I couldn’t help myself. I brought this on myself because I’m too pigheaded!”
“What do you mean? It isn’t your fault. Sometimes relationships don’t work out. Just the way of the world,” offered Bethany with a gentle smile, trying her best to be comforting even though her posture and expression showing her confusion. “Sometimes things fail.”
“This didn’t just fail. I caused it!” cried Ariana as she grabbed something and threw it at Bethany. Bethany’s reactions took over as she swatted the object away.
“Hey!” she shouted, “No need for that. I get you’re angry, but that could have hurt!” she huffed as she tried to keep her temper under control. She wanted to help, but she wasn’t going to take abuse sitting down.
“Look at it,” Ariana motioned to the thrown object as she put her head back in her hands. Bethany sighed and complied with the request. As she grabbed the item, Bethany realized what it was: a half-knitted sweater. Though, at this moment in time, it was just some sleeves and a neckline.
“It looks nice?” replied Bethany, trying to work out what Ariana was getting at.
“Whenever I start to make someone a sweater, they leave. Every time.” Ariana lamented. “It is like a curse. But, I keep thinking this time will be different.”
“So, this was for him?” asked Bethany.
“Yeah,” mumbled Ariana, “But the second it took shape, he ran off.”
“It can’t be a curse. That can’t be a thing,” replied Bethany as she gently folded. However, before she could finish her thought, Ariana looked her in the eye.
“Go to the bedroom, in the wardrobe. The box,” Ariana directed firmly. Bethany didn’t argue. She got up and walked into the bedroom, following Ariana’s instructions. And, as the woman had said, there was a heavy wooden box at the bottom of the wardrobe.
Bethany gently pulled it out and pulled the lid open, only to reveal a large pile of partially-finished sweaters. She let out a gasp and shook her head before closing the box and returning it to its original place. She quickly moved out of the bedroom and returned to the living room.
“Every single one?” she asked as she watched Ariana rock in the chair.
“Twenty-five sweaters, twenty-five men,” confirmed Ariana. “Some were weaker than others, but the pattern is the same. I stitch, and then they vanish. A job abroad, running off in the night.”
“But,” started Bethany, trying to find some hopeful twist, but before a word could leave her mouth, Ariana interrupted her.
“No,” she interrupted, not wanting to hear it. “It only happens when I start. It is why this relationship lasted so long. I waited for months and months before I started. I waited until he was ready to propose. But then I started. And a week later, he is traveling away.”
“I,” mumbled Bethany, “I can’t believe this is magic. I just can’t. Who would curse you?”
“I don’t know,” sighed Ariana, “But it happens every time!”
“Don’t worry,” said Bethany, her mind racing as she tried to work out what was going on. “I’ll get to the bottom of this.”
“Sure, whatever you want,” sighed Ariana. “I just want to be alone right now.”
“Of course.” Bethany nodded. “Can I take this?” She said as she held up the one unfinished sweater.
“Sure, I don’t want the thing,” groaned Ariana as she started to sob. Bethany realized that whatever she did, she wouldn’t cheer Ariana up. So she quickly left Ariana’s house.
However, Ariana’s words continued to echo through Bethany’s mind. It seemed too silly to be true. Yet those sweaters were there as evidence. It could be a coincidence, but it seemed far too frequent to be something that could be written up to the universe playing dice. And Ariana wasn’t in volatile relationships. Every time Bethany had seen her dating, she seemed happy, and the relationship seemed stable.
These questions fueled Bethany’s curiosity. After a day of pondering, she couldn’t fight it anymore. She went to every library, archive, and academic that would give her the time of day, trying to see if one of them knew what could be happening. Many rebuffed her, telling them that it was simply nonsense. That all of Ariana’s failed relationships were just issues with her and not with her knitting. However, eventually, after several days of searching, Bethany found people who could give her answers.
A week later, she turned up at Ariana’s door with the sweater under one arm and a bag of food under the other. As Ariana opened the door, Bethany grinned. “Do I have a surprise for you!”
“What’s happened?” stuttered Ariana as she looked around before waving Bethany inside. The inside of the house was very different. It was clear that Ariana had tried to distract herself by redecorating.
“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Bethany said with a smile as she watched Ariana sit down in the chair.
“Yeah, I needed something to do,” sighed Ariana. “What did you want?”
“I have found something that might help you,” offered Bethany. “So, I talked to a load of people. I’ve been all over the place. But some of them think that you might have a curse. Curses can have triggers that set them off, and maybe it is set off by you handling needles!”
“I see,” nodded Ariana. “Are they sure?”
“Well,” mumbled Bethany. “The only way to know would be to get you a date and then knit for them using something that isn’t needles.”
“That is a lot of heartache for an experiment,” said Ariana as she let out a soft sigh. “I don’t think it matters anyway.”
“Oh right,” Bethany replied, a wave of shame washing over her. She had gotten so carried away with her research that she had forgotten why she had started to research in the first place. Ariana was right. It wasn’t something she could test, and no one had suggested a way to remove the curse. All they had to go on was that this problem could have some strange magical origin.
“It’s okay,” Ariana smiled. “You tried. It means a lot to me.”
“I should have thought about it more,” sighed Bethany. “I’m sorry, but I did bring dinner if you want that?” She pointed to the bag of food.
“Sure,” nodded Ariana, “I would like some company if only to stop myself decorating again.” She went over to the table and laid out plates as Bethany pulled out the food. As the two ate, Ariana warmed up a little, obviously putting the heartache and awkwardness of the last month behind her.
However, just as the pair was winding down, someone knocked on the door. “Who could that be at this time of night?” asked Ariana as she walked over to the door and opened it just a crack. Outside of the door was a woman clad in a heavy cloak and dark shawl. She had a scarf over the lower half of her face. Ariana looked her over with suspicion, waiting for her to speak.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, the woman talked through her scarf. “Are you the knitter?” she asked softly, looking behind herself as she did.
“The knitter?” replied Ariana as Bethany came to the door.
“The cursed one,” responded the woman as she nodded.
“I guess so?” Ariana blinked with confusion as she turned to Bethany. “Did you invite her?”
“I’ve never seen her. Or, well, I don’t recognize her eyes,” mumbled Bethany.
“May I come in?” asked the woman. “I have important news.” She looked behind herself again.
“Sure, go for it!” Ariana shrugged as she pulled the door open. Bethany went to say something, but before she could, Ariana cut her off. “My month can not get worse, and she doesn’t seem like someone who can overwhelm two of us. She’s far too dainty.”
“Thank you, thank you,” the woman said and nodded to them as she ducked inside, made her way to the table, and sat down. Bethany and Ariana returned to the table. They watched as the woman removed the scarf from in front of her face.
“So, you had news?” asked Ariana.
“Yes,” nodded the woman. “I am Lady Varliana, and I am to be married in one week.”
“That doesn’t feel like important news?” mumbled Bethany.
“The Lord is a bore. A vile, disgusting man. But father insists on it and won’t listen to me,” explained Varliana as Bethany and Ariana looked on in confusion.
“And how am I linked to this?” interrupted Ariana, obviously growing tired of the woman’s rambling.
“Your sweaters. Apparently, they can sever even the strongest bonds of fate! They can turn infatuation into disgust! Invert a man’s heart!”
“And who told you this?” asked Ariana as she glared at Bethany.
“They’re the talk of the town! All the villagers are talking of the tale. I have had to go through several people to work out who the tale was about!” explained Varliana as Bethany started to blush.
“I might have gotten a little carried away. I should have been more subtle,” mumbled Bethany as she looked around awkwardly.
“Sure,” shrugged Ariana as Bethany gasped, and Varliana cheered. “I’ve got no use for them. I’m not guaranteeing it will work. But whatever, if it will help you sleep at night.”
“Oh, you are too kind! Too kind!’ gasped Varliana as she reached forward. However, before she could do anything, Ariana moved back and walked away from the table. Bethany heard the sound of things rustling in the wardrobe before Ariana returned a few minutes later with a half-finished red sweater and a ball of yarn,
“I do not need the yarn either,” said Ariana, her voice remaining monotone as she put the yarn and sweater onto the table in front of Varliana.
“Oh gosh, what can I do to repay you?!” asked Varliana, her whole body shaking with excitement.
“Nothing. You’re deluding yourself if you think this will work. So please, get out of my house so that I may finish my dinner,” replied Ariana as she pointed to the door.
“Yes, of course. Thank you. Thank you.” replied Varliana furiously as she shoved the sweater and the yarn into her cloak before running out of the door and into the night. The sound of a horse’s whinny echoed through the night as Ariana and Bethany sat in silence.
“I feel terrible,” mumbled Bethany. “I asked for it to be kept private. I don’t know who could have spread this.”
“It’s fine,” Ariana shrugged, “But I think I’m going to head to bed. You’re welcome to stay the night if you wish.”
“No, thank you,” replied Bethany. “I’ll walk home. I’m sorry for this. I really am.” Bethany continued as she made her way out, leaving Ariana alone. Waves of guilt washed over her body with each and every step.
As the week rolled on, Bethany tried to work out what to do. The genie was out of the bottle, and she couldn’t put it back in, but she could at least try and slow the rumor down before it got too out of hand. But no matter how hard Bethany thought about it. She just couldn’t come up with a good solution. She couldn’t use threats, and she didn’t have enough money to bribe people into silence.
Days went past, and Bethany didn’t get anywhere. She couldn’t come up with a plan that made sense or even had a chance of working. It seemed like an utterly futile endeavor. Myths spread like wildfire, and Bethany had missed the spark. It was far too late to do anything but allow a controlled burn.
As she walked around the market, Bethany kept trying to listen in on conversations, hoping that she would hear someone talking about the rumor so she could shut it down. But no one did. So, she settled for buying Ariana a gift. She couldn’t fix what she had done, but she could at least try to apologize. However, just as she made her way over to the bakery, Bethany felt a hand on her shoulder.
As she turned, she saw a familiar face. Varliana was behind her, her face still obscured by a shawl and scarf. She was basically trembling as she waved for Bethany to follow her. Bethany didn’t question it and followed the woman for a short distance until both women ended up on a quiet side street.
Once they were there, Varliana looked around before removing the scarf that covered her mouth. She then ran forward and hugged Bethany tightly. “Oh, thank you!” she squealed, “Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome?” questioned Bethany as she held her hands up, totally unsure where she should put them.
“Night before the wedding,” began an excited Varliana as she pulled back, “He decided he wanted to serve the land by exploring the Ultrium sea! Charting unfound lands! So, he’ll be gone for at least two years!”
Becky gasped, “And you think it is due to the sweater?”
“It must be!” exclaimed Varliana. “That man has shown no interest in exploration or ships before! He wouldn’t even go on a lake, let alone traverse the seas!”
“Are you sure?” stuttered Bethany, utterly in shock.
“Yes! He was himself until I spent an evening working on the sweater. Then, the next day, he was hiring sailors and outfitting himself as an explorer!”
“That seems like wonderful news,” agreed Bethany. “Then, I’m glad it could help you.”
“It is! I have told all of the ladies I know!” beamed Varliana, only for Bethany to let out a gasp and grab the woman’s shoulders.
“You told how many people?” she gasped.
“Fourteen, maybe eighteen. Why do you ask?” asked Varliana.
“I’ve got to go!” shouted Bethany as she let go of Varliana and quickly ran out of the alley. She pushed through the crowd as she tried to make her way to Ariana’s house as fast as possible.
However, before the house was even in sight, the echoes of a crowd filled the area. “Oh no! Oh no!” Bethany increased her speed, only to see where the noise was coming from. A massive crowd of people had formed outside of Ariana’s house. Most of them were trying to hide their identity with hoods, scarves, or masks.
However, to Bethany’s surprise, Ariana was outside in the crowd, throwing half-finished sweaters to each person. Bethany pushed through the crowd and made her way to Ariana.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
Ariana smiled a wide, bright smile. “Everything is good!”
“But, all the people?” replied Bethany. However, before she could say anything more, Ariana turned and smiled at her.
“If I’m stuck with this curse. Then why not use it to make people happy? I can’t keep storing all these useless sweaters anyway!”
“But,” stuttered Bethany, her head spinning from both the noise and Ariana’s sudden change.
“But what? It works!” giggled Ariana. “And if I can make these ladies happy, then shouldn’t I do so? I shouldn’t hoard terrible memories, anyhow.”
“If you think that is right,” supposed Bethany as she dodged another thrown sweater. However, suddenly, she realized what Ariana had said. “It works?”
“I told her before I told you. It is only polite after all,” Varliana piped in as she made her way out of the horde of people. “I have some decorum.”
“And, Lady Varliana has made me quite the offer,” continued Ariana as she continued to work. “One that might put both of our problems to rest.”
“I like to repay charity,” Varliana added with a smile.
“You’re going to have to catch me up,” mumbled Bethany as she looked at the slowly-thinning crowd as more and more people walked off with half-finished sweaters. “I thought she came to me first.”
“I thought we could start a small knitwear store,” explained Varliana.
“Selling the cursed sweaters?” asked Bethany.
“No, these are a charity service for those who needed it,” interjected Ariana as she handed out the last one. “My socks, slacks, and hats are all unaffected.”
“But, won’t that cause you to get dumped constantly?” blinked Bethany.
“Maybe! But maybe not!” laughed Ariana. “Lady Varliana has had an idea, and I admit I find it quite fascinating!” She sounded happier than she had in days.
“Yes!” interjected Varliana. “If the story I heard is true, the sweaters invert the heart when I create them for someone. Correct?”
“I only make sweaters for people I’m dating,” agreed Ariana as she looked at Bethany. “I’ve made you socks and scarves, and you still like me!”
“That is true,” nodded Bethany as it started to click into place.
“So, Ariana gets to sell her wares and make sweaters for those who are unworthy of our hands in marriage or our hearts in love!” cheered Varliana. “And, if she wishes to get her love a sweater, I shall find her people to make it for her. Right to her specifications! She never needs to touch a needle.”
“Or activate a curse,” muttered Bethany.
“I think it is rather elegant, don’t you?” chuckled Ariana.
“If it works!” Bethany shrugged.
“Even if it doesn’t, it feels silly not to try. At the very least, I get to work with yarn for a while and maybe do a little good. Let me have this feeling without worrying about logic or the lack of it for a night.”
“Will do!” Bethany said, hugging Ariana tightly. “I should make us dinner. I was going to buy you a cake, but I was interrupted.”
“Oh, that sounds wonderful,” replied Ariana. “I’m sure Varliana will wish to eat before she returns to her home.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Varliana blushed as she looked at her shoes.
Ariana motioned towards the door of her cottage, signaling her invitation.
“Nonsense,” argued Ariana, “I think we have lots to discuss!”
[Enjoyed this short? Consider buying me a coffee!]
Jonathon Greenall is a freelance writer, artist, and tabletop roleplaying game designer who has written for CBR, Polygon, Nintendo Life, Gayley Dreadful, Enbylife, and many other publications. They have also published several popular and highly-praised tabletop roleplaying games including “You Have One Ability….The Ability To Fuck This Up,” “Macarons, Milkshakes, And Magic,” and “Wander Wizards.”
Jonathon has always been fascinated by media, from the big hitters to the small, obscure, and often overlooked titles that linger on the sidelines, capturing both the on and off-camera stories that make these shows so fascinating.
Jonathon is also a major anime fan, having been exposed to the medium through shows like Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Since then, Jonathon has maintained a passion for anime, watching most new shows each season and hunting down overlooked gems from previous ones.