“Go away, Oliver!”

 

Klein shouted from the downstairs bedroom near the front of the house. He wasn’t wearing his fancy Plague Doctor outfit. Just a simple surgical mask, next to his wife Emerald, who was wearing a black dress and a similar white mask. Her eyes were bloodshot and she had tears streaming down her face as she held the hand of the rickety old man who was lying on the bed.

 

“Dad, please… Not yet. I’m not ready yet.”

 

“Heh-heh… *Weeze* Emy… It’s… It’s time. Before… I can’t speak anymore. *Cough~!*”

Greenstone’s voice was extremely hoarse, he could barely even cough anymore. Let alone speak.

 

“Klein, it’s important! Let me in!”

 

“Damn it! Screw off for a few hours!”

“Heh-heh-heh~!” The old man’s wrinkled face smiled as he whispered, “Let them… In… I… I want to… See them…”

 

“I don’t want to expose them… Nevermind.” Klein laughed and shook his head, looking over at the little girl who was crying her eyes out next to his wife. She had black hair, brown eyes and pale skin with freckles on her childish face. Even at 12, Ivy still looked extremely young. Everyone grows and matures at a different pace after all.

 

“I’ll be right-”

 

“We’re coming in!” Oliver shouted as he used his spare key to unlock the door. Then entered inside the house, quickly closing the door after Jade walked inside.

 

“Alright, stop yelling and get in here!”

 

Emerald glared at her husband and then turned back to her father, “Dad… Hold on…”

 

“I won’t… Die till it’s done. Heh-heh…”

 

“Grandpa?!” Peridot screamed the moment she entered the room that smelled like disinfectant and death, “No… Why didn’t you tell us sooner?!”

 

“Put on masks.” Klein waved his right hand and white surgical masks appeared directly on the faces of the three kids, “There’s nowhere for you to sit, so just stand behind us. Don’t get too close.”

 

“Grandpa…” Oliver looked at the old man and sighed.

 

“Oliver… Peridot… Orina… I’m glad… I could see you, at the end.” Greenstone’s blurry eyes looked at the three of them and he smiled again, “I want… You to see… How…”

 

He passed out for a few seconds, but quickly woke up again in a daze. He looked around and seemed to remember, “Yes… My last… Lesson. *Weeze~!* Inheritance.”

 

“Yes, Dad. We’re all listening.” Emerald squeezed his decrepit hand a little harder.

 

“Yeah, I always loved your lessons.” Oliver smiled wryly behind the mask and sniffled a bit. Though it was hard to hear over Ivy and Peridot.

 

“You can’t steal… A Cursed Word… You can’t force… The World knows… She knows… Everything.”

 

Greenstone looked at them all for a moment, but eventually his cataract-covered eyes were focused on his daughter’s face. She looked as cute and innocent as when she was just a little girl. More than twenty years ago…

 

“Emerald, my daughter, my only… Blood. I Curse you… For the rest of your life… *Cough~!* Be a Teacher.”

 

“Yes… Dad. I’ll be a Teacher.”

 

The moment her words fell, the faint tattoo on the old man’s left forearm faded and disappeared.

 

“*Cough~! Cough~!* I love-” Greenstone stopped and looked at the glowing green specters floating behind his daughter, “Emy… Sage is waiting for me. I have to…”

 

“Dad…” Emerald choked and coughed, sniffling a few times as she felt her father’s hand stiffening. She looked up and seemed to see her mother’s smiling face for a moment, then it was replaced by the green curtains covering the window.

 

“Go… Be with Mom. I’m sure she missed you a lot. I love you too. Both of you.”

 

“I love you too, Grandpa! Waah~!” Peridot wailed louder and cried harder than anyone else.

 

“I’ll see you again soon, Grandpa.” Oliver looked over at the glowing green ghosts that were practically filling the whole room, “In the mines.”