The Mountain's Promise

A fortune teller once said that if I married before my older brother, he would spend the rest of his life alone. To save Arlo Pennick from that fate, my parents and my older sister, Lorna Pennick, did everything they could to tear my relationship apart. The night before my engagement party, they even abandoned me in the mountains. Four or five drunk men stumbled by and went out of their way to start trouble, rushing at me with fists and boots. I called home in tears and begged for help, but my parents never picked up. Lorna answered, only to tell me coldly, "Mom and Dad already decided—Arlo is marrying your fiancée now, and she's agreed to it. Arlo is this close to beating that prophecy. Can't you stop thinking about yourself for once? "You can play the victim all you want. I'm not coming to get you!" The line went dead, and I closed my eyes in despair. The next day, Lorna finally came to pick me up. On the drive back, she told me to behave and not make a scene once we got home. She expected me to snap at her, but I only nodded quietly. "Okay." Her expression softened a little. "Once Arlo is married, the prophecy will be broken. When that happens, Mom, Dad, and I will find you a better match." I said nothing. What she did not know was that to escape those drunk men, I had made a promise to the spirit of that mountain. In seven days, I would leave everything behind and bind myself to her as her husband. Chapter 1 Lorna Pennick was not finished. "Don't worry. We're family, so Mom, Dad, and I will always do right by you." I murmured a reply, but I did not believe a word of it. When I was eight years old, a fortune teller said that if I married before my older brother, he would grow old alone. Ever since then, my parents and Lorna had acted like they had lost their minds. They would not let me go out with friends. They took away my phone and deleted every girl from my contacts. In high school, I once asked the girl at the top of our class for help with a single homework problem. The next day, my parents and Lorna stormed into the school and screamed at me in front of the entire class, calling me shameless and saying I was already trying to seduce girls when I was still just a kid. No matter how the yelling went, it always ended with the same line. "We're family. Listen to us, and we'll always do right by you." Yet I had never once seen them do right by me. The car bounced along the mountain road, and I turned to look out the window. The dark outline of Greymantle Mountain sat heavy in the dusk like a giant beast lying in wait. Last night, I had been abandoned deep in that mountain with my phone at one percent battery, surrounded by dense forest and the cries of birds and animals I could not name. The pain from the beating those drunk men gave me still felt lodged deep in my bones. I could not help shivering. Lorna caught it in the rearview mirror and frowned. "You're not happy about this?" I pulled my gaze from the window and said quietly, "No, I'm fine." She studied my calm face for a moment, then softened her tone. "Jude, I know this is hard for you. But the fortune teller said that if you get married first, Arlo will be alone for the rest of his life. You know how scared he is of being alone. He can't even sleep without someone there. He can't handle it. "Once Arlo's wedding is over, I'll find you someone better, I promise. Honestly, Maisie was never good enough for you anyway." I said nothing. The woman who was supposedly not good enough for me was the same one they had handed to my brother on a silver platter. When those men beat me in the mountains, this sister who kept promising to find me someone better had told me over the phone that playing the victim wouldn't work. I had been so desperate that all I could do was cry out into the empty forest. "Help! Somebody, please help me! Anyone!" That was when the voice spoke. Chapter 2 The voice was low, as if it had seeped out from the cracks in the mountain rock. It carried a chill that felt centuries old along with a faint, barely noticeable tenderness. "I can save you, but you must promise me one thing." I did not hesitate for a second. "I'll promise you anything!" "Very well. In seven days, you will leave everything behind and bind yourself to me as my husband." … "We're here." Lorna's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. The car stopped in front of our apartment building, and I looked up at the window of our unit. A warm yellow light glowed inside, and I could faintly hear laughter drifting out. This was my home, yet I knew that light had never been left on for me. The moment I pushed the door open, the laughter inside cut off abruptly, and everyone turned to look at me. My eyes went straight to the band on my brother Arlo Pennick's finger. It was my engagement ring. When Maisie Lindell bought it, she looked at me with so much emotion in her eyes. "Jude, I spent three months picking out this design. There isn't another one like it in the whole world, and it belongs only to you." Now, it was on Arlo's hand. "Look at the state of you." Mom frowned impatiently. "Jude, are you trying to guilt your father and me with this pathetic act? Let me tell you, it won't work!" Dad glanced up at me, then went back to his newspaper without a flicker of interest. No one asked whether I was hurt. No one cared whether I had been given a scare. Ever since the fortune teller made that prophecy, the only person they cared about was Arlo. All I ever got from them was endless warnings and constant watching. At one point, they had pushed me so far that I was afraid of running into girls at all, and even meeting a girl's eyes felt like a sin. In school, whenever a girl said hello, I kept my head down and took the long way around her. After I started working, whenever a female coworker came to talk about a project, I stared at my desk the entire time and never dared to look up. Then Maisie came along. She was a friend of one of my coworkers, and we met at a get-together. She was different from other women. She did not think I was boring because I hardly talked, and she did not think I was being dramatic because I avoided physical contact. She pursued me for an entire year. I told her about the prophecy. I told her I could not get married first, and that if she chose me, she might have to wait a long time. She took my hand and said gently, "That's okay. I can wait. Once your brother gets married, we'll get married too. I just need to lock you down first, or I'm afraid someone else will steal you away." In my 20-some years of life, that was the first time anyone had chosen me so firmly. I thought I had finally found someone who would never give up on me. That was why, on the night I was abandoned in the mountains, the first person I called was not my parents or Lorna. It was Maisie. When the call connected, her voice sounded strained. "I'm sorry, Jude. I promised your parents I'd get engaged to Arlo." I could not believe what I was hearing. "What about me? Did you even think about what would happen to me? Maisie, they left me out in the mountains. Just come get me first, and then we can talk about—" "Jude," Maisie cut in. "Can you stop being so selfish for once? Arlo is your own brother. Do you really have to come back right now and ruin the engagement?" She hung up. Then, while four or five drunk men were kicking and punching me, she happily got engaged to Arlo. I went back to my room and opened the engagement photos Arlo had posted on Instagram. It was a carefully arranged set of nine pictures. The invitations and the engagement announcement all had Arlo's name printed on them. There was no way any of that could have been swapped at the last minute. My parents must have decided from the very beginning to have Arlo replace me as the groom. Chapter 3 Maisie had also assumed all along that the person she was getting engaged to would be Arlo. Clenching my jaw, I threw every gift Maisie had given me over our three years together into the trash, from the clothes to the stuffed animals to the cologne. Mom walked in, ignored my red-rimmed eyes, and took Grandma's pearl necklace from my drawer. I stood up to stop her. "That's mine! Grandma left it to me!" "Yours, his, what's the difference?" Mom frowned. "Arlo needs it for the wedding. He's your own brother. Family doesn't keep track of what belongs to who." Family did not keep track. I almost laughed. Whenever Arlo used my things, nobody kept track of anything. Yet whenever I touched anything of his, even something as small as a pen, I got a finger jabbed in my face and an earful. In the end, it only ever meant everyone helping Arlo take what was mine, until nothing in this house truly belonged to me. Even this room was not safe. They wanted to take it for him too. Mom had barely left when Dad came in. He looked around my room and frowned. "Your room gets good light, and it's big. Arlo needs space to get ready for the wedding, so give him your room and move into the guest room." I looked at him. "Dad, this is my room." "Your room?" Dad said impatiently. "Is there a single thing in this house I didn't pay for? You'll sleep wherever I tell you to. Arlo's wedding is a big deal. Can't you give him a little leeway?" "I've been giving him leeway for over 20 years," I said. Dad froze for a moment, and then his face darkened. "Jude, what's with that attitude? I ask you to move rooms, and you start keeping score with me? I raised you, and this is how you talk to me?" I did not argue any further. Arguing was useless. In this house, Arlo was always right. I started packing my things. At some point, Lorna had appeared in the doorway. She came in and picked up a box. "Let me help." "Lorna, do you think this family would be better off without me?" I asked suddenly. She paused. After a long moment, she frowned at me. "Don't talk nonsense. If Arlo hears you say things like that, he'll take it to heart. "Don't put him in a bad mood." Arlo again. It seemed like everything about me had to step aside for Arlo. I curled up on the bed in the guest room and hugged my knees. It was fine. In six more days, I would be bound to the spirit of that mountain as her husband. When that day came, I would give up my family and the woman I loved. With that thought in mind, I fell into a deep sleep. For the next few days, the house was as hectic as a war zone. People from the wedding planning company came and went, along with wave after wave of photographers and florists. My old room was turned into a temporary dressing room, its floor covered in sample suits and decorations. Every day, Arlo stood in front of the mirror in a different suit, turning this way and that. Mom fussed over his collar beside him, Dad snapped pictures on his phone, and Lorna coordinated everything else. They were one big happy family. Meanwhile, I had been put in the dark, damp guest room, and my only job each day was to stay out of the way. The housekeeper who brought my meals looked at me with sympathy, yet she did not dare say a word. On the third night, I realized I could no longer taste anything. I chewed the pot roast on my plate for a long time, but all I could make out was a vague greasiness. I could not tell salty from sweet, savory, or spicy. I set down my fork. I understood then that "leave everything behind" did not only mean leaving my family behind. It meant everything that made me human. On the fourth day, my hearing began to fade. My family's voices sounded muffled, as if they were coming through a thick layer of water. Unless I listened carefully, I could not make out what they were saying at all. On the fifth day, I stood on the balcony with the sunlight falling on me, yet I could not feel any of its warmth. Chapter 4 The face in the mirror grew paler by the day as everything that made me human slowly slipped away. Not one person noticed. My parents and Lorna were too busy helping Arlo prepare for the wedding, picking flavors for the wedding cake and confirming the guest list. None of them noticed that their son, their younger brother, was slowly becoming something other than human. That afternoon, Maisie came over. To my surprise, she had come to see me. After giving Arlo a kiss, she walked into the guest room and hesitated. "Jude, could you put up a post saying you ran off on the day of the engagement party? Say Arlo stepped up and got engaged to me in your place to save face for both our families. "I know it's not fair to you, but a lot of people have been talking about Arlo lately and—" "Fine," I cut her off and posted exactly what she wanted. None of it mattered anymore. Maisie seemed stunned by how easily I gave in. "Jude..." I pointed at the door, signaling for her to leave. She left, glancing back at me every other step. After I closed the door, I sat on the edge of the bed and found, strangely, that I did not feel sad at all. On the sixth day, I went to a suit shop. I did not know the mountain spirit's name or what she looked like, yet this would probably be the only wedding I ever had. I did not want to treat it like an afterthought. The sales associate was eager to help and recommended several styles. I changed into a suit and stood in front of the mirror. The man in the reflection wore a white suit. His face was pale, and his eyes were hollow, yet he looked surprisingly good. I had just paid when the shop door suddenly swung open. It was Arlo, of all people, with Mom and Lorna right behind him. All three of them froze when they saw me holding the suit. Then Mom's expression darkened. "Jude, what are you doing here?" "I came to try on a suit," I answered calmly. "A suit?" Mom's voice turned shrill. "What do you need a suit for? You're not getting married! Are you trying to steal Arlo's wedding?" Lorna jumped in right away. "Jude, do you have any idea how humiliating that would be?" When they helped Arlo steal my fiancée, they had not seen anything humiliating about it. Now that they thought I was going to crash the wedding, they suddenly had plenty to say about manners and morals. I smiled. "I just wanted to pick out a suit for my own wedding ahead of time. "You're giving me too much credit, though. Is the entire Pennick family really that worried about one guy?" Mom had nothing to say to that. At some point, Dad had shown up too. His face was dark with anger. "Jude, I suggest you behave yourself. "If you dare make trouble at Arlo's wedding, don't blame me when I have security throw you out!" He made the threat without the slightest regard for my dignity. It was just like back in high school, when they had called me a shameless flirt in front of my whole class without caring how I was supposed to face my classmates afterward. That was when Arlo spoke up. He tugged on Dad's arm, his voice gentle. "Dad, don't be mad. Jude's probably just curious and wanted to try on a suit." He turned to me with a warm smile. "Jude, don't fight with Mom and Dad. Mom's right. You're not getting married right now, so you don't need a suit. Why don't you let me have this one? I really like the design, and I'd love to wear it for our wedding photo shoot tomorrow." "No," I said without hesitation. The smile on Arlo's face froze. Mom glared at me. "It's just a suit. Your brother likes it, so what's the big deal about letting him have it?" "She's right." Lorna frowned. "Jude, don't be so petty. Let Arlo wear it for now. When you get married someday, I'll buy you ten suits." Chapter 5 It was always 'someday' with them. I looked at them one by one. Every single one of them was helping Arlo take what was mine. I had bought this suit with my own money. It was meant to be the most dignified way I could say goodbye to my life as a human being, and they wanted to take even that. Seeing that I had no intention of backing down, my parents and Lorna grew grimmer by the second. Arlo quickly stepped in. "Mom, Dad, Lorna, don't you still need to go talk to the photographer? Go ahead. I'll have a word with Jude alone." Mom did not look convinced. "But what if he..." Arlo smiled. "It's fine. We're brothers, so it'll be easier for us to talk." They hesitated for a moment but eventually left. It was just Arlo and me now. The smile slowly faded from his face, and I suddenly had a very bad feeling. Sure enough, Arlo stepped up to me and pulled out his phone. He opened a video and held it up in front of my face. It was footage from that night in the mountains. Four or five drunk men had me pinned to the ground, my shirt ripped apart in the struggle, as I cried out for help. The blood in my veins went cold. "You sent those men?" Arlo smiled, and there was something vicious in it. "Who else? You really think a bunch of drunks just happened to wander that deep into the woods?" My voice shook. "Why?" "What do you think? Jude, do you have any idea how much I hate you? From the day you were born, Mom and Dad gave you all the attention that should have been mine. No matter how much I cried or threw tantrums, they would never put you down and comfort me. "I didn't have a choice. I had to fight for it myself. "Mom and Dad's love, Lorna's love, even your fiancée—everything you had, all of it should've been mine! And you? You deserved to be ruined! Don't even think about telling anyone, Jude. Not unless you want that video of you getting beaten up all over the internet." Arlo's face was twisted into a cold sneer. When he was done, he snatched the suit out of my hands and strode off without a backward glance. I stood frozen in place and watched him go, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. This was my brother. My own flesh and blood. The sales associate came over, looking concerned. "Sir, are you okay?" I shook my head. "Could I get a copy of your security footage?" As soon as I had the footage, I went straight to the police station and filed a report. What I never expected was that my parents would pressure me to withdraw my complaint that same night. "You're filing a police report just because your brother took one of your suits? Jude, do you even know what family means?" "Just because of a suit? Mom, Dad, did you even watch the footage? Do you know what Arlo did?" Dad's face was full of impatience. "I don't need to know. "All I know is that Arlo is about to get married, and that prophecy is about to be broken. Nobody is getting in Arlo's way!" It felt as if a hand had clamped down hard around my heart. For a moment, I could barely breathe. I clenched my jaw and told myself to let it go. None of it mattered anymore. "Whatever you say." I was leaving soon anyway, so I would not be standing in the way of their precious son much longer. Under my parents' irritated stares, I went back to the guest room. That night, Lorna came by. She sighed. "Did you get into another fight with Mom and Dad? "Jude, I've told you so many times. The most important thing right now is Arlo's prophecy. "Stop making a scene." "Okay." I nodded. "I won't make a scene ever again." Watching how quietly I gave in, Lorna looked uneasy, though she did not seem to know why. "That's not what I meant—" Chapter 6 Before Lorna could finish, I opened the door and asked her to leave. She pinched the bridge of her nose and had no choice but to get up and head out. As she brushed past me, her hand touched my arm. She froze. "Jude, why are you so cold? Are you not feeling well?" She grabbed my hand and held on tight. For a moment, I thought she actually cared about me. Before I could say anything, Arlo called. "Lorna, where are you? Something's wrong with my suit. Can you come take a look?" Lorna let go of my hand and spoke into the phone. "Coming! I'll be right there." Without another glance at me, she hurried off. The moment the door closed, every last bit of color drained from my face. On the seventh day, Mom, Dad, and Lorna all went with Arlo to his wedding photo shoot. I listened to them leave in high spirits. Then I changed into my best clothes and walked out the door too. I hailed a cab and gave the driver the address. "The old shrine on Greymantle Mountain." The driver glanced at me. "Kid, that place is in the middle of nowhere. What are you going out there by yourself for?" "To get married," I said. The driver paused, probably thinking I was joking. He chuckled and pulled away from the curb. The car headed out of town. The city skyline faded behind us, and the outline of Greymantle Mountain grew closer and closer. I looked out the window and felt strangely calm. … Lorna watched Mom, Dad, and Arlo throw themselves into the photo shoot, yet a sense of unease kept creeping over her. She did not understand it. Her favorite brother was about to break the prophecy, and I had finally stopped making a fuss. Everything was going smoothly. Yet her mind kept drifting back to the last look she had given me before she left the guest room. I used to be so full of life. Somewhere along the way, my face had gone completely numb, as if nothing could ever make me happy again. Lorna's chest tightened. I was her brother too, yet I had been forced to give way again and again because of that prophecy. I had been shortchanged more times than she could count. For the first time, Lorna wanted to make it up to me. When she heard Mom, Dad, and Arlo talking about taking a family portrait while they were at it, she let out a quiet breath and called the housekeeper. "I'll send you an address. Tell Jude to come down here." The housekeeper agreed. After hanging up, Lorna went to the coffee shop across the street. She remembered that I seemed to like the pretzels there. She was paying for them when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Lorna turned around and found her good friend Sabine Rutherford standing behind her. Sabine was a police officer, and she was also the woman Lorna had always meant to introduce to me. When Lorna said she would find me a better match, she had not been joking. Before Lorna could say hello, her phone rang. The housekeeper sounded terrified. "Jude left the house! I asked around, and people said he was headed for Greymantle Mountain!" Before Lorna even had time to panic, Sabine frowned. "Greymantle Mountain is bad news. Yesterday, a few men came into the station to turn themselves in. They said they beat up some young guy out there a few nights ago." Lorna suddenly found it hard to breathe. "A few nights ago? When exactly?" "Let me think. Oh, right. It was the night before your brother Arlo's engagement party." Lorna's phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor with a sharp crack.