My boyfriend is a nine-tailed fox

Chapter 4: A Spark of Curiosity

The classroom was buzzing with the usual hum of chatter and rustling papers as Anita flipped through the dusty old records Mr. Harris had loaned her for her history project. The smell of aged parchment filled the air, and though most of the documents were mundane accounts of trade routes and town meetings, one page caught her attention.

It was a map, crudely drawn and faded with time. Near the edge of the forest, an unfamiliar symbol marked a spot labeled "The Forgotten Temple."

“Forgotten temple?” Anita murmured under her breath, tracing the outline of the map with her finger.

“What’s that, Miss Evans?” Mr. Harris’s sharp voice startled her, and she looked up to see him standing by her desk, his glasses perched precariously on his nose.

“Uh, this map,” she said, holding it up. “What’s this temple about?”

Mr. Harris adjusted his glasses and leaned in, his expression shifting to one of intrigue. “Ah, the abandoned temple. That’s a fascinating piece of local history, though not much is known about it anymore.”

“Why not?” Anita asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Well,” Mr. Harris said, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, “it’s said to be cursed. A place where something ancient and powerful was sealed away long ago. Superstitions, of course, but the town abandoned it centuries ago.”

A ripple of excitement coursed through Anita. Cursed or not, it sounded like exactly the kind of thing her project needed.

“Do you think it’s still standing?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

Mr. Harris gave her a knowing look. “It might be. But I’d be cautious if I were you, Miss Evans. Legends have a way of... lingering.”

As the day wore on, Anita couldn’t stop thinking about the temple. During lunch, she shared what she’d found with Claire and Max.

“A cursed temple?” Max said, his eyes lighting up. “That’s so cool! You have to check it out.”

Claire, on the other hand, frowned. “Or you could not. You know, just a thought. Curses don’t sound like fun.”

“It’s not like I believe in curses,” Anita said, though the idea sent a shiver down her spine. “But it could be great for my project.”

“You’re going, aren’t you?” Claire sighed, already resigned to the idea.

“Just for inspiration,” Anita said with a grin.

That evening, she spread the map out on her bedroom desk, studying it closely. The forest looked vast and unfamiliar, but the temple’s location seemed clear enough.

Her fingers brushed over the symbol marking the temple, and for a split second, a strange warmth spread through her hand. She snatched it back, her heart racing.

“Just my imagination,” she whispered, shaking her head.

But as she stared at the map, the pull she’d felt in the forest during her dream returned, stronger than ever.

By the time she fell asleep, her mind was made up. She would find the temple—and maybe, just maybe, discover something more than inspiration for her project.