He blinks in shock at that; an allowance to let go is not what he had been expecting. “What?” His voice shakes with just that one word, confusion swirling in his voice and across his face. None of it makes sense with the patterns he’s known his entire life.

“I- I don’t know,” he repeats, shaking his head. “It happened ever since I woke up yesterday. It’s just- it’s heavy, and it’s...” he lets out a slow, shuddering breath. “thick. Final. It-” he chokes on a sob. “It feels like death, sticking to the inside of my head.”

A thought occurs to him suddenly and it’s the burst of that earlier panic finally pushing its way up, up, and out, words rapid-fire.

“What- what if it’s a curse? What if I’m cursed? I’m- I’m gonna die, this thing is gonna kill me.” He whimpers softly, shrinking closer to his knees.