The Necklace - 1. The Necklace

We sat under a tree, letting the warm sun caress our faces. Fall was in full swing and this would be one of the last warm days of the year. I picked up a fallen leaf from the cool green grass and turned to her.

"This was the best day of my life" I said, as I brushed the long hair from her face. "Close your eyes and make a wish." I closed my eyes as well, my mind flooding with thoughts; this day, her smile and the happiness we had shared.

I opened my eyes just in time to see her blow on the leaf, letting the wind carry it away. We sat and watched as it danced and softly kissed the river. The leaf ricocheted through the rocks, down the river bend and out of sight.

She turned to me and smiled. As our eyes met, I realized the time was right. I reached into my pocket, feeling the silver pooled in my palm, and pulled out a long chain which held a large, egg-shaped opal. Around the opal were finger-like extensions. The gem was white with brilliant pieces of pink, blue and green flakes speckled through it.

Nervously, I fumbled with the clasp. She lifted her hair so that I could place it around her neck. Her hand was drawn to the gem and she held tight. Driven by its energy, she sought me out with her free hand, drawing me closer and placing my own hand around the gem. Together we fell under the influence of the ancient stone.

Suddenly, the chirping crickets and scampering footsteps of nearby trick-or-treaters became distorted. The full moon’s silhouette on the serene river started to fade, then all was black.

The ground started to shake and everything began to spin. We held each other tightly, letting the stones vibrations pulse through us. We were lifted into the air, popping sounds swirling around us. We floated higher and higher - my mind unable to truly understand what was happening.

Our ascent finally ended as we found ourselves facing a great corridor, a glorious white light streaming towards us. What ever force brought us here also compelled us forward.

I reached out to touch the walls, but what I felt surprised me. The walls were made of a cool and glassy stone, like quartz. I drew my hand back as the solid wall suddenly transformed into a jelly-like substance.

The further I walked with her down the hall, the stranger things became. I heard sounds coming from ahead of us, but I couldn't make out the language. It was almost as if a swarm of bees were trying to sing a love song.

With the churning in my stomach subsiding, I was aware the fear had left me and now was replaced with what almost felt like familiarity. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had been there before, or the fact that I knew what was down the hall.

As the buzzing sound grew louder the corridor abruptly ended, leaving only a wall between us and the source that brought us here. I turned to her in confusion but only found understanding in her eyes. With hands still clasped, she led me through the wall.

I could see the amazement on her face as it must have been on my own. As if we stepped out of reality and into a memory, we ended up on the back of an old truck. The truck was a rusty light blue and was driven by a fair haired lady who didn’t speak. She drove us to the edge of a clearing and stopped, her left hand making a sweeping movement to indicate the ride was over. Our feet barely hit the ground as we heard her pull away, not waiting for our gratitude.

We stood in awe, cautiously searching for signs of life. We ventured forward across the sunburned grass. Distracted, she ran into the back of me as I made a sudden stop. She placed her hands on my shoulders and raised up to see what had caused my hesitation. An old house stood before us – a house both familiar and welcoming.

The house was fronted with a huge iron gate that bore a lion’s head, silently roaring to warn those who venture near. On closer inspection I could see a name plate, covered in dust and grime. I spit on my hand and rubbed it vigorously over the plate, anxious to learn who the owner was. Nature had taken its toll, the name was unreadable.

She opened the gate and led me down the cobblestone walkway. We came upon a glossy black headstone. I stopped to read the names on it. Williams was in the left hand corner and Donahue was in the upper right. The lower left and lower right sections were blank, which made me wonder what other names belonged on there.

We continued onward. The house was grey in color and the paint was chipping off. Cobwebs were covering most of the windows and the bushes surrounding the place were over grown.

Using the sleeve of my shirt, I wiped the dirt from the nearest window. I could see tattered paper hanging from the walls, a broken mirror leaned sideways. There were cobwebs and dust everywhere, the furniture was covered in stained white sheets.

We walked over to the front door. I reached for the handle and was surprised when it turned. The rusted hinges chattered as we swung it open, the smell of stale cigars enveloped us as we stepped inside. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. She placed her hand on my shoulder and looked into my eyes. I knew exactly what she was thinking and followed her to the living room.

Coughing a bit from the dust we raised as we walked by, we made our way through an obstacle course of boxes to the stairs. I grabbed her hand and took the first step onto the rundown stairway. Instantly, I felt dizzy. With each creaking step we took, my head spun faster and faster, I felt as if I was going to pass out. She was drawn forward, pulling me along at a faster pace. At the top of the stairs, she leaned me against the rail and quickly ran for a chair.

Once my head was clear, I was able to thank her and told her I wanted to proceed. I rose from the chair and took a few steps into the hallway. I reached out and pulled an unseen cord, a bare bulb casting a pendulous light across the landing. The shadows swayed side to side, waxing and waning as the bulb found its center. Once all was still, we started our exploration in the room where she had found the chair.

It was a child’s’ room. Under the years of dust were toy cars, a fire truck, a shelf loaded with books and an old crib stood half shrouded in one corner. I walked over to the crib and pulled the covering free. A child’s toy began to play Beethoven’s Fur Elise - the music bringing on a vision and I could see a small boy lying in the crib, reaching up for me and smiling. It brought a tear to my eye and I turned to her to ask if she could see it too. I wiped my cheek, noticing she had wandered over to the bookshelf and was reaching for a small box on the end. When I got over to her, I could see that under the layers of grime, the box was a brownish color, gold braid tracing a Celtic design on its top and outlining a keyhole on its front. She tried to open the box, and upon failing turned to me expectantly. I smiled and reached for the key hidden underneath. I'm not sure how I knew it was there, but none the less, I knew. I pried the key loose and handed them back to her.

She placed the key into the hole and popped open the lid. The box was lined with red velvet, a depression at its center to protect a missing treasure. She immediately touched the necklace and looked at me questioningly.

In a flash, it all came back to me; the stormy dark night, the slippery road, the pale young girl on the side of the road with the long black hair and empty look in her eyes numbly wandering, me swerving out of her way and the sound of my car crashing into thetree.

I watched her lay the box down on the bookshelf, remove the necklace, fill the empty void, and carefully close the lid. Two men entered the room and introduced themselves – Mr. Williams and Mr. Donahue.

They told us that the legend of necklace was a tragic one. A young girl named Sarah received the necklace as a gift from her husband Jacob – her one true love. Upon finding out that he had been unfaithful, she picked up their infant son and wandered out into the road, killing them both.Every ten years, on Halloween, she comes back to that place in hopes that her true love will come to his senses and stop her from making that tragic mistake.

On the anniversary, Sarah’s older sister, Genevieve, waits by the tree to receive the necklace, and soul of Jacobs’ kin who carry it. After placing the necklace on Genevieve, they are carried away, as if in a dream, to this house where their souls will lay to rest.

I was beginning to understand, but had no idea what was expected of me. I knew I had felt sadness greater than any I had felt before. I turned to Genevieve and with a sorrowful look in my eye, let the men lead me away.

She stood at the window and watched them lead me back up the path, stopping again at the headstone. Now however, there were three names carved into the stone - Williams, Donahue and Davidson – my own. I turned toward the upper window of the house. There I saw Genevieve, standing along side Sarah, holding a baby boy in her arms and smiling. I knew this was my fate and I resentfully let my soul release into the wind.

The End

© 2006 eternity2rock

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