The Gem Inheritence

The rain began to pound on the windows of the classroom. The tap-tap of pencils on wooden desks echoed and bounced off the stone walls. Although the test was in progression hushes and whispers still could be heard. The faint crease between Mr Cruzers eyebrows suggested he was not impressed with the behaviour of his students. I look up, hiding behind my cascading brown hair. The clock was ticking, and my nerves began to rise with every minute passing.

Anything… If there is any time to interrupt this would be the moment.

Minutes passed uneventfully unless you count the rising tempo of my classmates' breathing and heartbeats. Until, as if someone heard my plea for help, for an interruption to this dreaded test, the classroom door swung open. Miss Cold weather, our plump kind office lady stumbled into the classroom, eyes watering and frantic as if searching for someone.

Please let it be me, please take me from this awful place.

As if on command her eyes found mine, her face was almost unreadable, a mixture of emotions that even I could not identify them all… sadness, confusion even loss was shown on her kind face amongst others.

“Miss Greenwell, may I speak to you in private,” I stood up with an audible sigh, mostly of relief, as I was led out of the classroom a soft hand upon my shoulder as the wooden doors close behind me.

“Miss Greenwell, I am very sorry to tell you this child, but your uncle has passed away.” A mixture of emotions passed through my dazed mind as I silently fell to my knees, Arthur was my only remaining Uncle, he was present throughout my toddler stage, telling me stories of his courageous adventures and heroic saves.

Until one year he stopped visiting, I was forbidden to speak or ask about him to any of my relatives. The only information I ever received about my dear Uncle Arthur was that he was terribly sick and needed immediate attention, which was hard to believe as my Uncle was never sick, he never had any pains or coughs, but I dismissed the shiver crawling up my spine.

Memories began to flood in, memories of his grand house and staircase that I so frequently used to slide down in my younger years, memories of his smiling face and golden eyes. My heartbeat stalled for a second and my head started to hurt, what could have happened to dear Uncle Arthur?

When I came home, I was immediately embraced but my tearful mother, my father was obviously in distant thought and I only received a slight pat on my shoulder from him. I hurried into my room, searching for old letters and photos of Uncle Arthur. Those may clear my foggy mind and bring some memories that could suggest he was sick or injured, but I found none.

An almost hurry spread over me, my searching became hurried and careless. They were gone… all memories, photos, letters everything gone.

I slowly walked downstairs trying not to disturb whispering parents, I stood behind the wall entering our living room.

What on earth could they be whispering about?

“They found him, Evie! We warned him and yet he did nothing!” Anger coating my dad’s hushed rants.

“It was his choice Trent, he kept it to himself and now it belongs to no one. Do you not see… its free for the taking!” Mum was now facing dad, a greedy tint to her already crazy eyes.

Now I greeted my shiver… I embraced it and let it spread throughout my whole body. I couldn’t wait, my curiosity was now overwhelming me. I had to find out this mystery item that my parents are so obsessive of.

“Mum… I’m s-sorry if I was eavesdropping but I just wanted to ask, what are you looking for? What did Uncle Arthur have that you all wanted?” Mother crossed the room; dad slowly lowered his head into his hands.

“You weren’t meant to be here Avery… but since you are we might as well tell you,” Mum looked at dad for confirmation, he slowly nodded his head not leaving his hands.

“Uncle Arthur possessed a great fortune as you might know, and among that fortune, he has a very special, gem of some sort. Now this gem has been passed down in our family for centuries but there’s a twist,” Her eyes seemed to grow a shade darker as she began to dive deeper into her story

“what’s the twist,”

“To receive the gem, you must murder the owner.” A feral smile spread over the features of my two loving parents and it seemed to transform them into monsters.

Slowly I began to walk backwards somehow managing to hit over a glass. A hand covered my mouth to stop me from screaming. Everything came to me… Uncle Arthur wasn’t sick; he was in hiding. He didn’t die of natural causes, he died because someone murdered him. Someone I love and thought was good.

They lied to me… all of them.

“How could you, how could they,” I barely managed to whisper. A tear slowly slid down my cheek, as a collapsed on the couch.

My family were murderers, and I didn’t know. My family were willing to kill each other for a priceless gem. How could I live with them, love them, or even look at them?

“If it makes you feel any better love, we didn’t kill him” my father was finally standing up and aside from the recent triumph and vacancy of something they have longed for he still looked sad and had a lingering tired feeling around him.

“How can you say that! He was your brother and yet you did nothing. You knew he was going to die and yet you did nothing just to get a stupid gem!” I had jumped to my feet now, causing the slight shift of feet from both my parents, anger had taken over me… controlled me.

“That gem is worth more than you can even comprehend! Now get your act together we are paying a visit to poor old Uncle Arthurs house” My mum had left the room that instant to get the car ready, my dad stayed in eye contact with me daring me to stop them as if I could do anything against to maniacs.

What has this family become… we kill for something as useless as a gem. We murder our loved ones for something we think is priceless.

My father had grabbed my arm and was dragging me to the car. There was no way I was stopping him or my family, they were too determined. I could run, they would always find me.

I mean snitches get stitches, right?

The car engine had startled me out of my thoughts, the almost silent whispering of my parents plotting a scheming did nothing to settle the brimming fear.

I couldn’t help the aching of my body, my mind felt tired and I couldn’t help but give in to the tugging of sleep.

I awoke alone in the car, snow falling on the car screen. As I slowly gained consciousness and took in my surrounding everything began to fall apart again. Not only were we at my uncle’s house but there were multiple cars in front of it… all belonging to my family.

I slowly opened the door of the grand house and stepped in. I could hear the yells and complaints of my family in the main living room. I knew what I needed to do before I entered the house. While they are busy bickering, I’m going to steal this gem.

I looked and looked, this wasn’t like a school test where the worst thing that can happen is you getting an F, no way. The worst thing that can happen when you’re in a house with murders… you die.

As a precaution I called the police, they were going to be here any minute, and in that time, I needed to find the gem and disappear. Easy peasy!

Now looking back on my careless looking I see where I went wrong. You see just a few minutes into looking not only had I found the priceless gem but my Auntie as well.

The gem was in her hand, she had a foot out the window.

I must do something before anyone else gets killed.

I grabbed a nearby sword from a mantle nearby, and with its protector still on I swung it straight at my Aunts head. Sadly, I missed, she jumped out of the way and onto the ground. A sort of protectiveness or trance was on her as she looked completely mental.

She sung hit after hit at me, me being untrained barely missed them until she disarmed me. I looked around dazed to where she had thrown my sword until I felt immense pressure and pain on the side of my stomach. I slowly put my hand there and it came away sticky.

I was falling… that’s all I remember. I had lost everything and to be quite honest I didn’t mind the thought of dying doing something valiant. The last thing I remember is the police sirens and the horrifying screams of my family as they lost the one thing that mattered to them. The priceless family gem.

When I awoke, I was surrounded by child protective services and police. I was finally safe... The horrifying dream was over.