The Good Luck Charm

My heart was pounding as I ran across the rocky park pathway. Managing a quick look behind me I saw I’d lost him, for now. Unable to believe my luck I kept my pace up for a few more minutes before kneeling over and gasping for air. My side was aching and I realized I couldn’t carry on like this for much longer.

After climbing back up the university stairs and making it back to my dorm I only felt marginally safer when the lock clicked into place. It’s hard to run from your own ghosts I thought.

Trying to wrap my brain around what just happened I heard a loud noise from outside. I opened my curtain windows to find my sister Colby getting out of her car. That’s odd, I think, she’s supposed to be at home, ten thousand miles from here.

I quickly hide the treasure from my pocket and try to make myself look presentable before Colby knocks on the door. I put a big smile on my face just before I opened the door to greet her but when I opened the door it wasn’t Colby, it was him.

My eyes shot wide open and with no time to make a move I stepped back from the door as he made his way in. He took his time looking around my room taking in every detail like he was recording it to his memory. But his hesitation was my opportunity. I made a run for the door before he could register what was happening I was halfway down the hall.

I turned the corner but didn’t make it any farther as I smashed into the guy from floor D that I’d been flirting with yesterday. We tumbled over each other and he landed on top of me with our eyes meeting face to face. The moment passed quickly as I got to my feet and gave him an apologetic smile before darting off to the staircase. I wonder what my boyfriend would think of that.

My love life will have to wait if I want to live to see another day I think as I start descending the stairs 2 at a time.

It seems like a lifetime ago that I found that necklace in the park. I thought it was going to be my good luck charm but all it’s brought me is nightmare after nightmare. But how could I get rid of it now if he wants to get it back so badly?

I can only hope that I hid it good enough and that he won’t find it. For now, I need to hide myself before he decides to start hunting me down again.

At the bottom of the stairwell, I head toward the only place that can keep me safe, class. I slow my pace to match the other students so I don’t look out of place. The more people around the better I think.

I walk into Psychology 101 just as the lecture begins. My heart rate has calmed and although I look like I’m listening to the professor I’m actually wondering what my next move is going to be. I can’t keep running like this I think. I’ll have to make a stand.

Just then the fire sprinklers go off and everyone in the hall is getting soaked running from the room as fast as they can and that’s when I see him. Waiting for me to run out the back door of the hall. But I’ve decided, I’m not running anymore.

I gather my courage and stand up. Slowly I start walking toward him ready to demand he stops following me. I get halfway when the fire alarms are silenced and look up to see the water sprinklers being turned off. I look back to where he was and he’s gone. I stop dead in my tracks and slowly look around the room. What is he playing at?

With no sign of him in the hall I turn around and head for the door. My friend Amber is waiting for me there but somehow she’s managed to stay dry through all the chaos. She pulls me into the sway of the crowd heading toward their next classes. With a knowing grin, she pulls something out of her pocket. I can’t quite see what it is but then the sun hits the golden gem and I can see it’s the necklace I’ve been hiding for weeks now.

When I look up at Amber it’s not her anymore, it’s him. With the rushing crowd around me, I can’t move away. I can’t stop. I’m being pushed alongside him as he cocks his head to the right and smiles a vile smile before disappearing into thin air.

The crowd continues to push me as I’m left jaw wide open staring at the spot he was standing in only a few seconds ago. More confused than I have ever been I manage to scramble free from the drift of the crowd and find a park bench to sit on.

I feel like I’m gasping for air. Something is making it hard for me to breathe. I pull myself together and take a few deep breaths. As my mind calms I start to feel a heavy loss around my neck. Although I only ever wore the necklace for a few days it feels like a weight I hadn’t known was just lifted from my shoulders.

Absentmindedly I reach for my neck to feel the warm golden gem but I’m met with nothing of the sort. Perhaps I’m better off without it I think.

Just then my sister, Colby, sits down on the bench next to me. I knew I saw her earlier. She puts her hand on my thigh in comfort like she knows I’ve lost something dear to my heart. But how could she know?

I start to ask her what she’s doing here but before the words can leave my lips she’s digging in her bag with one hand and the other holding a finger up asking me to wait. She pulls a small box with a cute pink ribbon tied around it from her bag.

She remembered my birthday.

She puts the box in my lap and I slowly open it removing the ribbon before gently taking the wrapping paper off. I’m pulling the lid off and about to thank her for thinking of me when the gold light reflects off the sun from inside the box and nearly blinds me.

I get a better look and see my sister has gifted me the golden necklace that was just stolen from me.

With a trembling hand, I pull the necklace out and hold it up to the light. I look over at my sister to find him sitting next to me now. I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes out.

And then I wake up.

My eyes wide, sitting straight up, sweating like I just ran for my life I realize… It was all just a dream.

As I try to forget the nightmare of being chased my eyes quickly scan the room for any dark shadows I don’t recognize. Thanking the Gods there aren’t any I lay my head back down on the pillow.

Too panicked to close my eyes I rub my hand across my boyfriend’s arm silently asking him to wake. He rolls over and asks if everything is okay. I tell him I just had a nightmare and I need a cuddle.

He leans over the other side of the bed and says he can do one better. He hands me a small box wrapped in pink ribbon and tells me it’s an early birthday gift.

This time when I open my mouth to scream everyone in the building hears it.