Necklace

Walking the slim winding path between these dead vines with the snow quietly crushing beneath my feet, all alone, near sunset. I felt like the main character in a horror movie, like everyone was yelling at the screen, telling me not to go further. But when does the main character ever listen? So I walked on, cautious of my surroundings, to not get snagged on the vines. The snow was coming down on me, tumbling playfully in the air, coating all in a thick white blanket.

I made my final turn on this god forsaken bath and stopped. Standing there looking out upon this graveyard. I had a choice, keep going and follow through with her plan, or turn back. But I knew that wasn't an option, everywhere I went I could feel those menacing eyes looming over me. A constant reminder and threat of what was to come.

I took a step.

The snow was much deeper there without the vines as a barrier.

I took another step.

I would have to move a lot faster if I wanted to be out of this cemetery before nightfall. I carefully walked through the graves, taking care not to step on the presumed bodies' heads. I walked until I found her. Isolated from all the others, alone in and out of life. But now was not the time to pity her. She had something I needed. So I grabbed my shovel and dug.

I could feel the others looking at me, in anger or fear, I couldn't tell.

But there were another pair of eyes watching. Not those green ones that watched my every move after the deal, not the other bodies in the surrounding graves. Something else. It felt like it was everywhere.

I had only told one person I was coming here. Samantha.

But I could trust Samantha, my own sister, right?

Now was not the time to dwell, ignoring the multitude of eyes upon me I focused back in on my digging until I hit something hard. Grabbing my phone out of my pocket and turning on the flashlight I stared at the wood.

Finally.

Picking up my shovel I jammed the tip into the seam along the side and weighed all 130lbs of myself onto that handle. Until I heard that-

CRACK!

Opening it the rest of the way I flashed my light onto her cold face. Gazing upon her I could remember her words to me as we made the deal.

"Do as you must Valentina, but remember, if you fail to execute the task at hand it will be your demise. Treat these words as god's Valentina. I trust you won't disappoint me."

After making the deal I told Samantha, she was the one who drove me here, she was waiting for me. Or, at least she should be.

Now wasn't the time I reminded myself, again. I need to stay on task. Samantha said if I keep her in this creepy place past sundown that she was leaving me, and I don't trust Ubers, and walking the highway at night sounds even worse.

I looked at her body again, I saw what I needed. That necklace.

It was layered, a silver hand crafter chain, south sea pearls dropping down along the whole chain; then the prized jewel, the whole reason I was here, a 15 karat cerulean sapphire hanging from the middle. When worn it rested upon the clavicle. It was gorgeous. Careful not to harm the necklace I reached behind her body and gently unclasped it. Reaching into my handbag at my side I retrieved a black velvet lined jewelry box, given to me by her and placed it in there. 

Something felt very wrong. I could feel the other corpses glaring down my back, now I could tell it was in anger. I think I had insulted them somehow.

Now it was time to go. I was too paranoid to bury her back up, I only had a few minutes till sundown, although the sun was still out it was a snowy, cloudy day.

I sprinted back to Samantha, all my years of high school track finally having a positive impact on my life. I made it to her just as the sun and moon traded positions. I jumped in the passenger seat and slammed the door as I went.

"Took you long enough Val, I was about to leave. I still don't understand why you're doing this; you know it's not too late to turn back? If you're too scared I can return it for you. You're not built for this life Val, this world you've integrated yourself into. "

Those words made my blood boil and curdle. She was right, of course she was, when wasn't she. But the way she worded it had me worried. Would she really try to take it from me? She wouldn't do that to me, right?

RIGHT?!?

Oh god, why did I tell her?

Now I have to be much more cautious around her. I glared at her though me preifereal vision and turned away to face her.

I can't let her do this to me.

On the drive home I kept my bag close to my side. The whole drive I felt an extreme sense of paranoia. As if someone followed me out of the graveyard, the other bodies, her eyes, the one from which I stole, or those third other pair, I couldn’t tell.

At home Samantha went into the kitchen to get herself a snack and I rushed upstairs into my room. I couldn’t trust her, what if she tried taking it, I would have to hide it. 

I tore up my room, looking for somewhere secure, somewhere she would never look. 

I placed it behind my textbooks on my shelf, this should be a good spot. Samantha had never looked at my books, she hated reading. This should keep it safe from her; but from now on I would have to be much more cautious. 

I can’t let her do this to me.