Young Writers Society

“Kimmy!” I heard Mariene’s soft voice. Muffled and panicked.

“Mariene!” I screamed. I was sticky and wet. There were bodies all around me, I hardly cared. Mariene was nowhere to be seen. I then looked down at my hands. I was holding a knife, a beautiful, golden thing studded with rubies. But it was stained. The knife was covered in smooth, crimson blood.

I screamed, sitting up straight in my bed. My shirt askew and hair in a knotted mess. I rubbed my eyes and stood up. I felt the necklace and rubbed the stone.

“Ah!” I let go immediately. The stone was white-hot. “Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow.” The necklace was burning my neck. I ran to the bathroom, turning on the faucet, I held my necklace under the stream of water.

I looked at the amber stone. It seemed to be glittering in sunlight. But, the sun wasn't out yet. I took the necklace out of the stream and found it was no longer burning, but it was… glowing. I stared in awe as the glow pulsed to darkness.

“Kim.” My father stood in the doorway. “You're up early.”

“Yeah. I had… I had a crazy dream.” I rubbed my head.

“Huh, you usually say you don't remember them.” My father shrugged. “I'm leaving in fifteen minutes. If you want to come with me.”

He left, leaving me at a loss for words. He was right. I had never been able to remember the nightmares before… before… I brought the necklace in front of my face and whimpered. This was the last thing I needed. I splashed some water on my face, took a deep breath and robotically got dressed for a work day.

The necklace couldn't be causing these dreams. No, just a coincidence. Then why did it glow? It doesn't matter. I brushed my hair and pinned it back, trying to muffle my own thoughts.

“C’mon Kim!” My father called. “You might also want to put on an extra layer, it snowing!” I put on the fleece jacket meant for winter mornings and hurriedly met my father at the doorway.

“D’you have any new information on what the princess wants for her crown?” My father closed the door and we began crunching through the snow.

“Just that she likes nothing we designed. I have no idea what she wants.” My breath looked like smoke in the crisp air.

“That's a problem. I was going to make prototypes today.” My father rubbed his temples.

“We could make new designs… experiment. Give her a wider variety to choose from. There's got to be one idea she’ll like.” My brain began to picture new designs I could draw out.

“So… I spoke to Arron last night.” My father said guiltily.

I sighed. “What did he say to you?”

“He first begged me for your hand in marriage. He got down on his knees and everything.” My father chuckled. “I told him no, never. But-”

“But what?” I stopped walking and looked at my father right in the eye.

“But… he looked so sad about it that I said if you hadn't found another to marry you by your eighteenth birthday, he could have you.” I stood, slack-jawed at my father.

“How could you do that?” I gasped.

“You would be lonely for the rest of your life if you never married. And that boy would be too. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for Arron. You two used to be good friends.” My father took on his 'parental tone’ as he spoke. Making it clear that what he did was his view of correct.

I groaned and continued walking. “Chances are I'll be dead by then anyway.”

“Kim… don't say that. We’ll figure this out.” My father rushed to my side. “I'm sure that-” he was cut off by the sound of metal crashing. We both turned, terrified and saw the ruins nearly filled with people… no, not people. Para-humans. I could tell by the way that some lifted up impossibly sized chunks of ancient helicraft.

“What in the lands?” My father stuttered. “Th-they're… real!” We stood, mesmerized. I felt my necklace begin to vibrate against my chest. It started to feel hot again as it slowly slipped out of my shirt. The stone began to glow blindingly.

There were distant shouts as some of the para-humans spotted my necklace.

“Let's go! We've been spotted by the guards!”

“Wait, no. Those are just civilians!”

“Is that… a necklace?”

“It can't be!”

There were many confused shouts, I could feel my father pulling at my sleeve, I could hear him telling me we needed to go.

“Come here!” I heard the para-humans shouting. I could hear their desperation, their hope that I could help them. But how?

“Kim, no!” My father screamed as I took a step towards them. “They're dangerous!” I ignored him and took another step. Everything seemed to be a blur; my father desperately trying to pull me away, me pressing onward and the para-humans’ cheers with every step I took.

Then the wirring of helicraft was heard from a distance. My necklace drooped down and stopped glowing, the para-humans began to run and scream. It was like being ripped from a lovely dream. The helicraft stopped just above them and dropped something that seemed to be smoking.

One by one, the para-humans fell to the ground and one by one, the helicraft retrieved their limp bodies with a claw.

“K-Kim?” My father took my hand. “Are you okay?”

I was shaking violently, but not with cold, not with fear. More like a desire. “Y-yes. I'm fine, or- or I will be.”

“You should take that necklace off before it happens again.”

“Believe me, I've tried. It won't come off!” I pulled the necklace as if to prove it.

“Where did you get it? I'm sure the workers there know how to take it off.”

“That… actually is a good idea. I got it at a Castle Boundary jewelry shop, close to ours.”I pulled my father in the direction.

“I’ve never heard of that one before.” My father jogged by my side.

“It's rare that we leave the Lelik. Castle Boundary isn't a safe place for common folk.”

“Right.” We were running now. Eager to get this thing off me. The streets were deserted. Not even the bakery had lights on. But we were hoping the shop would be open. It had to be.

I stopped suddenly. Staring at the empty space between two shops. The grass grew green and beautiful under the light snow. This was where the shop was.

“Where is it?” I began to panic. “Where is the shop?” I screamed.

“Kim, it's probably just somewhere else.” My father put his hand on my shoulder.

“No, no. It was here!” I looked frantically.

“Kim, are you okay?”

“No! No! It was here, I swear on my life!” I looked around, hoping blindly that I could see it.

“We have to go to the shop. We can use some of the tools to break it.” My father put his arm around me.

I was shaking with sobs. I knew that the jewelry shop was here. It was just… gone. I walked with him to our shop. As soon as we got there. My father tried to break the necklace with his hammer. Bringing it dangerously close to my face.

“Stop it!” I finally cried. “It's impossible!” I tucked the necklace into my shirt.

“It's dangerous for you to have that on.” My father put down the hammer.

“I'm going to have to live with it.” I sulked. “It's my fault for getting it. I'll live with the consequences.”

I sat down at the drawing board with tears in my eyes. I picked up the pen and began to draw.

I knew the necklace was a curse. A para-human curse. I hoped it wouldn't give me any para-human powers. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened.

And I never imagined that it could get any worse. I'd only get used to it. Life would only get better.

I was so naive.