"The Locket" by Miranda S.

A young girl held a golden locket in her hands. She had found it among the scattered leaves on the forest floor, covered with shadows from the immense trees above. The surface of the locket was intricately detailed and seemed to reflect light, despite the darkness. Inside was a faded black and white photo of a lady wearing a simple Victorian dress, her long hair falling over her shoulders, and smiling sweetly. She was beautiful.

     The young girl closed the locket and slipped it over her neck. It was too beautiful to leave behind. Walking home, she crunched her way through the dead leaves and hummed quietly to herself. From the corner of her eye, she caught a flash of movement among the shadows. 

            “Well, hello there,” a voice said behind her. She whipped around to see a beautiful lady calmly staring at her.

            She could only stare at the lady for a moment, shocked by her sudden presence. It immediately dawned on her that this was the lady from the photo. She looked exactly the same, as if the photo was taken only a few minutes ago.

            “Oh, there's no need to be frightened, dear.” The lady smiled politely, taking a few steps forward.

           “Wh-Who are you?” The girl managed to stammer.

            "Well, that's really no concern of yours. What should be is that locket you are wearing around your neck." She paused, looking at it carefully. "You see, that is no ordinary object you wear. That locket possess power, strong enough to have brought me back.” Her grin widened as she smiled broadly. "You, my dear, have awakened the curse."

      The girl backed away slowly, terrified of the clearly insane woman. She glanced down at the locket, now radiating light.

       "My dear, you are the cure to my wretched condition. After all these years of suffering in isolation, I have waited. And now... Now I can be free at last."

            The girl, fearful, began to lift the locket over her head, prepared to run.

            “No!” The lady commanded, her smile gone and voice panicked. “You must let me remove it for you. That is how it must be done.” She smiled politely once again.

            In an instant the young girl was running away as quickly as her legs would let her. But a moment later the lady appeared before her, blocking her way. The look on her face clearly conveyed her anger.

            “I suppose I will have to do this the difficult way then, and force you to it” she hissed.

            The lady lunged toward the girl, her eyes now filled with a threatening black. “Finally, finally... A perfect host,” she murmured to herself. She feverishly gripped the girls hands tightly in her own and closed her eyes. Leaves began to swirl wildly as a tornado formed around them. “Yes!” the lady screeched, the girl nearly unconscious now. “Yes!” And both bodies went limp.

            A few minutes later the girl awakened, her eyes a pure black, and laughed.