Children of the Elements

Chapter 7-Hello Darkness My Old Friend JK I Hate You

So turns out, my Freak-Of-Nature Mother was right. At least about the necklace will defend you thing. Last night, when the shadows came out, my necklace totally made them dry up like worms in the sun.

It was kind of nasty but it's like watching a car wreck, you want to look away but you can't because your necklace is making you.

(Did you see what I did there?! Any The Office fans out there?! Dwight in the corner be like "Identity theft is not a joke, Grace")

So that whole thing made me want to bleach my eyeballs and wear them the other way.

When I got up this morning I tried my best to act normal and not like I could have potentially done something that will send the mystery dude in the suit out to murder us.

To say it simply, it didn't go well. My voice was shaky and for some reason my mouth was having a hard time lying, which was weird considering I pride myself in being very good at creative-truthing.

They may have noticed my strange attitude, but didn't push it. Luckily they didn't notice the glimmer of my new necklace's golden chain.

Right now, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I'm deeply annoyed with an inanimate object. Well, animate object? Can I even call it an inanimate object after all it's done? Sure, the thing saved me but when I tried to take it off this morning, the clasp got insanely hot which left my fingers pink with a burn.

I glared down at the little bump under my shirt that was the necklace bead.

"Why are you glaring at your sweatshirt? Are you made at it?" Alesha laughed.

Oops. "Uh...no reason? I, uh, spilled a little chocolate milk on it?"

When she moved to examine it I hastily added, "I cleaned it off so it's all good now but it was" I stared pointedly at the little necklace bump, "annoying.it just wouldn't come off."

Alesha gave me a strange look then shrugged. "If we're still talking about stains, then yes, they can be very fickle and stubborn sometimes."

I turned to grab my Jordans. They are my babies and I love them with almost all my heart. They are the shoes I wear practically every day and spend an hour or two cleaning every week. I make the Chicago red, black, and white shine without a spot of dust.

Alesha talked the whole time I put them on. Something about a big work project and being home late. "...oh and today I need to ride with you and Nick in the car because my baby is in the shop. Someone nicked the side and now there's a dent."

Alesha looked away sadly. She loved her pastel yellow Volkswagen Bug almost as much as I love my Jordans. Almost.

Twenty minutes later, the three of us piled into the truck.

That's when my day took a turn.

We drove through Seattle in comfortable silence, with nothing but the white noise of morning traffic.

Nick drummed the steering wheel to whatever song was playing through his head and Alesha stared blankly out her window. I was on edge and my ears rang with the mystery man's warning.

My knee bounced up and down and I fiddled with the seatbelt. How would he know I read it? Does he have some sort of tracking thing? How would that even work? I sighed in frustration and glared at my shoes.

That's when I saw it in the corner of my eye. A shadow. It wriggled around and my eyes darted to Nick and Alesha, who didn't notice it was right behind their seats. These things were started to annoy me more than anything.

"Back off. Now." I hissed at it.

The little tentacle just went faster and to my shock, started climbing the backs of Nick and Alesha's seats. The gloop spread flat and branches out like a tree, it's base starting behind the compartment that separates their seats.

My necklace got burning hot and struggled to unclasp from my neck.

The sun emblem blazed like a flashlight. How in heck did my adoptive parents not notice any of this?

The slime reached the neck or the seats and in one quick and horrifying moment, became a rope around their necks.

Nick started to hacking and Alesha let out a surprised gasp. The car swerved and the airbags exploded. They clawed at the bonds but the slime just got tighter until they were choking.

My necklace flashed a golden light at it and the ropes shriveled up. Alesha's eyes were the size of saucers but Nick turned to me in blatant fear. "You opened it, didn't you?"

All I could do was nod as a bubble rose up in my throat.

Nick started to say, "oh that's—" but was abruptly cut off by a gargling sound from our right. Alesha's mouth was open and spit dripped out, her body complete covered in shadows up to her face, which was turning purple.

Her mouth moved but barely any noise came out. "Love...you...trust..." she whispered.

I watched in horror as she resembled a completely black mummy, not an inch of skin showing. I was so lost in shock that I didn't notice Nick was being coated in the same goo. He seemed to realize it and as it reached his chest, he started talking—fast.

"Fae, listen. We don't blame you, we understand your curiosity and that this was inevitable. I don't understand what's going on or whatever this stuff in me is," he let out a weak and forced laugh, "but I know you can fix it. Fae, you have to fix it before more people get hurt. I love you so much, sweetheart—"

His mouth was covered and the rest of his head followed quickly after. The goo dragged my mummified parents by where their legs must be and into the shadows of the car. They were just...gone.