The Necklace (#Wattys 2017)

Chapter 47: The Wanted Necklace

As my legs stumbled through the forest's ferny floor, I kept checking my pocket to make sure the Necklace was still in.
Yes, she was still behind me.
But I couldn't trust anyone or anything at this point. Heck, for all I knew, she could do some voodoo magic and make the Neclace fly towards her, without me realising.
This was Avril we were talking about.

After a while, I was sure I could only hear myself breathe loudly and crunch the leaves on the ground. Had she stopped somewhere behind? Had she found a shortcut? What was happening?
Risking myself, I stopped running. I slowly turned around to check my surroundings, one hand protectively on my pocket. I stuffed the necklace further inside my thankfully deep pocket, and felt its warmth press against my thigh. But it wasn't much of a difference, as my whole body had heated up in this course.
There was no one around, except the crickets. The darkness had enveloped me completely, and I only had the moonlight to show me the top of trees and bushes but not much detail. She could be anywhere, and I wouldn't know. Shit, I was trapped.

I wasn't sure whether to run further into nowhere or wait here for her to eventually pounce. I figured the wait was worse. But just as I was about to start running again, I saw the bushes rustle agead of me. I immediately stiffened, and got in battle stance. Come at me, bruh, I thought steadying myself.

And before I knew it, Avril was on top of me, from behind me.

I heard a scream, but I wasn't sure if it was mine or hers. Probably mine, my stupid head suggested, as I struggled to get her off me. Her legs had latched around my waist and her hands clawed into my shoulders. Her blonde hair cascaded onto my face, and I saw smeared blood on parts of it. I didn't see her face, but I wasn't sure I wanted to.
After all, I'd just killed her twin.
I couldn't handle a living version of her just yet.

And soon enough, her hands began searching me, searching frantically for the Necklace. I could hear her rugged breathing and she kept screaming in my ear, asking me where it was. Slowly, they began clobbering towards my pocket and I felt the Necklace heat up drastically till it almost burnt me.
It sensed her. It sensed her power.

Wincing in pain, I grabbed her hair that hung over my head, and pulled her down. She yelled, but didn't let go of me, and dug her fingers in deeper. I tried again and again, but only managed to get the blood from her hair on my palms. Shivering, I closed my eyes for a moment.
And suddenly, a cold voice spoke in my ear.

"Give it to me, Damon." She hissed, her fingers inching closer to my throat. Her voice sent shivers up my spine, where she lay stiffly. Her cold touch spread through me, and I felt like I was dying.

"No.." I said weakly, straining my neck away from her touch, but she grabbed on. She held my neck in place, roughly.

"Listen to me, you fool!" She growled, grabbing my hair. I bit my lip and tried not to scream. "That Necklace is mine. Mine."

I knew it. I knew it very well. The Necklace did want her, its heat was in sense of longing. Her power was stronger, her motive seemed stronger. But why?
Well, I couldnt wait to find out.

Taking advantage of the moment, I rushed towards the closest tree and I noticed her clutches getting firmer as she realised what I was about to do. I slammed her into the tree, and she finally let go.
With my heart racing, I ran, not daring to look back at the fallen girl.
I didn't even want to begin to retrospect, at this moment. I had to get away.

I wasn't far enough, when I heard her scream angrily and footsteps advancing. My heart raced further, and goosebumps covered me. I tried to run faster, but I was too terrified to actually make a difference. It was probably the fact that I could actually be killed in this process. All the times before this, I had only considered the idea of possible death, but not seriously. Now that I was in this situation...I was beyond frightened.