The Blood Of Heart Pendant (Saving His Heart)

Chapter One

3 :30 p.m.

The bus stopped and some passengers alighted. She looked at the time. There was still approximately thirty minutes left for her to arrive at her destination. Sighing, she unlocked her phone and went through the wedding photos of her chocolate brown coloured friend. She smiled as she zoomed on a particular one that had her friend's head thrown back , one of the cutest smiles plastered on her face and her eyes tightly shut. The sun shone on her face making her brown complexion glow deliciously and her big afro hair with lovely curls making her look like some sort of exquisite beauty goddess.

Noticing the bus come to a stop again , she switched off her phone and put it away as her grey eyes looked up taking in her surroundings. Her childhood memories rushed back in her head seeing and observing the familiar environment which had not changed even in the slightest. She looked at the passengers boarding the bus and that is when she spotted him. The man's appearance struck her as odd. There was something strange about him that she could not place a finger on . He wore a big coat that seemed too heavy for the ridiculously hot weather and a big black hat on his head. As if on cue, the man's head whipped round and his black eyes met with her grey causing her to  shudder at the coldness that lurked in them. The man boarded the bus, his eyes still intense on her and she looked down at the watch on her wrist not comprehending why his gaze made her tremble in fear.

3. 58 p.m.

She grabbed her bags and alighted . Her face breaking into an easy grin evidence of her happiness to be back home after an entire two years. Walking along the narrow path that led to the small bungalow her parents had left for her just before their demise and sadness struck her at the memory. She opened the small gate and walked into the compound inhaling the missed familiar scent of fresh greens and citrus as her curvy frame approached the front porch.

Unlocking the door, she walked in releasing a puff of air and immediately started drawing open the curtains of the tiny sitting room. She walked into her bedroom intent on doing the same but caught a glimpse of herself in the body length mirror and halted , frowning at her neck. Her friend's necklace was still round her neck and she forgot to return it. She cursed at her forgetfulness as her small hands unclasped it and left it dangling from its gleaming stone pendants on the small wooden dressing table.

She grabbed a pail of water to tidy up the place before settling down. Walking into the small back yard with a broom in her tiny hand , she started sweeping away dried leaves and dirt completely oblivious of the evil eyes calculatingly watching her every move.

Thirty minutes later.

She got into the shower , blasting warm water on her exhausted body. She relaxed and her mind decided to bring up the bitter sweet memories of her past.

" Zara ? " A woman's voice called out to her child as she lay on the bed too weak even though she tried to laugh at her daughter's jokes.

"Yes Mom?"

"You need to get a companion in life now, " the woman advised.

"Mom? What are you talking about ? " The young woman asked her mother, her grey eyes trying not to widen in panic .

"Get a good man to take care of you , Zara. A God - fearing man and take care of the house . I can't fight it any longer... "

" No Mom ! You ... You can't leave... Daddy just did. It's been barely a month ! Mommy you - "

" Listen , Zara - "

She opened her eyes and turned off the shower, some memories we're better left unturned.

She tied the maroon bathrobe tightly around her body and walked into the bedroom. Her eyes spotting the stone pendants of the necklace on the wooden table gleaming in the dim light of the room. The pendants changing into different colors every second like that of a rainbow so that it cast a dull lovely light on the surface around it. Intrigued, she picked it up and ran a finger on it's pendants realizing that the necklace was indeed very unique. She promised herself to call her friend later and tell about it as she slipped it into a pocket of her bathrobe absentmindedly.

She proceeded into the kitchen to find the door leading to the back yard open making her puzzled. She was quite sure she closed the door when she came back in. Her eyes keenly looked around the kitchen then she shook her head concluding that she must have forgot to close it.

Pulling the door shut , she walked over to the kitchen shelves to pull out a box of cereal that she had just unpacked when she was tidying up the place . Her small hands was pouring the contents into a colorful bowl when she heard a bang followed by a loud crash in the sitting room. Her body froze , terrified to the core.

Gathering courage ,she grabbed the metal rod from the kitchen counter and stealthily made her way into the sitting room only to find everything intact. How strange...

Her face contorted into a frown as she now stood in the middle of the room listening for any more sound in the eerie silence that made her heart beat frantically in her chest.

Was the house haunted ? She thought and dismissed the ridiculous idea with a nervous laugh. Haunted belonged to horror movies only. She shrugged , trying to comfort herself but she felt the need to leave the house though dusk was setting in for her mind was convinced it was safer outside than inside at the moment.

She decided to switch the TV on , its noise drowning the unsettling silence in the tiny space. Her legs tried to walk back into the kitchen but she felt too terrified . She just wanted to talk to someone and her shaky feet ended up walking into her bedroom . Her hands grabbing her phone to call her friend. Someone's voice might calm her down .

She switched on her phone and was immediately notified of ten missed calls from the friend she meant to call , a situation that only intensified her fear. Dialing , with trembling hands , she turned to look behind her at a cast shadow she saw from the corner of her eye finding nothing. She shook her head , may be she was just being paranoid.

Her friend picked up on the first ring.

" Zara ! Are you okay ? Where are you ? " Her friend demanded in an alarmed tone.

"Rita ? What's wrong - "

" Listen just send me your address , now ! Okay - "

" Rita ? Why are you - " she did not get a chance to finish the statement as a sharp pain assaulted her head causing her to lose balance and stumble.

She still heard her friend screaming her name in a panicked voice from her phone that had fallen somewhere in her room and watched helplessly as a dark figure loomed over her in the midst of colorful stars dancing in her vision.

The darkness engulfed her.