The Amulet

Noah looked closer at the item trying to figure out what it was or how it got there.

"It looks like an amulet," Noah stated.

The amulet had a rusty grey colour, not able to attract light. It was a circle-shaped amulet the size of a baby's fist. There were strange foreign symbols carved around it. Noah looked closer to see whether he could make out what they were from his knowledge in his history class, but he had no idea. There was a star in the middle of the amulet with 5 symbols at each side of the star bigger than the other writings. Noah gently touched the symbols in deep concentration.

Ava was in so much pain. Her natural golden skin sunk into something so lifeless that when Nah looked at her it was a bit scary. Ava was taking deep breaths hoping the pain will slightly ease, but every time there was direct contact on the amulet Ava's body had a shock of pain which was unbearable. There was a large purple bruise around the jewellery on her chest.

"Ava, do you want to try getting it out?"

Ava gave him a hesitated nod. Noah grabbed both sides of the amulet and tried to pull it out from her chest. Scarlet blood started oozing down her chest. Noah quickly grabbed his shirt from her shoulder and wiped the blood of her chest. Ava screamed loudly. Her scream tore through Noah like a shard of glass. Her eyes widened and her pulse quickened, her heart thudding like a rock rattling in a box. She screamed again, desperate, and terrified. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she unconsciously pushed Noah away from her frail body. Noah looked at her confused.

"STOP!" she shrieked while sobbing.

"Okay. I'm sorry, but I think I've seen this amulet before."

Ava was breathing heavy, tired from the pain and screaming. Noah got up and paced around trying to remember where he saw it before. Ava laid on the bench wrapping herself with her arms, her eyes showing fear.

"Yes. That's where I remember it from."

Ava didn't have any energy to lift her head up to look at him, so she just hummed in question. Noah walked to kneel in front of her as he put his bloody shirt on top of her. Ava tightly held onto the cloth, shivering.

"Ava are you going to be okay. We'll soon start leaving."

"Y-Yes."

Noah nodded and explained about the amulet.

"Okay so in history class we were learning about rituals and some kind of groups and a picture came up which looked exactly like the one you have."

Ava looked down at the amulet that somehow became one with her body.

"I can't remember much of what we talked about. Uhm..okay got an idea. They have history books in the school library, right?"

"Yea..."

"Okay, Monday after school we go there, and we can find out more about the amulet."

Ava sighed nodding her head in agreement. She couldn't believe all of this was happening to her. She tried thinking of the worst thing she has ever done in her life, but she couldn't think of anything.

Noah put his hand on her arm, "Ava. I promise you all of this will be over, and I'm going to be right by your side until the end."

Ava smiled at him as she sat up looking at him. He held her hand and pulled her up as she lightly giggled. She held the shirt close to her as they both held hands.

Ava looked around in confusion as that was the end of the pathway.

"Where are we going?"

"I remember what way the bus came from to drop us here. So, we're going home."

"But there's only road," Ava stated as she looked up at Noah.

"We're going through the woods."

Ava stared at him in disbelief.

"We are not going through those woods. It's almost dark." Ava whined.

"Do you have another idea?"

Ava looked towards the forest, hesitant of going inside. She loudly sighed and agreed.

"Don't worry Ava. I'm here"

Ava rolled her eyes and giggled. They both started walking towards the forest. Noah noticed that she was limping and looked at her bruised leg that was almost unrecognizable.

"Do you need help?"

"Huh?"

Noah looked down at her leg.

"Oh, if you don't mind..." she said shyly.

"No problem."

He put his arm on her waist as she put her arm around his neck. They both walked like that into the forest. The path at their feet faded as it led into the darkness of the woods, yet they follow it for the sake of themselves. Noah underestimated the utter darkness of night-time in the woods.

In his mind the trees would be black trunks against a bluish charcoal sky, the path would become deepest brown and the moonlight would bleach the stones within it. Even if there was a moon that night, its silvery rays would not have penetrated the dense canopy above. They were too far in to turn back, the twilight he had mistaken for the night had passed rapidly. It could be no blacker in a coffin, six feet under and piled with dirt. The blackness nurtured a sense of claustrophobia inside him, even though the woodland stretched unbroken for miles. The narrow path, which was made uneven by the knotted roots that crossed it, branched at intervals. There was no map to follow, but even if there was the perpetual dark would prevent them from using it. He began to breathe the cool air more rapidly.

"Noah are you okay?"

"Yes..."

"Are you sure?" Ava worriedly said.

"I'm claustrophobic, and these trees seem to get closer to us."

Ava sighed and got closer to him, wrapping her arms tighter to him.

"We're going to get through this together okay?"

"Okay."

He took deep breaths and continued walking. They walked for what seemed like hours to them until Ava stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm tired, can we take a break?"

"Sure."

Noah stepped towards Ava and carried her bridal style as she squealed.

"Get me down," she laughed.

He sat her down against a tree and he sat next to her.

"What was that for?" she pouted.

"Don't act like you didn't like it."

Ava blushed, covering her face.

"And I wanted to make you feel better. You seem sad."

"Well it worked." She said with a bright smile on her face.

"I'm glad."

She huffed and linked hands with him as she leaned her head against his shoulder in tiredness.