Bound by Bloodline

Lucy sat in the corner of the room, her face blank. Her mind drifted, replaying the last moments with her mom. Her mom's cold hands, the faint smile now just painful memories. She hugged her knees, trying to hold back tears that refused to fall.

Lost in thought, a deep voice suddenly startled her.

"Lucy, can we talk for a minute?"

She turned to see Uncle Wiryo, her mom's older brother and a respected figure in the family. His white hair and sharp eyes made him seem like someone who carried a lot of secrets. Lucy stood up, nodding silently, and followed him to the quieter living room.

Uncle Wiryo sat in an old chair, folding his arms with a serious vibe. "Lucy," he started calmly, "there's something you need to know."

Lucy frowned, sensing the weight of his words. "What do you mean, Uncle?"

He sighed deeply. "I know this isn't easy, but there's something important about your mom... and you."

A weird unease crept over her. She sat straighter, her eyes locking on him.

"What are you talking about? What don't I know?"

Uncle Wiryo's gaze dropped to the necklace around her neck. "That pendant," he said, pointing. "It's not just a gift. It's your inheritance."

Lucy looked down at it, confused. "What? Why would Mom leave me this?"

"Because," Uncle Wiryo said slowly, "it's part of who you are. Your bloodline isn't... ordinary."

Lucy blinked, feeling a chill run through her. "Bloodline? What are you saying?"

"Our family has roots in guarding the spirit world," he explained. "Your mom was a powerful shaman, protecting the balance between humans and spirits. And now, it's your responsibility."

"No," Lucy interrupted, her tone sharp. "I don't want any of this. I just want a normal life!"

Uncle Wiryo sighed, his eyes softening. "You can't run from this, Lucy. That necklace is the key to unlocking your power. This is only the beginning."

****

That night, Lucy tried to sleep, but her head was spinning with questions. Clutching the pendant tightly, she hoped for some sort of answer.

But when she closed her eyes, the whispers came back louder this time.

"Lucy... Look at me..."

Her eyes snapped open, and in the corner of her room stood a shadowy figure with glowing red eyes. It moved closer, and Lucy's body froze.

"You're the heir. You can't escape your destiny," it growled in her head.

Lucy tried to scream, but the sound got stuck in her throat. Trembling, she grabbed the pendant around her neck. As soon as her fingers touched the cold black stone, a wave of heat surged through her, and the shadow vanished.

She collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air, tears streaming down her face. She knew this was just the start of something bigger and scarier.

****

The next morning, Lucy bumped into Rudi, her younger brother, in the kitchen. He was making coffee, looking as tired as she felt. Dark circles under his eyes said it all.

"Lucy," he said quietly.

She looked up, masking her unease. "What is it, Rudi?"

"I know things have been tough, but… last night, I heard you talking to yourself. You okay?"

Lucy sighed, scrambling for an excuse. "I just… couldn't sleep."

Rudi gave her a skeptical look, then shrugged. "Yeah, none of us can lately." He handed her a cup of coffee.

"But seriously, if something's up, don't keep it to yourself. We've only got each other now."

Lucy forced a small smile. "Thanks, Rudi."

Inside, though, she knew this wasn't something she could share.

****

Determined to find answers, Lucy wandered into her mom's old study later that day. The room was crammed with dusty books, glass bottles filled with strange liquids, and creepy wooden statues. In the center of the room sat a large wooden desk with an open journal on top.

Curious, Lucy approached and began reading the neatly written pages.

"My powers are becoming harder to control. The more I use them, the greater the risk. But I have no choice. This family… this lineage… it's my responsibility."

Lucy's chest tightened. Her mom had never talked about any of this. It felt like her entire world had been a lie. She flipped the pages until she found a line that froze her:

"Lucy is my heir. When my time runs out, the power will pass to her. I just hope she's stronger than I am. This dark world… might be too much for her."

Tears spilled down Lucy's cheeks as she slammed the journal shut, her hands trembling. "So this… this is what Mom hid from me," she whispered.

****

That evening, she confronted Uncle Wiryo again. She found him on the back porch, puffing on a rolled cigarette, watching the rain.

"Uncle," she said softly.

He turned, nodding for her to sit. "What is it, Lucy?"

She sat down beside him, gripping the pendant around her neck. "I read Mom's journal," she admitted.

Uncle Wiryo exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes heavy with understanding. "So, you're starting to piece it together?"

Lucy nodded. "But why didn't she ever tell me? Why did I have to find out now, after she's gone?"

Uncle Wiryo gave a sad smile. "She wanted to protect you. She knew how dangerous this world is. She wanted you to have a normal life."

"But now I can't avoid it, can I?" Lucy's voice cracked, her eyes glistening.

He shook his head. "No, you can't. This power is part of you now. But you still have a choice, Lucy. You can either learn to control it… or let it control you."

Later that night, as Lucy sat alone in her room, reading her mom's journal again, the lights flickered and went out. The air turned ice-cold, and footsteps echoed outside her door.

Heart pounding, Lucy clutched the pendant. "Who's there?" she called, her voice shaking.

The door creaked open, revealing the same shadowy figure with glowing red eyes.

Lucy froze as the whispers filled her ears.

"You can't escape this, Lucy. The power is yours."

Desperate, she grabbed the pendant, feeling its heat surge through her body. The shadow vanished, leaving Lucy breathless on the floor.

She knew this was only the beginning.