Chapter Six: Locket

Riley sat up in a sweat, the dream had come again. She had been running through a thicket of trees running for her life, running away from something. Something that was about to come, something destroying everything in its path, something taking her loved ones in its grasp. Riley hugged her knees, she was shaking, she closed her eyes trying not to remember the gruesome events of the nightmare. She turned her head to the side and looked out her attic window, the stars gleamed in the night, and there was a slight hint of early light. Riley looked at her watch and sighed, she might as well try and get some sleep. She lie down again and pulled the covers up to her head, as if trying to hide from that something. She closed her eyes and faded into a fitful slumber.

Riley awoke to the slamming of a door downstairs, and knew that at any moment her mother, or sisters, would come up and get her. To her surprise her brother was the one who entered her room moments later. Grey was nicer to her then her sisters, in the way that he didn’t make my chores harder on purpose. But he still did not like her in the way of her animal spirit.

“Wake up Riley” he said, not unkindly but not in the loving manner that he used to.

Riley looked at him, his gray hair flowing down over his pale face, meaning he had just woken up a few minutes ago himself. Riley smiled at him, a real smile. Grey looked into her eyes, and smiled a small smile. As soon as he left Riley started on her chores, she had a very long day ahead. Her tutor called early and as she sat through the lecture a message popped up on her computer.

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“Eyyyyyy. This is Josh!”

It read, Riley paused for a moment

‘How did he get my number’ she wondered.

She texted back.

‘ -.- how did you get my number Josh’

‘Maddie gave it to me’

‘Of course she did .-.’

‘XDDD’

‘Well I’m in class...I better go’

‘Class? It’s 6:30 am!’

‘I’m homeschooled remember?’

‘Oh’

Riley closed out the messaging tab on her computer a small smile on her face. “Why am I smiling?” she asked herself, for some reason. She felt happy. After her classes she did her homework and started on the list of chores her mother left for her on the fridge. As she was cleaning her room, she noticed something outside the window. A small locket the size of her thumb, hung on a branch.

. She reached out and grasped it, it was purple and red and blue. Her favorite colors. She struggled as she opened it, a picture of her newfound friends lay inside.