Cursed ✔️

13. A loose end

"So, in other words, you don't trust me?" Emily said crossing her hands as she, Hannah, and John had gathered at Emily's house to discuss what Emily saw.

The room was quite big with English roll arm sofas, a lamp on one side and an indoor green plant on another side of the sofas, a carved wooden center table with a shiny white marble top which rested above a soft fluffy rug of light cream. In front of it, there was a fireplace and there were many pictures of Emily, her family, and her friends placed on the fireplace mantle. A glowing chandelier hung above them.

" I do trust you, Emily. It's just that how is it possible?" Hannah said after taking a bite of the snacks which Emily's mum had made.

"Guys. I think there's only one way to find out." John added to end that never-ending discussion was going nowhere.

The girls looked at him.

"Which is?"

"Look. We both trust you. You saw a woman with the stone & we all know that the stone's still in the church. So, the only way to tie up this loose end is that we'll go and meet this woman ourselves, to clarify everything."

"One problem though. Neither we know where we'll see her now nor we know where she lives." Hannah commented.

"Well, that won't be a problem," Emily assured them.

Hannah and John gave a confused look at Emily.

"You see, when I saw her, I was taken aback too so I decided to follow her. I know where she lives because I followed her to her house."

"My detective best friend!" Hannah said teasing Emily.

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"So, where does she live?" John asked impatiently to Emily.

The trio had been walking for more than an hour looking for the house.

"It's just around that corner. We'll be there soon."

Soon after, they reached the house where that woman lived.

It was an old house with white fences around it. It had a small front yard with neatly trimmed bushes and grass. There were also a birdbath, gnomes, and a dog statue with a welcome sign. The statue reminded Hannah of Tom as it was also a golden retriever but her focus suddenly shifted to the front door. The door was different from the rest of the building. It felt as if the door was way older than any other thing within the perimeter of the entire plot. The door knocker was old and the knocker was held by a weird image of someone's face or some object. Something about it seems so weird just like getting a feeling to stay away from something.

Emily knocked thrice before the door opened. The door was opened by a lady. She was in her mid-20s in polka dots, square neck, plaid maxi dress. She had worn her hair in an updo bun.

"Yes?" She asked the three kids standing in front of her door.

"Hello, ma'am." Emily began. " I know you don't know us but you have something that is of utmost importance to us and we would like to see it."

"What are you talking about?" The lady asked confused.

"You're pendant, ma'am. It has an emerald stone and we would like to see it. It's important."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Sorry, but I can't help you." She said and began closing the door.

"Look, ma'am," John said in a stern tone. He didn't like it when people act as if they don't know anything when in reality they did. " We know you have it. Don't try to hide it or else-"

John was barely finished, when the lady spoke, " Come inside. I'll tell you but don't call the cops."

The three of them stood there confused. They were not able to think as to why they would call the cops. But eventually, they went inside.

"I'll bring the pendant. You guys wait here." The lady went upstairs after she gestured the trio to sit.

"Well, that was easy," John said to the girls. He hadn't thought it would be this easy though. " But why will we call the cops?"

The girls shrugged their shoulders.

After a few minutes, the lady came with the pendant in her hands. As she came downstairs, the stone at the end of the pendent motioned back and forth.

"Here," She said and handed the pendant to Emily. " But don't call the cops."

Emily put the pendant in her pockets and asked, " Why would we?"

"So, you are not working for the cops? Well, that's a relief. So," She said and put her palm in front of Emily indicating her to give back the pendant.

"First, tell us what you mean." Hannah cut her out.

The lady sighed and said, "Alright. But don't tell anyone."

"We won't."

"Well, one day I went to a thrift store to purchase something for my sister's birthday. When I was looking through stuff, I saw this stone there. Then, the owner told me that a man came with this stone and kept it there for an exchange for the money and since the transaction wasn't completed yet, he couldn't give it to me. But it was so amazing that I thought that I got to have it. So, I told the owner if he can make an exact copy of it. But he refused as he told me that cops were chasing the man who came in with the stone. He did not know any backstory but he knew that it would be illegal if he would make a copy of it. But I wanted it so bad that I told him that I would pay him more money and he finally agreed. Please don't tell the cops."

"We won't tell the cops. Here, you can have your pendant back." Emily said and gave her the pendant.

John was about to get up to leave when he saw everyone & everything going far away from him. The whole room, its things, and everyone seemed to be going away and away with every passing second becoming smaller and smaller. Everything but him.

"Hannah?" He screamed.

"Emily?" He again screamed on top of his lungs. But all of his screamings was in vain as no one neither appeared to hear him nor look at him.

He tried to run. But no use. He ran faster. But he was still there and everything was going away from him becoming smaller. He felt so helpless at that moment.

He then felt a cold hand slightly above his knee. But he was sitting all alone. He shifted his eyes, keeping his head still and saw a hand covered in blood with some blood dripping down, making blood stains on his jeans. He froze unable to think or move.

He saw a shadow sitting beside him from the corner of his eyes. He then slowly turned his gaze to see who it was that appeared out of nowhere beside him.

It was a man that had his face melted in two halves which were joined together by rusted iron rods all the way from one ear to another.

The man extended his blood-covered hands to John's neck and tried to open his mouth when suddenly darkness surrounded John as his eyes rolled back in his head.