Locket Diaries

I trip.

I’m practically running for my life, and I tripped. What kind of nut case puts a sand-colored rock in this human-sized Japanese sandbox.

Thankfully, instead of falling on my face; my trajectory, powered by the running beforehand, took me just above my target. I grab the shiny object. Only to finally fall on my face. Except, I don’t have time to worry if my sore nose is broken due to the face plant on the soft sand. Because I hadn’t heard the mob surrounding me until it was too late.

They were as quiet as a set of skilled hunters and as creepy as synchronized drones. They were all focused on one thing. The prize I hold clenched in my hand.

This wasn’t going to end well for me. In the last five years, we’d learned a lot about the pieces of jewelry that granted a power to the first person that had claimed it. The only way anyone is going to be able to take it from me now, and claim the power, is if I was no longer of this world. I have to say it’s not the way I wished to go. Suddenly, I wish I was part of the quarter of the Earth population that perished at the hand of a freak meteor.

They advanced as a unit, all creepy like, I close my eyes but before I can make the futile wish that this won’t hurt. I see a blinding light behind my closed eyes so powerful, I am immediately clued in that opening my eyes is not an option. So when arms go around me trapping my arms on my sides. My first instinct is to fight, because I’m leaving this world kicking and screaming!

“Will you stop?!” A deep voice says in my ear before he releases me. “Because of your wiggling we weren’t able to get as far as I wanted to!”

I don’t know what is happening. I take in my surroundings one second I was surrounded by a murderous mob. Now, I was facing a stranger, who while irritated did not seem inclined to murder me.

“What’s going on? Who are you? Did you just save me? Why?!” Generally, I’d be extremely grateful to the person that saved my life. Except that the world that had resurrected after a meteor destroyed a quarter of the population followed by a disease that seemed almost targeted despite the randomness of it. It’s been five years since everyone left lost someone. Instead of bringing out the best of people. One important thing we’d learned was that gratitude could cost a lot.

Then there is the lockets that appeared after the meteor. People would have been attracted to them just for the simple fact that they were intricate, expensive, and unclaimed pieces of jewelry that anyone could be lucky enough to find. But then those who had been lucky enough to find the mysterious jewelry pieces got unexplainable abilities. The only common denominator was the lockets.

For the first time, I take a look at my locket, a heart-shaped locket, that is bigger than I thought it would be. It’s as big as a broach. For a second I wonder if yelling, “Heart Locket Power, Make up!” Will turn me into a Sailor Guardian or Power Ranger.

“Are you even listening to me!” Finally, the voice of my irritated rescuer filters through.

I shake my head, “What? Yeah, no, I didn’t catch anything you just said. Wanna repeat that.”

A low rumbly sound emanates from his chest, the guy is growling. Huh! I thought that only happened in good romance novels. He grabs me by the arm, not hurting me just forceful enough to get me moving. “We are still too close to the sandbox. We have to move if we don’t want to be found.”

I disengage from his hold easily, nod, and start walking always from where the sandbox is, but also not in the direction he’d been guiding me towards.

“Where are you going?!” He whisper yelled. He must be sure that they were right on our tail. So I pick up my pace before answering.

“Me? Oh, I’m going home.” I’m thankful he saved me, but that didn’t change the fact that now that I have what I’d come for. I have somewhere to be. I thought he would argue with me, but instead, he just follows about ten paces behind. There is silence for about an hour which is fine with me because I wouldn’t know the first thing to say anyway. While recently I’d been able to work on my people skills as a Finder. Unless it was for business reasons, trying to talk to someone of the opposite sex is so awkward it hurts. He seems just as comfortable with the silence so I’m surprised he breaks the silence.

“So are you ever going to thank me for saving you back there?” I still have my back to him, but it’s like I can feel him smirking.

“Nope.”

He freezes, “No?”

“No.”

He runs up to me blocking me from continuing. “Why? I saved your life.” He said so earnestly I would know he was mocking me even if the smirk wasn’t still front and center.

“Yeah, and you aren’t going to let me forget. Are you?” I walk around him.

“I’m not asking you to worship at my feet, but I feel like a little gratitude would go a long way for the development of our relationship.”

Hiding my smile I respond, “Just because more than a third of Earth’s population is gone, like a snap of Thanos’s fingers. It doesn’t mean that you and I have any kind of relationship. But tell you what. I’ll thank you when you tell me what you want from me. Cause you didn’t save me out of the kindness of your heart.”

“What makes you say that?" And again it’s like I can hear him raise an eyebrow.

“Mmm, I wasn’t entirely sure. But the fact that your more curious about how I came to that conclusion. Instead of outright denying it. Made up my mind.”

“You’re right, even though I wouldn’t have let you die at the hands of those vultures. I did go looking specifically for you, or well, the person that locket was meant for. There’s a lot of people that believe that it will be the last locket. The heart locket is meant to grant its owner many abilities. You’re meant to help a lot of people. It’s my job to make sure you’re safe. Now that I’m recharged I can take you where it will be easier to keep you safe.”

Sure that if he touches me I’d never get to where I need to go. I back away from him. Trying to make him understand as I evaded him.

“No, you can’t! I have to go home! My nieces are sick they’re are dying.” I hold up the locket that now has a tiny diamond embedded that it didn’t before. “This is going to help me cure them. It has to because it’s the only thing remotely capable of doing that.”

He cocked his head as if trying to solve a difficult puzzle, but caught it in one as understanding shine in his eyes along with alarm. “How?” The growly voice was back.

“Don’t know. They were kidnapped. Thankfully, I’m a Finder and we were able to get to them after three days. But we were still too late. The kidnapper was dead, and they were infected with the Meteor Plague. They have a day at the most. I don’t know much about this thing, but I do know the ability it will grant me is based on need. I need to save my nieces.”

He seemed to contemplate everything I said, then shook his head and silently advanced on me again. I backed up warding him off with my hands in front of me.

“Wait! Wait! Look I think you’re Riddikulus and should turn into a Boggart, but if you want a Chosen One. Then I’ll be your Harry Potter, and you can take me anywhere you want to try to convince me that Voldermont is real. Just first take me home to save them. Otherwise, you’ll only be able to take me kicking and screaming. And we’ve already learned that leads us nowhere.”

He stills then releases another growl and finally reaches out a hand “Fine.”

I place my hand on his tentatively. He grabs it, pulls me toward him, and then it’s like flying up a thin blue tunnel.

Next thing I know I’m in front of my house. Ecstatic, I reach up to plant a quick kiss on my hero’s cheek. Before running into the house and past most of my family till I reached my nieces’ room. There I stop, finally feeling the fear I haven’t allowed myself to feel till now, “What if I can’t do this?”

“Won’t know till you try?” Says a familiar growly voice right behind. It makes me smile and gives me the courage I need to move forward. Inside my sister is inside slumped over the nursing couch crying in despair. I put a hand on her shoulder, and when she sees it’s me she gets up to hug me, “Thank God. I thought for sure you were dead.”

“Thanks, sis, but I don’t think my ego can take it because not only am I alive but succeed in my mission.”

She sucks in a breath when I show her the heart-shaped locket, and nods in immediate understanding, “I’m going to grab a glass of water.”

Once the door closes I ask the person still behind me, “Any tips on how to do this?”

“I don’t even know if you can do this, Potter. Let instinct guide you.” He answered.

I inspect the locket again wondering if it will work for me when I see a chain that seems to grow out of it. I pull it over my head and approach the girls. I reach over to grab the hand of each twin. They look worse than when I left and all I can do is wish I could take their sickness away. At first, nothing happens then suddenly I saw amber light streaks go from them and into me. The locket started vibrating then lit up as if the amber steaks are charging it. The light grew in strength till I had to close my eyes, then nothing. It’s just dark.

Three days later

I slowly open my eyes, to see my hero asleep half on a chair next to the bed, half on the bed. All signs pointing to the fact that he took care of me while I was gone. Suddenly, he flinches wake, “What? How is she?”

“What happened?” I ask when he focuses on me.

“It seems like you took on the girls’ sickness from them and on to you. I thought you died for a second there. Then you just slept. How are feeling?”

“Hmm, I feel heavy and sleepy. I’m gonna close my for a bit.”

The next day

“We have to leave today. You promised we’d leave after your nieces were okay. Also even though you don’t believe me. The longer we’re here the more your family is in danger.” My Hero told me. When he found me playing with the girls the next morning. He was right I didn’t believe that anybody would actively be after me. However, I did promise I’d leave with him so he could lay out his case. So after I said a long goodbye to my family. I met him in front of the house to start what I imagine to be a great new adventure.

Before we head off I ask him, “Hey, so what’s your name?”

And he answers just before we tunnel away.