Eliza’s Intriguing Locket

• Mackenzie Wilkes, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2020

Her hair stood up on end, a shiver raced down her spine and a lump swelled in her throat. It was him. Icy fingers gripped her arm in the darkness. Her shrill cry echoed through the mist. Eliza wanted to run, but she couldn’t. As her fear intensified, her heart began to beat faster. Her breath became short and faster. This was not going to be the end of her. The ringing cry echoed in her ears.

She pulled away from the man’s grasp and looked him straight in the eye. Her scar on her face was paining her as she gave the man a hard stare. His eyes were a dark brown like the colour of thick oozing mud, thin as wire were his dry and cracked lips. He had black and scruffy hair and his clothes were ripped and worn.

Eliza’s crystal, blue eyes contained fearful, cold tears that swelled and dripped down her pale cheeks. Her white hair swayed softly in the breeze. As she moved slightly, the moonlight revealed a golden jewel. The bright shimmer caught the man’s eye. It was a necklace that hung loosely around the frightened girl’s neck. Fastened to the necklace was a desirable, valuable locket.

The man grabbed her shoulder and pulled her towards him. He stared quizzically at the locket. Curiously, he examined the clip on the side. Suddenly, he pulled at the jewel ruffly and ripped it off her neck. The man was pleased to have seized the locket, to him it was enthralling. He started to run away.

“No!,” Eliza screamed in horror. An angry tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away forcefully and darted after him.

He ran swiftly, across the park, into the dark of the bushes. Once he had convinced himself that he had lost Eliza, he seated himself on a bench. He began to open the locket.

Eliza caught up, he was now in her view. She stopped running and stood still. She felt nerves rising in her body. She had never seen the locket handled by anyone but herself and her grandmother. Eliza felt the man’s eyes on her. He stared slyly at the determined girl.

She knew she had to do something but was paralysed with fear.

Suddenly, the locket began to bubble and fizz. It began to turn red. The locket’s lid was now fully open. The man’s jaw opened in awe but then soon closed in panic. The locket began to bubble more than ever, as the man disappeared into thin air. Eliza’s mouth was wide open in astonishment.

Without hesitation, Eliza sprinted towards the bench and picked up her jewel. The locket recognised the warm hands of it’s rightful owner. It’s anger died down. Her long, painful scar on her face instantly healed. Eliza touched her warm, pale cheek in relief.

Eliza slipped the locket back on around her neck. As the soft wind blew, her hair fluttered in the breeze. Once again, there was peace.