The Locket

Chapter 25- "There's no point"

We sped-walked to the castle. 

"So-" I asked Mom "What exactly are you?"

"I'm a spirit," she said simply 

"So, you're basically a soul?"

"Precisely," she said "I wanted my soul transferred into my locket so that you'd find it, and you'd be able to save this place and the people."

Once we got to the castle, we stopped at the gates.

"Now listen here," Mom said "run as carefully as you can, with making as less noise as possible."

We all ran, but without making noise. It took a great effort, considering we had to slow our foot down before every single step that made us look very weird indeed.

We had to walk so much and climb so many stairs, we were panting within the next ten minutes.

"How much-" Lucy gasped, holding the side of her stomach "longer- is this- gonna- take-?"

"We're here," Mom said, opening the the rather small gate of a room. Once we all went inside, [we had to bend down slightly to fit in] we were all in a small room. It has a few levers and buttons.

"How are we gonna open the portal?" Oliver asked.

"Leave that to me," mom said "you just follow my instructions. Who'll press the buttons?"

"I can do it!" Oliver volunteered.

"Okay, then," mom said "just press every button and pull every lever I tell you to, okay?"

Oliver nodded, and got into a steady position.

"And you two," Mom said, nodding to us "don't make any noise, okay?"

Me and Lucy looked around while Mom and Oliver were trying to open the portal. There wasn't much in here, except a table and a chair. 

"Done!" Mom said after about two minutes.

"Great!" Lucy said "now we can-"

Oliver suddenly stepped on her foot and she yelped, jumping backwards, falling on the table which broke with a loud crashing noise.

"I'm so sorry!" Oliver apologized as we both and Nathan helped Lucy get up. 

And then there was a distant crashing noise.

"Shoot," Mom said "Run!"

We all tried running away, but in the middle of the corridor, The Voice caught up with us.

"You can't run from me!" it cackled. 

"I'm pretty sure that's what we're doing," Lucy whispered under her breath.

We were all running out of breath, and energy.

Something grasped the back of my shirt. I yelped.

"Help!" I shouted.

The others stopped and looked back. Oliver started coming towards me but Nathan and Lucy held him back.

"It's only this pretty girl I want," it said "the rest of you can go back to living your lives. Until I come along to ruin them."

"No!" Nathan shouted "Not anymore."

"Aww, Nathan," it said in its raspy voice "you betrayed me. Looks like your mom is next, isn't she?"

It looked like Nathan wanted to say something but he held back.

"How did my spell fade off?" it asked.

"Love," Mom said softly, coming forward "the ability to care for those you love, enough to break the strongest spell."

"Well, well, well," it said, the evil grin barely hidden in its voice "If it isn't Miss Perfect Princess."

"I can't let you do this anymore," Mom said "first my sister, and now you think you can take my daughter, too?"

"Just wait until I take over everything and turn everyone into my slave," it sneered "there won't be anything you can do about it."

"What will you get from it?" Lucy asked, teary-eyed "What has anyone ever done to you?!"

"It isn't about gain for these creatures," Mom said "It's all about chaos. Just chaos. It's a parasite."

"DON'T YOU CALL ME A PARASITE!" it said, grabbing my arm with an extremely tight grip "Let's see who's laughing once your daughter is gone!"

Suddenly, mom's soul came flying swiftly to us. However, it wasn't just sunlight now. I could make out her features, her hands, her beautiful hair, all made of sunshine.

"RUN!" Mom screamed.

Both figures turned enormous in size, almost upt to the high ceiling. Had to be at least twenty feet.

We all tried to scram, but were stuck between both of their battle. It was like a wrestling match. And so far, it seemed that Mom was dominating. But then, suddenly, The Voice clawed at Mom with a single, glistening purple finger, that somehow cut deeply into Mom's stomach.

"Darkness over Sunshine," it cackled.

We all knelt over to mom, who was on the ground.

"Mom!" I screamed "Mom, please!"

"Kiddo," she said, cupping my cheek "go and destroy that thing-"

"Mom, PLEASE!" I cried, tears streaming down my face, as I held Mom's hand "I can't lose you again, I can't-"

"You'll never lose me," she whispered "I'm always here, idiot."

She chuckled and we both smiled lightly at each other.

And then she faded away, leaving behind nothing.

And I those few seconds, I clung onto something that was there, but wasn't.

"No!" I cried as Lucy and Oliver hugged me.

The Voice suddenly grabbed me from behind.

"Now that I've gotten the satisfaction of seeing that nuisance go forever," it said gleefully "I can finish what I came here for."

"No, you can't!" Oliver screamed. 

"What are you gonna do, lover boy?" it sneered.

"Stop, you can't!" Nathan shouted.

"Yes, I think I can." it sneered and it flew, busted out the stained-glass window, and took me with it.

I flailed and thrashed around, but there wasn't any hope. This was it. This time, no one would be able to save me from the sword. I'll be gone this time, and eventually, everyone else will, too.

I thought about everything. All the dreams I had. I wanted to be a psychology major. I wanted to study at NYU with Oliver, Nathan and Lucy. I wanted to get married, live in a beautiful place, have a family, travel around the world and explore its beauty. It all seems so far away now, as if it's something so close, but so far.

I stopped thrashing around, and remained limp. 

"There's no point," I murmured, so slowly that it was barely audible "There's no point, why should I even try?"