The Call

Torque?

With a start, Serene stood up. "Romeni!" When he turned back to her, hope on his face, she called, "Please, don't go."

He approached her, but she took a step back, surprise on her face as she touched her neck.

He walked faster toward her, but she held out her hand to stop him. "Don't come any closer." She brought both hands to her neck and grimaced in pain.

Romeni stopped walking. "What's wrong? Are you all right?"

Serene shook her head. "I don't know. When you stepped closer, my neck felt like it's on fire."

"What?" He furrowed his brows. "Are you sure it's because of me?"

"As soon as you turned around, it started burning; but when you got closer, it grew worse. When you stopped, it lessened."

Romeni stood silent for another moment, looking at the ground, puzzled. Then, suddenly, he stepped forward.

She grabbed her neck as the burning pain shot into her head. "No! Don't come any closer! It'll kill me!"

"No, it won't," he countered calmly. "Do you have a necklace on?"

She nodded. "Why?"

"Ah." He nodded with an understanding smile. "I need you to take it off," he instructed.

"Why?"

"Please, just do it."

Hesitantly, she reached behind her neck to unfasten the clasp of one of her many necklaces. She removed it and held it before her.

Romeni looked at it for a moment but then shook his head. "That's not it. Do you have another on?"

She set the necklace down on the ground at her feet and reached for another clasp behind her neck. She took it off and held it for Romeni to see. Again, he shook his head, and she reached for another.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, confused.

He just smiled. "I don't know exactly, but I'll know it when I see it."

Suddenly, Serene became suspicious. "What do you want?" Instantly, the burning stopped.

He sensed the suspicion in her tone and answered, his smile reassuring. "I'm just trying to help you."

Serene massaged her neck, still suspicious. What does he want?

"Please, let me help you," Romeni stepped forward again, and Serene felt a subtle pulsing surround her neck again, warning.

She drew back, causing the pain to diminish. "No, it's back again. What are you doing?"

Romeni took another step toward her. "I need you to listen to me. I'll help you, if you let me. You must take off that necklace! That's what's causing your pain."

Serene furrowed her brows. "I don't understand." The pain pulsed a little stronger.

Romeni shook his head. "You don't need to right now. I'll explain in a minute, but you have to get that off first, or it'll just hurt you more. Please, trust me."

Hesitantly, she reached to unfasten the clasp to the silver necklace her father had given her. The moment she touched the chain, white-hot pain shot through her fingertips. She screamed and snatched her hands away. Looking down at her hands, she saw a thin white line across each of her fingertips that burned like fire. She glanced up at Romeni who looked on with concern.

"What have you done?" she challenged with a sudden anger that surprised even herself. "What did you do to me?" The burning in her neck lessened.

He shook his head. "Nothing. Why don't you trust me?"