Is this Rare?

Chapter 33

Andrea reaches forward and pulls the necklace from my palm. She holds it up to her eye level and examines it. She gives me a little smile. Quickly, she lowers it, grabs my hand, and pulls me through the house without explanation. We pass through the kitchen and the hall with the confusing pictures.

Once we are outside, she pulls the necklace out and holds it up to the ever fading sun light. When she does this, a green chaff bursts the the gem, which is implanted into a golden metal rectangle. The green light encases me. I begin to feel a strange sensation running through out my body. I try to question Andrea about it, but I can't move my lips or my arms.

Something clicks in my mind and all my thoughts change. I can see Andrea. She is reaching to my neck. She wraps something around my throat and clips it together in the back. It's the necklace! She walks around me but I keep facing forward. When she's back in front of me, I still stand motionless. I see that her lips are moving but I can't hear a word she says. But, I slowly learn what she is saying by reading her lips, "I'm sorry. I really do like you, Chelsea."

A single tear rolls down her cheek. Then, she looks at the ground and pulls out something, which was hidden underneath her top, it's another necklace. For ten minutes I stand and watch the sun finish setting in the distance. Andrea has sat down now, but she is still clutching her necklace. It looks as if she is giving herself a pep talk or readying herself for a difficult task. But, she just keeps fiddling with the gem.

When the sun has completely set, Andrea stands in front of me again. I can see her. Even though it's nearly black outside and we are still in the woods.

"Chelsea, I need your help for one last thing. Okay? Then we can all go home and have sleepovers like real friends. I'm going to explain something, but it can be both confusing and tedious. So, just listen and try to understand the best you can. These gems belonged to my great grandmother. She lived in that house long before that family did. The day before she died she gave this one to my mum and hid the other: right where you had found it. She also gave my mum a message. 'The one who finds the other jewel is the helper, a special one. A savior.' So, my mother and I searched for years. Since I could walk, we had looked everywhere for it. You see, it was imperative that we found it, for without it, we could never leave these woods. It made it worse when you girls showed up. Mum thought you were going to try to take our chance of escaping the cursed forest. Now that you have found the other, my mum and I can leave. But these necklaces aren't ordinary, they're special. Powerful. One can control another, through my mind. What they hear, say, think, and do. So, in order for everyone to be reunited with their own groups, I get to control you, find your friends, and my mum. You'll hide in a hall until your friends show up. I will be hiding in one of those cells with a window in the door. When they decide to show up, I will dictate what you're to say. If I need to, I'll make you move where I want. Okay? So, we need to go back into the asylum and wait for your buddies."

As we make our way to the hospital, I move like a robot. Once I get the hang of this strange sensation, it seems a little more normal. I don't bother looking around. I already know what there is to see and it makes me depressed. Plus under this curse, I guess that's what you'd call it, I can't move around unless directed to by Andrea.

"Andrea," I think, before she starts controlling my thoughts, "No matter what I will still be your friend." Then another thought is literally shoved into my mind. "I've been taken captive by Andrea! A 15 year old girl!"

Then, I feel it, I don't know how or what it really feels like but it hurts my head. It sort of feels like an arrow is being shot through my skull from a short distance. Or a lightning bolt has been placed inside my head and it never dies down. But, somehow, I bare the pain. I know what's happening: I will no longer be able to think for myself. Suddenly, at the last moment, I realize that this also means I won't be able to process what's going on right in front of my eyes. If I can even still see for myself. Will my vision just black out? Will I still see and Andrea alter my thoughts so that my friends become enemies in my befuddled mind? I don't know and I can't think anymore. My thoughts are gone. With all my might I struggle to bring up an image in my thoughts. It never comes but fades into blackness and mist, and floats away into my memory box, which is stored somewhere in my brain. Unable to think for myself, I just keep stepping on down the road, with Andrea as my guide.

The only thing I have left that's all my own are my feelings. At the moment I feel confused, but confident that I'll see my friends again, in perfect condition. No curses or possessions. Also a little betrayal has crept into my feeling tolerance. Betrayed by someone who I thought was a friend. Andrea. She never seemed stable from the first time I met her. And, she most likely won't ever be stable again. Ever.