The Pendant

Chapter 3

The shot echoed throughout the room, bouncing off one wall to the next. I closed my eyes tightly in response to his fire. His stride was shameless as he proceeded up the stairs, nonchalantly spinning the pistol around his finger. As soon as he exited the room I peered behind me, examining his targeted area for the shell. I found nothing, not even a chip in the wood that caressed the wall. An overwhelming wave of heat intersected throughout my upper left thigh. The pain slowly built its way through my body, forming an avalanche of emotions. One by one, my toes began to numb and my leg embarked on a pulsing mission, marching down the trail of my veins. Looking down I could see the thick sheet of blood spew out of a torn, nickel-sized hole carved into my limb. The bastard shot me.

The aching grew rapidly by the minute, my mind tossing itself recklessly in circles. I was becoming deaf towards my own bloody wails as my attention continuously switched on then off. My perception was sculpting itself into a bleary statue and before my eyes shut in defeat, a dark silhouette approached me.

****************

An abrupt, poignant, sensation awakened me. I cracked open my eyes about halfway, with my vision still foggy, I tried my best to focus them. There she was, that girl I met the other day. From what I was able to make out, she had bound a thin belt above the wounded bullet hole on my left thigh.

"He does this every time." She continued, "Okay, this is going to pinch just a little."

Her voice was inviting, filled with warmth and comfort. Who knew a women with such grace was one of those maleficent assholes. Taking the pocket knife I've not so secretly concealed in my waist band, she flicked the razored-edge blade open. Painstakingly, she began burrowing the knife into my injury. I yelped out a menacing cry as the scalpel tunneled within my appendage. Scrapings of torn flesh crumbled onto the floor as she began scooping around for the bullet. The blood began racing down my leg, enraged by the knife's invasive movements. The nerves in my thigh initiated a cascading twitch, pounding assertively. Projecting out from the feathered socket of tissue, the bullet flew out tumbling, frantically, until it dropped through a breach in the floor board.

"AGHH!" It felt as though my sobbing cry was heard across the world, never experiencing such a passionate flush of affliction before. Entangled in my own web of flustered despondency I was oblivious to her soothing touch while catering to my repugnant wound.

"You'd be dead if it wasn't for me you know? Looks like he shaved over your femoral artery, you almost bled to death. A thank you would be appreciated," she remarked elegantly.

"Eat shit, you infectiously sick bitch." I replied in a stern monotone. "Leaving me alone to die would've been the actual favor."

Her stare was sparking as her facial expression transitioned to a flame. Getting up off the ground she stood, meeting my face. Saying nothing in response to my comment, she strolled over to my left, grabbing the stool leaning against the wall, and sat it down in front of me. She seated herself on it, avoiding any eye contact with me. Her hand held a tight grasp around the pendant that dangled from around her neck. Silently she began to mutter, what looked to be towards the necklace itself. Her eyes finally met with mine, they were so gentle, and in a low weary voice she responded:

"He addressed himself as Black Beard. I knew better than to call him otherwise, he was my father of course and I was given this pendant by him as a child." She paused, choking on her words. "It's a family heirloom that possesses a powerful devilry, it's one of the only things my father didn't steal, it's meant to keep me protected."

"What's so special about it?" I questioned. Without a response, she casually steered the necklace off her neck. Her eyes were still as gentle as before holding a sorrowful gaze towards the pendant laying in her palm. After a moment or so she untangled the necklace form her grasp and placed it around my collar. Locking her eyes again with mine she cupped her hand around the pendant that now dangled around my neck.

"Immortality," She corrected, "you're gonna need it."

*****************************************************************************************************

Sorry for the wait but chapter 3 is finally upon us! Tell me what you guys think, thank you again for reading my story, and please vote, comment, and share! Until next time...

-Neens xoxo