Curse of Pizarro

Chapter 1~ Truth

If you are anything like me, then you hate the author's rants before a chapter but I just want to say one thing:

Its the first time I've ever gone something like this so any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

I ran into the intensive care unit not giving a second glance at the nurse yelling at me that only family members were allowed. My best friend was dying and there was no way I was going to wait for some doctor to come and tell me she was gone without me getting the chance to say goodbye.

I burst through the double doors out of breath as I don't run that often, and I see her lying on the bed with a dozen different machines connected to her. She seemed relieved when I burst through the door and motioned me towards her. I quickly sat down by her on the edge of the bed careful not to hurt her. My best friend, Jezebel, was the strongest person I knew, yet here she was crippled beyond repair.

I gulped, "Hey Jez, I heard about the car accident, and I ran straight over here."

"I can tell," she started laughing at my red face, but ended up coughing and wheezing uncontrollably. She was as out of breath as me and I could feel myself begin to panic. We had so many plans together that would never be realized, especially our trip to Ecuador we were going on in two weeks for her eighteenth birthday. It took months of convincing our parents it was okay for us to go together without adult supervision, and we would spend all summer there now our future together was uncertain, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Heidi," Jez's face became serious, her eyes were desperate, "this isn't going to end well for me and I need you to promise me you will carry my burden for me after I'm gone." I nodded my head not wanting to waste time, she already knew I would do anything for her, she just wanted confirmation. "I need you to take this." She takes off her favorite necklace that she always wears and places it in my palm. She would never really tell me why she was so attached to it and I was curious as to why she would give it to me. "This necklace has been in my family for centuries and it stays with the person until they die at which point they give it to either their children or grandchildren... since I will never have grandchildren, much less children, I want to give this to you," Jezebel says while looking for my reaction.

"Me?"

"You are the only person I know is able do this Heidi, and we weren't going to Ecuador for no reason, I wanted to rid my family of this cursed thing and we were going to solve the mystery together. You are the only one who I could trust to go through this with me, and now you have to do this alone." Hot tears escaped from both of us.

This is when Jezebel's parents came through the door with determined looks on their faces. Jezebel's mom kneels by her head and brings out a cup full of some liquid in it. "Drink this!" she commanded pushing the cup towards her face.

"No mom it's too late! That Chinese herbal medicine crap won't work, I gave the responsibility to Heidi!" Jezebel yelled at her. Her mother hushed her and made her drink the liquid anyway. Even though Jezebel's mom was from a large Irish family, she had an obsession for ancient Chinese medicine. It was then I was ushered out of the ICU with the necklace in hand totally expecting my best friend to die. She walked out of the hospital two days later like it she had never been in an accident.

The doctors were able to stop the main points of internal bleeding, leaving her with some brusies and band aids from where the IV's were.

*****

We were studying for our final exam before school let out for summer. Jez still had her left arm badly bruised but it was going to fade soon enough. We were avoiding the subject of what she told me on the day she had almost died, but we were scheduled to leave the day after tomorrow for Ecuador, and we couldn't hold it off until later. I was never one to let an important conversation just drop anyway.