Locked

Chapter 4

To say that Elle was paranoiac was saying the least. Before, she thought someone was following her, but now, she knew someone was following her, which didn't help in any slight bit. That's why today, before going to school she decided to leave the locket at home; Isaac could take care of it from there instead of following her around through school all day long.

While walking to school, Elle's head was full of questions she still hadn't asked Isaac; it wasn't like she had even tried talking to Isaac again, but her mind couldn't help but make up scenarios in her head.

Why does the locket need to be guarded?

From who is it guarded?

How old does the locket actually is?

Where does it come from?

A headache had started to form on Elle's head from trying to decipher all of these questions. When she made it to her locket, an idea settled on her brain while taking out her history book.

After school, she would go back to the house where she had bought the locket. Someone there had to know at least something about it, right?

The day seemed to be changing tempo; one moment the time would fly by as Elle's mind swam in questions, but then time would stop as cold shivers ran through her body every time she noticed anyone staring at her for more than a millisecond. She knew she was overreacting, but maybe, just maybe, she should have kept the locket with her just to know that Isaac was the one following her and protecting her along with the necklace.

What was she thinking?! Isaac was a ghost, or whatever it was that he was, she shouldn't be thinking like that.

Elle shook her head to get rid of the thoughts that were clouding her mind and overwhelming her.

The moment the final bell rang, Elle practically sprinted out of the school building. She needed answers.

Her slim legs guided her to the old house in a quick pace. When she stood in front of the door, she took a moment to regain her breath.

Once she stood up again from her awkwardly twisted position she knocked softly on the door. An old lady with a warm smile opened the door for her. Elle could recall, seeing her on the window when she first bought the necklace.

"Um, I'm here 'because I bought a necklace in the yard sale the other day..." Elle trailed off; this was more awkward than what she had expected.

"Come on in dear," the old lady said; there was a certain tone laced in her words that Elle just couldn't figure out.

The old lady led her to the living room where both of them took a seat on the armchairs that were facing each other.

Elle took out her phone from the front pocket of her jeans, and fiddled with it for a couple seconds before giving a small satisfied nod and extending her arm for the old lady to see.

"I bought this necklace in the garage sale that took place in her a couple days ago and um... I had a couple questions..."

The old lady's eyes widened in surprise, but there was a glimpse in her eyes that told otherwise.

"Oh yes, yes," the old lady mumbled and nodded her head almost to herself more than to Elle, "yes, I was the owner of this necklace."

This took Elle by surprise, although she should have seen it coming; it was an antique after all.

"Why did it end up on the yard sale then?" Elle couldn't figure out how someone would want to get rid of such a beauty, then she remembered why she was in there in the first place; Isaac.

"Oh, I guess my daughter and grandsons didn't know what to do with all my stuff," the old lady sighed; Elle should probably ask her for her name," but I'm glad you were the one that bought it; you seem like a nice young lady."

"Oh, thank you very much Mrs. ...?" Elle trailed off.

"Harrison, but you can call me Stella, dear," the old lady, that Elle now knew was named Stella, smiled.

"Well, Stella, I wanted to know where does the locket come from?"

"That is a very old locket, it has been in a lot of places, and a lot of people have owned it," was Stella's answer.

Elle frowned, that wasn't exactly the answer she was looking for. She decided to try once more.

"I was wondering if, um, something strange ever occurred while you owned it?" It was weird for Elle to ask the questions, she didn't want to come off as nuts in front of the nice lady.

"Nothing that couldn't be explained," said Stella with a certain air of knowing more than she was letting out.

At this point Elle gave up, Stella was probably too old to even remember, who says she wasn't feeding her lies?

After thanking Stella, Elle left to go home, only leaving with more questions than when she first arrived.

At home, she sat on her bed, staring between her math notebook and textbook. With a groan of annoyance and desperation, she rested her forehead on the open book.

"You know, it isn't that hard, just simple equations," said a voice from beside her.

With a gasp Elle lifted her head quickly to see Isaac sitting next to her on the bed, and staring down at the book.

"You really need to stop doing that," Elle warned Isaac breathlessly from the sudden scare.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, this time," Isaac muttered the last part so that Elle couldn't hear him.

"Truthfully, though, I could help you with math if you really don't know what to do."

At this point, Elle was desperate so she nodded her head eagerly. Who would have thought that a ghost was helping her with math?