The Necklace I Short Story

***

"Neighbor came by earlier. I told her I have a doctor, and don't need her voodoo."

As if to contradict the statement, Ty erupted in a coughing fit, the kind of coughing that seemed endless, underscored by an unknown wetness.

Helia rushed to the living room to offer her father a glass of water.

"Hey," she fingered a battered charm hanging from his neck. "What's this?"

Ty squirmed, not really answering. Helia squinted, grimacing at the inlaid details. What initially looked like a silver fish was in fact a topless mermaid. Two emeralds glittered where the eyes should've been.

"Nothing, just something I found," her father admitted, his face sheepish.

It was a lie, but Helia didn't let on that she knew.

Before work, she decided to visit the voodoo neighbor to set her straight. The short walk down the main hallway brought her to a red, battered door. Helia rapped her knuckles on the rough-hewn surface.

~*~

No rattling of a knob, and no one muttering on the other side of the door.

Helia shook her head, and turned to leave.

"Yes?"

The door was now a wide-open maw. At its center stood a petite woman with hair almost as tall as she was. Her caramel skin appeared flawless in the muted light of the hallway. Helia tilted her head, wondering if the woman had intentionally covered herself in glitter, or if she were seeing things.

Most bothersome were her eyes. Large as almonds, and dark as coal. There was something alien about her, nearly feral.

"Hello. Please stop visiting my father. He doesn't need...false hope."

A slow smile spread pulled harshly at the stranger's features.

"Is he hungry yet?" she asked.

"What?"

"He will be, soon." Each syllable slithered from the red slit of a mouth.

Confused and late, Helia left for work.

~*~

That night, Helia peeked in on Ty. His door was cracked open, intermittent snores rumbling from his throat. A red glint caught her eye. It was the necklace, hanging crazily to the side, appearing to strangle Ty.

Helia went to fix the chain around his neck. When she touched the charm, her fingers sprang alight, and her head contorted with pain. She dropped it.

Her father snorted, rolling over.

"Sleep tight," she whispered, kissing his cheek.

~*~

Ty's rhythmic snoring followed her down the hallway and into the bathroom.

When she turned off the faucet, she still heard water dripping. It was coming from the bathtub.

With a dramatic rip of the curtain, Helia witnessed the result if her father's secrets.

He lay hunched over in the tub, head down, and naked, save for the necklace. Helia shook him by the shoulders, and wished she hadn't.

Ty pitched forward. He strained against her hands, as though trying to break free, or get at something. Eyes closed, he moaned and thrashed in the water.

Then his eyes opened. But it wasn't him anymore, not really. The irises were pitch black.

"Help," he gasped.