The Crown

Olive always had a curious mind, at least that's what her mother said when she used to ask questions far too complex for her age. Olive was also a creative kid some would say. Her family was rich. Her father owned a major writing company and her mother a construction company. Right now, Olive's mother was on vacation along with her two younger sisters and one older brother. Her father was away on a trip to discuss a project one woman asked of him. Something about a novel; her father and the woman were supposed to write together. She didn't exactly know many details about it.

She had refused to go with either her mother or father. She didn't want to deal with her annoying siblings or hear her father discuss ideas with some stranger. The house was much more nice, quiet and empty. It was empty yet there was a certain energy that always seemed to lurk within their house, but she was used to that.

She was lying on her bed, scrolling through her phone without paying much attention to what the glowing screen was showing in her dimly lit room. Boredom was growing inside her. Olive decided to get up and close her blue and purple acrylic curtains, making the room darker than it was before.

She went over to her bedside table and switched on her lamp, making the room grow a gentle yellow glow. Olive smiled to herself, she loved this room, and their house in general. She sat down on the bed and pulled out a book from under it. It was an adult fiction named "Spells" by N.S.T . It was a book she had managed to sneak from her father.

After a few hours, she got bored again and threw the book over her shoulder, which ended up on her blanket with a soft thump. She rolled her eyes and sighed. Their house was large and extravagant. Her mother, Victoria, said that the house has charmed every person that visited.

She got up and searched through her bedside table and pulled out three tall and thin red candles. Olive lit them with ease. The fragrant smell of African Daises always seemed to relax her. Her eyes closing slowly as she inhaled the smell of her favorite flowers. The aromatic smell enveloped her like a warm, comforting hug. Olive starts to drift off to sleep and falls onto her bed passed out.

She wakes up to Rossie, her kitten, pawing on her chest. "Fine, fine I'm up" Olive said to the kitten that rested on her chest. She looks at her clock on the wall to see only half an hour passed since she fell asleep. With nothing to do, the girl started to wonder about her home. Despite being born and living here, she only knew the first part of the house, where she and her family lived. The West Part, the place opposite to where Olive usually goes was abandoned. She had always wondered why but she was afraid her father might get mad at her if she asked.

Her favorite room, her father's study was currently locked. The room was warm and inviting, lit by a few lamps, filled with books on a diverse genre of topics. In the middle of the room sat a red plush armchair. The room was the complete opposite to the man who owned it, which was her father of course.

Ben was an absent husband and a cold father, treating his family almost as if they weren't by blood. He was always there for anything related to his business but he sure wasn't a family man of any kind. Olive grinned, a glint of mischief in her eyes. She walked to her closet, standing on her toes to reach the very top. Her hands searched for the box she kept up there, almost knocking it over in her attempt to grab it, but managing to catch it in time. Opening the lid gently, Olive's fingers searched for the familiar feeling of cold metal upon her skin.

Her pale blue eyes sparkled as she found the small metal key, clutching it in her hand. Smiling, Olive walked into the well-lit hallway, stopping in front of a door made of smooth, light colored wood. The girl placed the small key into the keyhole. Her efforts were rewarded with a low, satisfying click.

Olive put the key in one of her pockets, pushing the door open afterwards. The room was placed in darkness, seeming cold and uninviting. With a sigh, Olive opened each and every lamp. In front of her was the red plush armchair, placed near the middle of the room. A desk along with a chair were placed in a corner, full with papers and a half empty coffee cup that had gone cold by now. The girl smiled softly, sinking into the armchair. Olive closed her eyes and yawned. The girl shook her head, willing herself not to fall asleep. Boredom settled in her once again. Olive began to look around the room, seeing her father's things everywhere. However, her sight fixed on one thing. The glass case sitting on one of the nearby shelves. Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Inside the clear glass sat a crown, more specifically a tiara.

It was made of silver, with gold flakes imbedded all along it. The crown was crafted by experienced hands. Olive found herself smiling at the piece of jewelry, despite knowing about its dark origins. A sudden need to touch the seemingly cold looking glass rose within her.

The girl closed her eyes tightly shut, trying to stop that thought from becoming a reality. It worked poorly if at all. Something had snapped inside her and it seemed to be unstoppable by any force.

Olive left the safety of the armchair, moving closer to the glass case. Up close, the energy inside of it appeared to be stronger, almost... as if the object was alive. The girl knelt where the case stood, letting her fingers roam it freely.

It felt ridiculously amazing. The cool feeling slightly calming the fire of want inside her. But, it simply wasn't enough to turn the fire into ashes. Olive needed more. And her goal was set. With nothing to hold her back, Olive roughly grabbed the case carelessly throwing it aside, leaving a shattered mess on the floor behind her.

Now holding the jewelry in her own hands, Olive felt its beauty anew. A small gasp escaped her and her eyes widened a fraction. The crown, in all its gentle beauty seemed to tower over her, making Olive feel small and out of place.

Was this the crown's near legendary power her family told stories about time and time again? The logical part of her was trying to show her reason, to alert her to how wrong this was, but that small voice inside her was easy to ignore, maybe too easy.

All she could see was the crown. It seemed to have its own kind of spark, just for her, as if it was trying some sort of hypnosis.

Hours seemed to pass by rapidly as Olive stared insistently at the object in her hands. The girl was starting to feel her eyes close due to exhaustion. A small frown formed on her face as she realized how numb her arms and legs felt.

Suddenly her limbs gave out, and Olive fell onto the shards of glass behind her, somehow still clutching the crown with an iron grip. Tears fell out of her eyes as she realized just what mistake she had made.

It was harder and harder to breathe. Olive felt cold, almost as the glass had once been. "I'm sorry" The girl whispered as life was starting to leave her. The crown was the last thing she saw, before her eyes closed for the last time.