peggy83

It had just become nightfall when I died. It’s hard to remember how it felt because of the swiftness of the darkness. I only remember the shifting of what I had been to what I now was. Then the light tried to save me. The battle pained me, blinding my soul with searing hurt. Sadly, the darkness always gets what it wants. And that was when it enslaved me forever.
But perhaps I should start from the beginning.
The night started out well enough. It was my birthday and I wanted to celebrate it by going out and having fun. I was finally at the ripe age of 18. I had just graduated from my local high school the week before, so I was pumped to celebrate and goof off for a bit. A car outside honked, announcing the arrival of my friends. I had put the finishing touches on my clothes and makeup, opting for a slim fitting black sheath of a dress that made my auburn hair shine and my green eyes pop. I wanted to be noticed that night. I rushed out to meet my friends after promising to be careful to my parents a hundred times and kissing them goodbye. My two best friends, Katie and Josh, were waiting inside Katie’s new Honda Civic. The sporty red sedan was a graduation present from her parents because Katie had made it into Princeton. She was always the logical, brainy one of the group while Josh was more suited to pranks and humor.
Katie sat behind the wheel dressed in a conservative white blouse and black slacks, her light blonde hair tied behind her head in a fashionable knot. Her pretty blue eyes held a hint of uncertainty as she looked upon my outfit. “Nice dress Fi, but isn’t it a bit…dressy?”
I laughed, sliding into the front seat. “Of course it is which is why I wore it. I want to be the belle of the ball.”
Josh reached into his pocket and handed me a small red velvet box, his dark brown eyes smiling. Of average build Josh was no great looker but had a friendly quality to his features that made you want to befriend him. He wore his dark hair short and was dressed in a simple blue button down shirt and khakis. “Happy birthday, Fi. I thought you’d like this but it was so out of my budget Katie had to pitch in.”
Katie smiled, “I wouldn’t have if I didn’t think you’d absolutely love it.”
I smiled and grabbed the small box and opened the top like a giddy child. Inside was the most unusual, mysteriously beautiful pendant I had ever seen. Placed on a simple silver chain was a dainty looking dagger embellished with tiny jewels of ruby and emerald. I rolled it between my fingers and marveled at the workmanship. “This is awesome. I love it.” The moonlight glinted off the pendant as we started out into the night. My eye caught upon an inscription as Josh explained how he found it. “I went with my dad to that antique place in town because he’s into all the civil war stuff. I was browsing when I saw it. The owner almost didn’t sell it to me. Said it wasn’t until I reached the right price. Something about it just told me it was made for you. She said it’s from about the 18th century.”
I lifted the dagger to examine the minuscule script, “Wow, pretty old then. Hmm…look at the writing… This says For Lilliana.”
I remember as I said her name that first time, the hairs on the nape of my neck stood on end. I shook my head and chuckled slightly. “I scare myself sometimes, imagining things…”
I draped the chain over my neck, the slight weight of the pendant cool upon my chest. I remember posing a moment and then laughing with my friends as Josh tried to tell a joke, “…Ok here’s another one. How do you know a blonde was on the computer?”
“I can tell I’m going to be offended,” Katie replied dryly, the only blonde of the group.
“….There’s white out on the screen!” Josh said, practically snorting with laughter. Katie, on the other hand, didn’t find it amusing, “Very funny nimrod.” She batted at him from behind the wheel.
I giggled, “Good one. Enough with the blonde jokes now, before I have to separate you two.”
I was still laughing when the darkness attacked. I remember a split second before the crash, I saw something dark dart in front of the car. We were going too fast and Katie wasn’t paying attention to the road. I let out a bloodcurdling scream, the sound coming all the way from my toes as we made impact. The metallic crunching sounded in my ears followed by a stunning silence. I was groggy with pain. Blurred images of inky blackness darted behind my eyelids as I felt frigid fingers dragging me from the car none too gently. “Katie…? Josh..?” I tried to force my mind to work. It felt as if my brain was cut off from the rest of my body.
“Your friends will be taken care of,” A silky, feminine voice stated.
“Wha…? Wh… are you?” I spit the words through my chattering teeth. Images of the wreck spun in my head as I hoped that my friends were ok. I felt a warm liquid upon my features as I realized I was crying. From fear or pain, I wasn’t sure. I felt dazed, as if this truly wasn’t happening to me. Like a dream twisting into something evil. The next words that encircled me left me cold, my battered body shivering from the threat the words contained.
“Why, I’m your worst nightmare, darling Serafina.”
Those were the last words I heard before I died.