Chapter 6: The Necklace

I spun around. Aubrey, who’d been sleeping in the bedroom, was standing behind me without a sound.

She stood in the doorway, hair a wild halo around her head, eyes wide open but unfocused. For a second, it looked like she’d sleepwalked there, but she was very much awake.

At that moment, my phone vibrated in my hand.

The sharp buzz made me jump. Instinctively, I hid both hands behind my back and forced a smile.

"Why are you up? Why not sleep a bit longer?"

I tried to sound calm, but my voice was way too high. Aubrey looked calm. "I woke up from a nightmare and saw you weren’t in bed, so I came to find you."

She peered behind me, curious.

Her gaze landed on the wooden block peeking out from behind my back.

"Hey? Isn’t this the wooden carving I brought back before? Where did you find it?"

She seemed delighted.

There was a real spark in her eyes—she always loved weird souvenirs, so the excitement almost seemed real. Seeing my confusion, she explained:

"Didn’t my coworker go to Santa Fe? She said the old woodcarver worked out of a dusty shop off the Plaza. I brought it home but couldn’t find it afterward. Didn’t expect to see it again tonight."

She said it so matter-of-factly, like we were talking about a lost sock, not a creepy midnight totem. It sounded reasonable, and even though I was full of suspicion, I couldn’t pick out any flaws.

At her urging, I handed her the wooden carving and went back to the bedroom with her.

Her fingers lingered on mine, ice-cold, as she took the carving. We padded quietly back to the bedroom, her footsteps eerily silent on the hardwood.

She sat on the bed and handed me a small box.

I recognized the gift wrap—she’d hidden it behind the old radio on her dresser. I never peeked, not wanting to spoil any surprise.

"This is a gift I got for you. I was going to give it to you on your birthday, but since you’re so jumpy tonight, I’ll give you an early surprise."

I opened the box. Inside was a necklace.

The pendant was the same as the tattoo on her chest—a little figure holding a cross, carved from a red gemstone.

It was heavier than I expected, the stone almost warm to the touch. My reflection warped in the glossy surface, distorted and strange.

I forced a smile, suppressing my fear. "Why’d you suddenly decide to give me this?"

My voice cracked, but Aubrey didn’t seem to notice. Aubrey’s eyes widened. "Isn’t it romantic? Now we both have this pattern on our chests. Doesn’t that make us a perfect match?"

She threw herself at me, pretending to help me put on the necklace.

Her hands shook as she fiddled with the clasp, knuckles white. I caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror, her smile brittle and too bright. After everything that had happened tonight, my mind was blank. I just sat there and let her do whatever she wanted.

I was only a little curious why her hands were trembling so much.

She dropped the clasp twice before finally fastening it around my neck. The chain was cold, sending a shiver straight down my spine as she fastened it.

Aubrey fiddled for ages before finally putting the necklace on me.

Her breath was shallow, almost ragged, but she managed a cheerful: "All done!"

"I’m a bit hungry, going to make some oatmeal. Want some?"

She was already halfway out the door before I could answer.

I shook my head. "You go ahead, I’ll wait for you in the bedroom."

I tried to sound casual, but my stomach churned. But Aubrey insisted, snatching my phone away.

"Just keep me company, okay? It’s so dark, I’m a little scared to go to the kitchen alone."

She pouted, pressing my phone to her chest. I had no choice but to follow her out and watch as she made herself a cup of oatmeal with milk.

The microwave clock blinked 2:13 AM, the only light in the kitchen besides the under-cabinet glow. She stood at the counter, stirring the pot, the soft yellow glow of the under-cabinet lights making her hair shine. Aubrey drank half, then said she was full and pushed the cup in front of me.

It was our usual routine—she’d eat two bites, then push the rest at me with a grin, like always.

It had become our running joke—she’d load up her plate, then act shocked at how “stuffed” she felt after two bites. I was used to Aubrey giving me her leftovers to finish.

Tonight was no different.

She slid the cup over to me, smiling too sweetly. I took the cup and finished off the oatmeal and milk.

It tasted normal, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Aubrey stood by, watching as I ate. When I finished, she let out a long sigh of relief.

Her shoulders relaxed, the tension draining from her face. It was like she’d been holding her breath all night.

I was a bit puzzled, and my gut told me she was acting strange.

I wiped my mouth on my sleeve, shooting her a look. But tonight was clearly not the time to dig deeper—especially since I couldn’t reach the admin.

All I could do was pretend nothing was wrong and follow Aubrey back to the bedroom.

When I picked up my phone again, I realized the vibration earlier was actually a reply from the admin.

"You’ve probably already tipped her off with your actions tonight. She could make a move on you at any time. Be careful not to eat anything she gives you, and don’t wear anything she’s handled."

The words blurred on the screen, my heart dropping into my stomach. It was too late. The chain around my neck felt tighter, colder. I lay there, chain burning against my skin, listening for her breath—and praying the morning would come before she did.