The Choker

It sits on my table. Dad put it there. I don’t want to wear it. It used to be Mom’s, and she died while wearing it. Stabbed to death and all. Common mugging incident. She’d left the choker to me in her will.

I pick it up, turning it over in my hands. It brings back so many memories. Mom hugging me, Mom gardening, Mom showing me the diamonds in the center of it, Mom telling me how Dad gave it to her instead of an engagement ring…it hurts to think about her. I want her back so bad. Why’d she have to leave me?

I throw the choker in disgust. I hate it. I hate it so much. It took her. I know it took her from me.

A thought occurs to me. ''What if I wear it? What will happen to me then?''

On a whim, I pick it up and fasten it around my neck. It glistens in the light, seeming to glow like a white ember on my neck.

A bang echos outside my window. I whip around and find myself staring in the face of death. It grins at me, glowing like an ember in the dark as its eyes dart over me. It focuses on the choker around my neck. I can feel the choker getting tighter as it gets closer. It opens the window and I run, but I slam into the wall and ''oh god it’s right there. Mom, help me, it’s here, I can see it….''

She always used to tell me it wasn’t real.

''Its hot breath on my face as it leans over me, tracing a sharp blade in a pattern. I scream, but no sound comes out. The choker is so tight. I want it off, want it off, get it off of me, someone…''

Always used to tell me I was imagining things when I told her about the monster under her bed.

''It occurs to me that my mother’s old room is right underneath mine. I try to breath, but the choker is too tight. I can feel its gaze on me. Stop it. Stop looking at me. Stop looking at me!''

She told me that I was so silly.

''It’s laughing at me. I know it’s laughing. I can’t hear it, but I know. My blood is pounding in my ears. My face is swelling up. Get it off of me. Stop looking at me. Stop, get it off, someone please help me…''

My vision fades out. The last thing I can think of is that the police said my mother was strangled before she was stabbed.