Eternal Echoes: A Dance with Darkness

“What was that?” I murmured to myself.

“What?” Easton questioned.

I shook my head. “N-nothing,” I replied, fear gripping me. “Let’s get out of here.” The curiosity that once intrigued me has now dissipated. The thought of Lucien potentially being inside was unsettling, prompting me to leave without further investigation.

“No, now I’m curious,” Easton replied with a smirk. “We should find a way inside.”

“You can stay and look if you want to, but I’m leaving,” I stated bluntly as I turned to walk away.

Easton grabbed my arm. “Don’t leave me here. This was your idea.”

“Well…” I started, “I changed my mind.” I couldn’t tell him why I suddenly had the urge to flee. I knew he would only laugh at me or call me crazy.

“Come on, let’s find a way inside.” He replied, pulling me by the arm behind him.

“Easton, I don’t feel comfortable doing this,” I protested. My phone started to ring as I finished my sentence. Looking at the screen, I announced, “Sorry, I have to take this.”

"Where are you?" My mother's voice filled with concern asked when I answered the phone.

"I'm spending time with a friend. What's the matter?" I asked.

"Nothing," she replied quickly. "I noticed you weren't in your room... Did you have another nightmare?"

I hesitated before responding. "No," I fibbed. "I just felt like going for a walk."

My mother let out a resigned sigh. She could tell I was not being truthful. "Okay."

After reassuring my mother that everything was fine and ending the call, I turned around to locate Easton. To my surprise, he was nowhere to be seen. I searched the entire vicinity, but he was nowhere in sight. The idea that he may have found a way inside sent a shiver down my spine.

Despite my growing unease, I couldn't bring myself to enter the building. I called out Easton's name a few times while waiting for a response. As minutes passed without any sign of him, my only that was that Easton had ditched me, so I decided to leave.

As I walked towards the front of the building, I descended the steps and entered a bustling city filled with people. The atmosphere was electric, like stepping into a crowded stadium. Time seemed to slip away unnoticed since Easton and I had climbed those steps.

My eyes darted around, trying to make sense of the cacophony of thoughts and voices blending together. The growing crowd began to take notice of me, their judgmental stares piercing through me. I felt a sense of panic and isolation, standing alone on the sidewalk. Each breath became more labored, my heart pounding erratically against my chest.

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my chest as my heart raced out of control. Tears welled up in my eyes, my hands trembling with cold sweat. I felt trapped, unable to move as the world spun around me.

I needed to get away from everyone before I passed out, but my feet felt as if they were cemented to the sidewalk.

“Are you alright, Ember?” Easton’s concerned voice broke through.

But I couldn’t respond even though the voices that consumed me had stopped. When did that happen? How long had I been standing here? I miraculously started to calm down. My hands stopped shaking, and my breathing slowly became normal, but I still couldn’t take a deep, fulfilling breath.

"Ember?" Easton called out to me, his hands gently resting on my shoulders as he stood before me. Locking eyes with me for a brief moment, he urged, "We need to leave this place." With a reassuring arm around my waist, he guided me away from the crowd, leading us down the street.

As we walked, the chaos around us began to fade, and I started to regain my composure. Finally finding my voice, I started, "Where did you disappear to?"

"I went inside the building you were curious about," Easton replied calmly.

"But I waited for you for so long," I expressed my frustration.

At first, he remained silent, gazing straight ahead and avoiding eye contact. “I just went inside to look around. When I came out, I saw you having a panic attack or something, so I hurried to help you.”

I let out a sigh. "This isn't the first time I've embarrassed myself in public." It seems to happen whenever I'm caught off guard, not fully aware of my surroundings. "But I figured you ditched me while I was on the phone.”

A look of confusion crossed Easton's face. "Why would I do that?"

I remained silent, hesitant to respond. Frankly, Easton appeared unreliable. Despite our friendship in high school, we never socialized outside of school, despite my efforts. Sara and I attempted to make plans with him on numerous occasions, but he never followed through. Our acquaintance was superficial at best. Unlike others, I couldn't discern his thoughts, leaving me more ignorant about him than a passing stranger. Adding to his questionable character, he disappeared without a trace shortly after graduation.

As we walked in silence, Easton suddenly interjected, "Oh, I almost forgot," rummaging through his pockets. "I found this in a room while I was exploring."

"Well, if this item was stolen, maybe we should return it. I do not want to have a stolen item," I suggested.

"It's not as if you were the one who stole it. It was found," he replied nonchalantly.

"And what if I run into the person it belongs to? It looks custom-designed.” I observed, marveling at the unique gem embedded in the locket. I had never seen anything quite like it before, and while I am no expert in gemology, its otherworldly beauty was undeniable. With a sense of reverence, I handed it back to Easton.

As we strolled around, stopping at a quaint coffee shop, I couldn't help but notice a hint of irritation in his demeanor. Easton and I purchased some steaming cups of coffee and settled inside to escape the biting cold. The atmosphere between us had shifted after our little escapade, becoming tinged with an uncomfortable tension. Our exchange was stilted and terse, with Easton offering no response to my questions or attempts to spark conversation.

Raising my cup to my lips, I found myself gazing into Easton's striking emerald eyes for a prolonged moment. A nagging suspicion crept into my mind - he was hiding something. His gaze flitted away from mine after only a few seconds, unable to maintain eye contact. Sensing my scrutiny, his eyes began to dart nervously around the room.

"What's the matter?" I finally asked. "You've barely spoken since I returned the necklace."

He remained silent, steadfastly avoiding eye contact.

"What has happened to you in the past three years?" I asked, my voice tinged with worry. He had always been reserved, but he never shied away from questions and would engage in conversation during our high school days.

Easton shrugged his shoulders. “People change…” He replied dryly, “Maybe this is who I am now.”

I stare at him skeptically. “Why do you avoid answering me? People don’t just disappear without an explanation. They would at least lie about what they had been up to.”

“Maybe I don’t want to lie to you. Maybe it’s just better if I don’t give any explanation.”

“Wow… You are just digging yourself deeper into a hole.” I stared at him curiously. “Tell me, did you join a cult? A gang?” I questioned teasingly.

An amused smile played across his face.

“See, that right there!” I giggled. “You’re only proving my point.” I continued, slightly joking.

Easton grabbed his recent find out of his jacket pocket. “Ember, I want you to take this. I have no use for it and you are the only person who has tried to be my friend. You don’t have to wear it… but just remember me when you look at it.”

I was taken aback. “Whoa… Is this some kind of red flag? Do I need to call someone to have you put on a 72-hour watch?”

He chuckled. “No, I’m not that type. Now, I’m being serious Ember. Take it…”

I sighed loudly. Aggravation and defeat wash over me as I reluctantly take the locket from him. “Alright, Easton. If it’s that important to you, then I’ll take it.”

He gave me a half-hearted smile.

“But if this bites me in the ass, then I’m coming after you.”

“Understood.” He replied smiling.

After Easton and I finished our coffee, we decided to go our separate ways. He was being secretive about his plans, refusing to share any details with me or anyone else. Despite my suspicions about him, I always enjoyed his company because it allowed me to escape from reality, if only for a little while.

Once I returned home, I took the new necklace out of my pocket and examined it closely. The locket was truly remarkable, with a blue jewel that seemed to emit an orange light as I gazed into it. The light grew brighter and more intense the longer I focused on it, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. There was also something else… A noise?

The sound emanating from the jewel resembled a scratching noise, as though someone was dragging their fingernails along its interior. The longer I gazed at the object, the more pronounced the noise grew, captivating me with its enigmatic allure. I found myself unable to look away.

Abruptly, a sharp rap at my door shattered my concentration, causing me to startle and drop the locket. The sudden and jarring sound snapped me back to reality.

"Ember, Sara is here to see you!" My mother's voice called from the other side of the door.