Magic and curses don't exists right?
Or do they?......
Anabella never met her grandmother. She had only heard over a million tales about her from her mother, so it came as a surprise when a crystal necklace was delivered to the front of her house.
On the package note, it was written
I wish I could give you a better gift
*Grandma*
The necklace was beautiful with delicate sparkling crystals that glinted in the sunlight.
What could be a better gift than this?
Anabella felt guilty, she had always made excuses which kept her from visiting her grandma in their hometown and the woman had still loved her enough to leave her with a gift as beautiful as that.
Picking up her phone, she dialed her mother's phone.
"Hey Mum"
"Belly, honey, before you talk me to death, I'm guessing you got grandma's gift".
Anabella laughed. She had a problem.
Once she started talking, it was hard for her to shut up.
"You know about the necklace?"
"Yes, it's passed down generations"
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Anabella was confused, "How come I've never seen you wear it before?".
Her mother sighed, "It is given to the first child in every generation".
"But I don't understand. Why didn't she give it to me when she was alive?"
"You'll understand everything in due time my darling. Just remember, from this moment onward, do not take off the necklace".
"Mum, you are starting to scare me".
"Don't worry. I have to go now. I love you".
"I love you too Mum"
The call disconnected.
Anabella couldn't help the feeling of uneasiness that crept into her body.
From that day, she noticed strange things began to happen.
She would sleep in her bed and wake up in the middle of the woods.
She started hearing voices in her head and seeing things that were not there.
Everything started the moment she put on the necklace so in order to solve her problems, it was simply removing the necklace but when she tried it, it didn't budge.
She tried everything, using a knife, pulling at it but nothing worked.
She called her mother several times, but she didn't pick up.
After a few minutes, a text came in from her mother.
It's time to know your roots. Go to the old library I told you stories about. You'll find the answers.
Anabella packed up her things and went back to her hometown. Something about it had always creeped her out.
She headed straight to the old library.
The place was dusty and smelt like old books.
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She looked for the book that had her family's name engraved on it and started reading.
After hours she finished and a feeling of dread washed over her.
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According to the book, hundreds of years ago, her great great great great grandfather had promised to marry the most powerful witch in the town, but on the day of the wedding, he never showed up leaving her standing at the altar.
A few days later, the witch found out he had betrayed her and married another. In anger she had cursed him and his generation.
The necklace he gifted her as a promise of their love would be worn by the first born of each generation and they alone would carry the burden of the curse.
Any generation that the first born failed to wear the necklace, all members would suffer unexplainable things.
"I'm really sorry Belly".
Anabella jumped from her seat
She turned to her mother who had materialized, "Why didn't you tell me Mum?. Now I have to wear the necklace for the rest of my life and be haunted? Why didn't grandma pass the necklace down?
Her mother sighed with sadness all over her face, "I had a twin who came into the world first but didn't make it past the first day".
"So you're not the first born of your generation"
Her mother nodded.
"Well, can't we break the curse? What happens if I take it off? Why does the first born have to suffer in it alone".
"Because a child was born a few weeks after the wedding. The witch must have thought it convenient for her past lover to watch his child suffer. If you don't wear it, our entire family could be wiped out. Again I'm sorry Belly".
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It was forbidden to talk about it until you wore the necklace. My mother suffered the plight of two generations as she lost her first daughter".
"I can't live like this Mum, I can't".
"There's a way to break the curse, if you can appeal to the witch's spirit but the only thing is that in order to do so, you'd have to die and be brought back to life with a ritual.
"I'll do it".
"Belly-"
"I said I'll do it".
Everything was set in place, relatives came from far and beyond. No one has ever attempted to break the curse.
The ritual started and her mother said to her, "Remember Belly, you just need her to say the words I forgive you and you have only ten minutes before we won't be able to bring you back" and then everything went black.
She opened her eyes.
The wind blew all around her, with a whistling sound.
"Hello, powerful witch that cursed my family, where are you? I promise I won't take much of your time. I just need you to say the words I forgive and we can both get on with our day".
"You are a brave little one. I'll give you that", a voice spoke behind her.
Anabella turned her head, "You are the powerful witch? Oh".
The witch glared at her, "What do you mean by Oh?"
"I don't know. I just expected you to be more witchy. You know long black hair, powerful glowing staff and all. But it's fine really if you don't roll that way".
The witch looked confused, "Why will I have a glowing staff?"
Anabella stared back at her with a duh expression,"Because every witch needs one. I couldn't kill my phone too. I'd have shown you. Do you guys have any restaurants in the land of the dead? I am starving, I should have eaten something before I let a bunch of people perform a spell to kill me. Anyway, I was supposed to come tell you to say the words I forgive you so I don't get haunted for the rest of my life and have my generations to come suffer the same fate. Am I talking too much? I feel like I'm talking too much. Do you think I'm talking too much?"
"Will you shut up?", the witch screamed, making the wind blow leaves everywhere.
"I am never saying the words I forgive you to you or any of your family".
Anabella smiled triumphantly, "Looks like you just did".
Anabella watched the witch's face go pale before everything went black again.
Her mother wrapped her hand around her hugging tightly, "Did you do it?".
"Yes Mum, I broke the curse".
There were cheers from everyone around.
"How?"
"I talked, I just talked".
After that day, Anabella never took off the necklace. It lost its glow. The crystals didn't sparkle anymore but it was a reminder of everything that her family had gone through and a reminder of the strongest woman she knew.
She just wished she could see her grandma one last time and tell her that.