THE TALISMANS

grounded

Christine woke up yawning, it's been so long since she slept well. Her grandmother's remedy worked. Well not really remedy but the necklace worked

She stood up from her bed and did her morning routine.

"Hey family". She shouted as she ran into the dinning.

"Looks like someone woke well today don't you think". Her mother teased and Christine smiled.

" I know mother I feel alive. I finally woke up with no pestering dreams". She laughed.

"Looks like Grandma's remedy worked. I'm happy I didn't wake up cause some crazy girl screamed". Her brother said taking a loaf of bread into his mouth.

"Yeah dude the least you could do is blame me for shouting". Christine said with a frown.

"Okay family that's enough bickering let's just thank God the house woke up quietly today". Her father said.

"Mike!!".

"Dad!!". Christine and her mother both said.

"I'm sorry, it's just that it's being long I woke up without someone screaming my ears off".

Christine pouted and took her seat.

Minutes later they were done with breakfast and Christine waited for Gareth to come.

***************

Carolyn groaned as her head throbbed. "Very bad headache" she muttered and touched her sour head. Hangovers where never good. She stood up From the bed heading towards the bathroom. That was when she noticed the bathroom was at the other side of the room. What the hell. When did her bathroom move. Didn't it use to be here. She looked around the room very well this time. This wasn't her room. It was totally different. Was she kidn*pped. But kidnappers don't treat their guest this way. They would put her in a dungeon right.

She walked to the door and pulled the knob slowly. It wasn't locked. It was opened. Where the kidnappers expecting her to come out.

She sneaked into the Walk way. As quiet as she could making sure not to make any noise with her legs. Well what the hell she wasn't wearing any shoes. So her bear legs wouldn't make a sound.

She reached the stairs and still no one was in sight. kidnappers don't leave their prisoners unguarded right. Was this a trap. Well if it's a trap she was falling right into it.

She walked down the stairs and noticed two big couches at the Corner. Had she reached the leaving room. But whoever kidn*pped her. Had a lot of money to be able to acquire such a big house.

She came down from the stairs and sighted a person's back. Whoever it was. She doesn't want to find out and at least she sighted the door that led outside but how was she going to pass through the person without whoever noticing. It's worth a try.

She sneaked to the door and was about to open it when she heard a familiar voice.

"Not even a thank you uhhh, Carolyn".

She gasped "Gareth"!. She turned to look at him. Now she could see why she thought the person had a huge body frame.

"How did I get here". Was the first question she asked and Gareth frowned.

"So after I saved you all i get is. How did I get here". He mimicked her voice Carolyn sighed.

"Okay Gareth thank you but how did I get here".

"Simple I brought you here"

Gareth replied with a smirk. "And it was kind of hard to get you out of your dress. It was pretty tight".

Carolyn gasped. "You did what now?. You what?. You did what?". She asked unbelievably.

"I said I changed your clothes for you". Carolyn's cheek turned crimson red. Does that mean he saw her naked.

"You know I could sue you for assault right. How dare you change my clothes without my consent". She suddenly turned angry and Gareth smirk grew wider. That was when she noticed him eating and her stomach growled. She had not eating anything since she walked out of her father's office.

"You would Sue me for helping you out of a cloth that made you suffocate I mean you couldn't sleep in it. You kept shouting. Gareth get me out of this. It's f*****g tight. I can't breath. Get me out of it. I pitied you and helped you out and now you're saying you would Sue me. The good Samaritan".

Carolyn scoffed. "I would never say words like that. I mean I probably had no idea where I was or who I was with. So it's called an abuse. You made use of my state".

"Well your red lacy pant was on fire last night". Gareth said trying to make her more angry. The colour drained from her face as she heard what he said. He saw her naked. He took advantage of her.

"Damn you Gareth, I never thought you were like that. Christine probably keeps bad friends".

Gareth smirk turned to a frown.

"You don't know anything Carolyn stop talking about Christine like that. Do you really think I had the guts to change your clothes".

Carolyn looked at him. "Maybe your

saying the truth, then who changed my clothes cause I can't see anyone present". She asked in anger.

Gareth called out a maid.

"Patty". A maid came running from the other room.

"Who changed her clothes". Gareth asked.

"I did master". The maid answered and Carolyn turned red in guilt. Gareth had only been teasing her. Gosh she feels so ungrateful.

"You can go". Gareth told the maid who nodded and went away.

"I'm sorry". Carolyn said immediately.

"Uhh what was that" Gareth asked placing his right hand behind he's ear.

Carolyn scoffed. "I said I'm sorry". She repeated and Gareth smiled.

"Go back to the room you came out from and make yourself up. You look horrible". Gareth waved his hand around her body. "Be fast we were late for school".

Carolyn wanted to argue that she could go to school alone but the look Gareth gave her made her change her mind and walked back to the room she came out from.

Last night

Arthur was as confused as the third party. He was seeing people in shadows moving around the room. But his friend's were saying the opposite, he wasn't going crazy was he.

"It's right there can't you see it, please tell me I'm not the only one seeing things".

"I don't know man. Maybe you need to cool of a bit". Drake Replied and Arthur frowned.

"you think I don't want to go. The door won't open I think it's stuck". Arthur said.

"Okay guys let's go check it out. Maybe the door is really locked". Said Drake who stood up immediately followed by Arthur and a few other of his friends who grumbled before standing up to follow them. They all reached the door and Drake tried pulling it open but it remained stuck. "You see I told you it was locked".

"But I didn't lock it". Luke said and tried opening it again. "I never locked it and by the way even if it is locked the keys are with my brother and he's not coming home any where from now". Luke answered.

"Great now I'm stuck here. Great". Arthur shouted through the loud music.

"Uhm Luke don't you have like a big window or something. A window he could climb out". Drake asked and Arthur's eye lit up.

"Yeah man do you have a window close to the floor".

"yes I do but it's risky what if he looses balance and falls down". Luke replied.

"No man I won't, besides I'd rather be anywhere but here. This place is starting to freak me out". Arthur shouted as he saw the ghost move around the room. It looked like they were smirking at him. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible.

"Okay man of you say so, follow me" Luke said and took them passed a bunch of teenagers who had Drank their self to stupor. They reached the window and opened it. Cold air flew to the direction of Arthur and he shivered. He looked out the window and what he saw made him hold his breath.

Monsters, they were staring at him directly and waving their hands at him to jump down.

Arthur looked frustrated. He couldn't tell his friends he was seeing another monster. They didn't see the ones in the room so why would they see this one. Besides, if they could see it they'll probably be freaking out. he couldn't risk it could he. What if he jumps down and they kill him. He suddenly had an idea. If he's friends were watching they couldn't kill him right. At least he's friends would see him shouting for help. With that he climbed down and stood right infront of the monsters who were now laughing at him.

"You've met your doom son of man. Join is now or you'll die. We will never let you become a talisman. Never"!. One shouted and they all ran towards him but the strangest thing happened. Before he could think of running he saw the light or maybe shield. It covered him like a round ball immediately and the monsters were thrown back with a misterious force that they stumbled and fell in a weird position. He gasped as the monsters groaned in pain. Did he do it or what.

One monster stood up back, anger evident in his look.

"You have the talisman already I see. But beware son of man. It can't keep you safe forever. Remember that talisman. It can't keep you safe forever". And they all turned to mist immediately. Arthur woke up from his trance and looked back up to find his friends staring at him.

"Are you planning to sleep there or what". Darker shouted.

Arthur sighed. The fools didn't even see what he just experienced.

"I'm going now Guys, you can go back to the party". He shouted and his friends nodded and went out of sight. Now to face his mother. God help him she should be asleep and not awake waiting for him when he comes back home. Today was hell. Of cause if he listened And stayed at home like his mother had said he wouldn't have faced all this rubbish.

Arthur reached his house and passed through his window ,into his room. It was awfully dark from the way he left it.

"So where are you coming from young man". He heard he's mother voice and almost stumbled to the floor in fear. He was caught. There was no lying where he had been so he decided to go for the one thing he knew he could say. The truth.

*I was at Luke's party. But I promise I was only there for thirty minutes".

He's mother scoffed. "Was that supposed to reduce your punishment. You promised me Arthur, you said you weren't going anywhere yet you went".

"I'm sorry Mom, I had to. I couldn't miss the party".

"Are you hearing yourself young man. What if something bad had happened to you. Would you be talking about a foolish party."

"Mom I'm sorry it won't happen again".

"Of course it wouldn't. You're grounded. No internet for a month".

"Mom no".

"Yes Arthur, no parties for a month also".

"Mom please you can't ground me now. Please".

"It's final, you should have thought of that Before you decided to go against me".

" I've learnt my lesson. I shouldn't have trusted you". His mother walked out of his room and Arthur sighed. This is so f****d up.

************************

Morning.

Christine waited for Gareth to come and she smiled immediately she sighted he's car. Oh she couldn't wait to tell him how she had a wonderful sleep without any nightmares.

Gareth parked and waited for Christine to enter.

"Oh you won't believe it gare......." she stopped talking immediately she saw Carolyn in the car. "What the hell is this witch doing here".

christine shouted in disgust.

"yeah I was just saying the same thing". Carolyn answered her.