Skeleton Key of Desires

Lily

Some may say being able to unlock humans' greatest desires would be equivalent to controlling time or becoming invisible. A superpower in the palm of her hand. With the turn of a key, she could unlock anyone's most vulnerable secrets. Just looking into their eyes made them puddy in her hands.

Jewel sighed and opened the box that sat on her nightstand. Every day, doomed to wear the curse around her neck, never knowing when it would truly end for her. She clasped the silver chain around her slender neck, cursing under her breath as she felt the cold metal of the monstrosity hit her chest. She was exhausted from the attraction others felt towards her all because she looked them in the eyes.

The weekend meant relaxing. For Jewel, it meant a day with Lily. Lily came over every weekend like clockwork. At first, Jewel was upset, blaming the key for having friends only because they could use her. But when she heard the explanation straight from Lily's mouth, she changed her perspective.

"I was here before the key was placed into your hands and I will be here afterward. You gave me my first experience with what I never knew I wanted and I will always be grateful to you."

The knock on Jewel's apartment door echoed throughout the small area.

"I'm pretty sure you may have a problem," Jewel said.

She opened the door wide for Lily, letting the brown-eyed girl in. Lily ran her hands through her long blonde locks and looked at Jewel with her doe eyes.

"I may be addicted..."

Lily tried holding on to the pitiful look for a few more seconds but it was useless. She busted into fits of belly laughter and Jewel joined in.

"You really are addicted," Jewel said as she finally caught her breath. She led Lily into the hallway and toward the balcony door.

"I can't help it. This is seriously like a drug," said Lily.

"I wouldn't know," Jewel mumbled under her breath.

She didn't want Lily to know about her jealousy or pain every time she used the key for someone. It wasn't fair that everyone got to experience their deepest desires. Everyone, except her. Something must have flashed across Jewel's face because the next thing Lily said was quite strange.

"Do you want to take a peek?"

"What?" Jewel said.

"My desire hasn't changed in years and you always open the door for me. I want you to peek inside, maybe you will recognize him."

Lily winked as she followed close behind Jewel. Her pupils dilated as she saw Jewel unhook the key from around her neck.

"You know I don't like violating others' privacy,"

"Yes, but I'm giving my best friend special permission."

Lily placed her hands over Jewel's as she said this and smiled a reassuring smile at her. Jewel nodded her head and Lily guided her hands toward the lock on the balcony door, placing the key inside the brass keyhole and twisting the lock. A loud click and the door slightly popping open made Lily's eyes widen. The white light seeped through the opening, only blinding Jewel. But Lily, her eyes never blinked. She was hypnotized. She strutted into the light, tossing her hair over one shoulder and licking her bottom lip. Jewel had permission to peek in this time to see what fantasy awaited Lily and to be completely honest with herself, she was curious.

When the light subsided, she peeked inside and observed Lily wrapped in the arms of a tall, dark, and handsome man. Clothes were already being torn away. The clothes she just had on and his police uniform. They were in her bedroom. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary about this desire. Jewel had seen plenty of desires, especially in the beginning when she looked accidentally into the room she would open. A lot of them would be people in uniforms. Police, military, firemen, and others. The thrill of a protector would captivate anyone, herself included.

Jewel made some coffee while she waited for Lily's fantasy to disintegrate. She rubbed her right ankle, while memories of Ezra popped into her mind. The way his large hand would gently caress her skin as he rubbed in the numbing spray. The way he gently wrapped her ankle in the bandage, taking great care to hold it steady as she would grit her teeth in anticipation of a pain that would never come. Regardless of the way she would daydream about Ezra Gunner, Jewel knew he was only attracted to her for one reason and one reason only. For the same reason, everyone else craved her. The key. It didn't mean she could not enjoy his attention for the time being, even if it wasn't real. But as she heard the balcony door squeal open and the thud of Lily landing in the hallway, Jewel's thoughts shifted from sweet to sour. She could not help but think of Henry and why her ankle was hurt in the first place.

Lily pulled her white blouse down around her abdomen to straighten out the wrinkles as she made her presence known in the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of coffee and joined Jewel at the table, the enormous grin never faltered from her face. Jewel smiled, knowing she could bring happiness to her best friend.

"I never did ask how you got hurt?" Lily asked.

"I tripped and fell," Jewel said.

"And you also lie."

Lily knew Jewel too well and it was of no use lying to her.

"Henry, from accounting, sniffed out the key," Jewel said.

"What did Henry do?"

"Well...he thought he was attracted to me and trapped me in the janitors' closet with him. I had to use the key to escape."

"You need a personal bodyguard when you wear that thing! This is not the first time this has happened!"

"And it won't be the last."

Jewel said the last sentence, staring off into the distance. She always wondered if her grandmother had dealt with the same issues that she was dealing with.

"At least Henry got what he wanted and won't be back like most of the others, right?" Lily asked.

"Wrong, he found me as I was leaving work, but I don't really know what he wanted because Ezra rushed me out," Jewel said.

"Good for Ezra, I'm glad that man got you out of there. Speaking of that man..."

"Lily, don't," Jewel said.

"I was just going to say he is a good-looking man and he would make a perfect bodyguard for you,"

"As great as that sounds, he's my boss and my boss, only."

As Jewel drank her coffee she daydreamed about what it would be like to have Ezra Gunner by her side. Protecting her. Daydreams were the skeleton key to her desires.