Nov.25.06.

Love Necklace

"Charlotte!" Mother Mary boomed as her big voice echoed through the halls, "Time to sweep the front lawn." Charlotte moaned as she slowly stood up and stumbled towards the broom, still drowsy from her sleep. She knew it was useless trying to escape so she obeyed Mother Mary without question. As she walked through the narrow corridors of the orphanage, she felt for her necklace. Waves of memories flashed in her mind as she thought about the day her mother died. In her dying hands, she gave her a necklace that they put all their love for each other into. After her mother's death, her father became very abusive. Every night she would cry herself to sleep. Each day, when she couldn't take it anymore, she would feel for her necklace that gave her the confidence to stay. But one day, her father came home drunk and woozy and started harassing her so she escaped, wandering on the streets with no place to call home. She walked and walked until she stumbled upon the gates of the orphanage. There, Mother Mary took her in as an orphan and at last she felt at home. But that was many summers ago and now, as she grew, so did Mother Mary's feelings. Now that she was a young woman, Mother Mary had become very abusive if you didn't listen to her. The only thing that kept her from escaping was the fear of death, her necklace, and Henri.

She had met Henri a few summers back and they became great friends. As time went on they became lovers and shared everything together. Many nights they would spend the night together and chat about theirs lives. They always treasured their time together and had lots of fun.

"Charlotte!!!" Mother Mary screamed at the top of her lungs "Get down here! NOW!!!" Charlotte jolted back to reality and quickly ran towards the broom to start her task of sweeping the front lawn.

That night…

As the orphan's were eating dinner there was lots of chatter and laughter in the room but as Mother Mary appeared, all fell to a harsh silence. She laughed heartily and said in an almost commanding voice,

"Eat, eat! We don't want you starving now do we?" She laughed loudly at her own joke, and there were a few forced laughs from the others but that was all. As the orphans sat and ate their dinner, Mother Mary walked around with her arms crossed inspecting other orphans and barking commands. As she arrived at the place Charlotte was eating she saw that Charlotte was eating rather roughly and spilt many odds and ends of food onto the ground. Her tunic was also stained with oil from the food. Mother Mary was furious at the sight and slapped Charlotte across the face with all her strength leaving harsh red marks. Then Mother Mary started babbling about how it's unhealthy to waste food and how you're lucky to even have food. Nobody listened, but they were all

concentrated on Charlotte and how she would handle this situation. She stood up and with her head down; she slowly walked to Mother Mary and apologized. The other orphans all thought Mother Mary would embrace Charlotte saying how sorry she was. However they were very wrong. Mother Mary slapped Charlotte once again across the face and screamed in her deafening voice,

"How dare you even look at me! Go to your room at once and repent at what you've done!"

Sorry-faced Charlotte walked back to her room and that she night cried herself to sleep. But in the morning as she felt for her necklace she no longer felt the happiness and memories for Mother Mary as she once had and she thought about escaping the orphanage with Henri. She was determined to make a dream come true that day.

That day as the orphans were busy with their chores Charlotte tried to sneak to the place where Henri was working. She had scribbled him a note while she was making dinner and she had tried to make it the best she could and it sounded something like this:

My beloved Henri: Please meet me in my room, tonight. We need to talk. Yours forever Charlotte

That night they came together in Charlotte's room and Charlotte told Henri about her plans to escape. Charlotte was very scared and when she talked about how everybody abused her she burst into tears and Henri held and cradled her in his arms trying to comfort her. They decided that they would go with their plan and run away. They both grasped the necklace and prayed that all would go well. They knew road was fell of perils but even for a day of freedom with each other they would risk everything they had and will have. As they separated and they went to their rooms, deep-down in their hearts they both knew that the plan wasn't going to work. A false feeling of safeness covered them because now they had each other.

The next day they hurried through their chores waiting for the day to end so that they could start finally start their escape. Every time she thought about it a shiver went through her body and she became excited and scared all over.

"Charlotte!" Henri called out through the rain "Come over here!"

As she walked out the back door she could hear Henri calling for her. That night a downpour started and at first she was reluctant to come out but as the night grew on the rain showed no sign of stopping so she packed her belongings and walked out into the rain. With her bag above her head she ran towards Henri crying out in a loud voice

"Henri here I am, let's be on our way dear."

The two walked and walked until they could go on no more and they slowly staggered into the inn asking for a place to stay.

"Ten alms a night!" the innkeeper hissed. Henri opened his purse and put in his hand 12 alms.

"Keep the change my good man." Henri said joyfully, that night they crept into bed without a worry in the world.

The next morning the two awoke to the sound of horse beats, and then a sharp knocking at their door.

" Town Guard!" the voice announced. "Open up now! I know you're in there, the two orphans that escaped from the orphanage, am I right? Must be hard sleeping on the same bed, eh." The Town Guard added mockingly. At that the town guard rushed and opened split the door to pieces. He then roughly grabbed them, but Henri took the Guard's neck and squeezed it hard and strained to instruct Charlotte in all the commotion.

"Quickly, run away from here, and I'll come for you some day." But he was too late and another guard came in and tied them together. They nailed a sign saying:

Orphans Charlotte and Henri are to be executed tomorrow at noon.

Town Guard

"Nice try orphans!" were what filled Charlotteand Henri's ears as the Town Guard took them out to the wagon the next day at the execution. They were scared and their hearts were racing as they came out into the open, in the wagon. As the wagon neared the stage of their death a man came upon the stage and wished them a good life in wherever they may go Heaven or Hell.

Then they tied the two orphans to a cross and as the axe came down they both cried in unison,

"FREEDOM!" Charlotte threw her necklace up into the sky. As the axe came down so did her necklace and as the axe cut her throat the necklace cracked into a million pieces onto the ground where the first drop of blood from Charlotte had spilt so the glass became stained from the blood.

But………………………………….endless…………………………………………love?

THE END

By: Matthew Gao