The Necklace

         Deep in the woods laid a necklace made of gold that once belonged to a sweet natured girl. She left it there to remind her of all the memories left behind in those woods. We follow the trail that takes us to the place where she first met him. They had the sweetest love and this is how their story goes.
         One day in late September she was going for her daily walk in the woods. She was being her usual ditzy self, spinning around in the ray of sunshine that shone through the trees when she heard an unusual noise. She heard footsteps coming fast behind her. Then a boy yelled right as she hit the ground. Screaming she pushes a huge dog off of her. The boy scolds the dog and helps the frightened girl to her feet. She questions him saying “What are you doing here?” and “This is private property you know!” and “Your dog could have killed me!” He responds with laughter and apologizes for his dog’s misbehavior. After setting things straight, they go their separate ways.
         For the next few days she cannot get him out of her mind, the look on his face, his smug little grin, and those beautiful green eyes. She started going back to that place by the creek more often hoping to run into him again. On a rainy day she arrives in that place and he was waiting for her. She approaches him cautiously and says hello. He pauses for a while then looks up to her and says “I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I wanna make you mine and show you off to the entire world.” She backs away from him and looks at him like he is stupid. She was not beautiful. She wore sweatpants more than jeans, t-shirts more than tank-tops, she had never worn makeup in her life, and he was saying she was beautiful. She goes to walk away from him and he grabs her by her arm and kisses her sweetly. They lock eyes and he says, “Stay with me.”
         From that day forward they spent day and night together. Young love turned into a long marriage. Days turned into years and they lived happily ever after. I wish this could be true. After 50 years of marriage, three kids later, and a long life together their house was consumed with flames that killed her sweet husband. She was devastated and her kids knew she wouldn’t live much longer without him.
         A year later she went back to the place where they first met. She replayed all of their precious memories in her head. All the smiles and laughs and the memories that they made were gone. She couldn’t last another day without him. After days without her return, her son went looking for her. He found her lying in a ray of sunshine and the necklace her husband gave her hanging on a limb. He left the necklace be and buried his mother in that same spot where she first met him.