The Necklace

School started at 7:30am. It was a terrible hour to be awake, especially in October. The air was chilly and the ground licked by frost, and there would be no warmth to melt it away until noon. Worse yet, Zariah had to wake up at six o'clock in the morning if she wanted to get to school on time. While she enjoyed the freedom of being able to walk to school, it came at a price. A cold, miserable, early morning price.

Still, that morning was slightly different. To warm her up, Zariah had an early morning challenge: Asking her mother about Halloween. She woke earlier than usual so that she could catch her mother before the older woman went to work. Zariah's mother worked very hard and was out of the house by 6:30 most mornings. At what job she worked, Zariah didn't really know. All she knew was that it required early mornings and late evenings.

She only had time to slip on her slippers and brush her teeth. Downstairs, Zariah heard the jingle of her mother's car keys. It was her cue to pause her own morning routine and race downstairs, or else risk missing her mother. As she hurried to the kitchen, Zariah felt her nerves waking up. She had not dared ask about Halloween since she was thirteen. It had also been a disaster. Her mother had yelled at her and started crying, and begged Zariah not to be so curious about such a dangerous Holiday. But that had been three years ago. Zariah was sixteen now and a freshmen in High School. Surely that was enough to reassure her paranoid mother.

With this hopeful logic in mind, Zariah touched down on the first floor. The house had an open concept for the kitchen and living room, with the staircase facing the invisible boundary between the two spaces. The floors were made of a cheap fake wood and the walls painted light green. Morning light flooded the two rooms, while a warm artificial light guided Zariah's eyes to her mother. The woman was crouched over the kitchen island and reading something on her phone. Visibly, Zariah and her mother had very little in common. One was rather short, while the older woman was quite tall. Zariah had chestnut brown hair that reached her shoulders, but her mother had short black hair cropped below the ear. Mother had a natural tanned complexion, while daughter was pale and freckled. What they did have in common were their brown eyes… and phone covers. They both had hot pink covered for their cell phones, which they had bought together. Despite her mom's quirks, Zariah did love her and took pride in their strong bond. Hopefully, that strong bond would lead to some compromise.

Zariah tiptoe'd into the kitchen, mindful not to surprise her mother. Mrs Croft had her lips pressed together and a look of total concentration across her face. Whatever she was reading on that phone of hers must have been very important. Once she was closer, Zariah softly cleared her throat to get attention. Despite her best efforts not to surprise her mom, the shorter haired woman did flinch and yelp when she looked up.

"Oh, stars! Zariah?! Up before her alarm?" Her mother cried out in mock-surprise. "I usually have to drag you out of bed by your ankles!"

The teasing was not missed on Zariah, but it was none the less embarrassing. "Not true, mom. I haven't needed your help getting up since High School."

"You've also been late at least seven times." Teased Mrs Croft. "But alright. Out with it."

Zariah closed her mouth tight. She hadn't even asked a question yet, had she? So why was her mother being so accusing?

"You never get up at this hour unless you want something from me." Mrs Croft explained, "So, what is it? Need money for something?"

"What? N-No way." Zariah stuttered, "Come on, mom. I don't wake up to beg you for money."

Mrs Croft lifted a skeptical eyebrow.

"… Well. Not all of the time." Zariah corrected herself sheepishly. "But that's not important right now! I… I wanted something else."

"Of course you did." Mrs Croft chuckled. She stepped away to fetch a cup of coffee, leaving her phone upright on the granite-topped island. Zariah followed after her, the gears in her brain turning fast even without a caffeine boost. Her mother seemed to be in a good mood, at least. Maybe this wouldn't end so poorly after all.

"Do you need something for school?" Mrs Croft prompted.

Zariah gasped, "Yes!" It wasn't a lie, after all. While she hoped to get Halloween permissions in general, the school festival was a logical start. Maybe if she spun the question as being about school first, she could get Trick-or-Treating second. With this strategy in mind, Zariah felt more confident in her asking.

"Yes, it's for school."

Mrs Croft began pouring two cups of coffee as Zariah came to stand next to her. "You see, I want to go to the Halloween Festival—"

There was a crashing noise. Glass shards and hot coffee flew in all directions when Mrs Croft dropped the coffee pot. Zariah stepped back in surprise, yelping when she felt cuts slice across the tops of her feet. Her mother remained motionless and silent for a few seconds longer. Then, as quickly as the accident had occurred, she snapped out of her daze.

"Absolutely not." Her voice came out sternly, in an almost dark tone.

"Wh, what?" Zariah stumbled on her own words, "Why not?"

"Because I said so, Zariah." Despite the punishing tone, Mrs Croft knelt down in front of her daughter with gentle care. She had already grabbed a wet napkin and was dabbing the blood off of Zariah's bare ankles. It was hard to tell which hurt Zariah more in that moment: The cuts, or the denied permission.

"But, mom…" Zariah started in a desperate tone, "It's a big deal at school. The elementary schoolers come and we all hand out candy…"

"You are not going, Zariah." Mrs Croft repeated firmly. "How many times do I have to remind you? Halloween is dangerous."

"It's for school, mom. School isn't dangerous." Zariah argued, "Besides, I'm sixteen now. I can take care of myself for one night. And—"

"Zariah." Her mother's cold voice cut her off. Zariah's shoulders sunk in defeat from the tone alone. She had known from the start that she would likely lose this argument, but it was upsetting all the same.

Perhaps her mother noticed this. It wasn't as if Mrs Croft took pleasure in arguing with her daughter, and she found no extra joy in winning those arguments. For a brief moment, Zariah thought her mother even looked disappointed. Not in the fact Zariah had spoken up, but disappointed in the way this argument ended.

With a sigh, Mrs Croft drove a final nail in the question's coffin: "You absolutely must not— and I really mean, must NOT,— go to the school on Halloween. Understand me? I'll write you a doctor's note so that you don't lose points at school."

Zariah sighed as well, "Yes, mom. I know. I was just hoping…"

With her head hung, Zariah could not see the guilt in her mother's expression. Mrs Croft averted her gaze from her disappointed daughter. There was awkward sadness between them and it was beginning to fill up the room. In a quick attempt to bring a carefree air back into the kitchen, Mrs Croft exclaimed loudly, "But! Speaking of October traditions!"

"Oh…" Zariah lifted her head, her expression falling from disappointment to disgust. "Right. It's that time of the year again."

"Sure is!" Mrs Croft sang out gleefully, as if the argument had never happened. Her steps seemed to contain a dance as she swept towards the kitchen closet. The very closet that Zariah was certain she would spend Halloween hiding in. Her mother took a box from one of the pantry shelves and then brought that box back to Zariah. She set it lightly on the island, then swiftly removed the lid.

"Which one do you want this year, dear? I thought you might want a selection this time!"

"Ohhh boyyy." Zariah groaned unenthusiastically. Because there was one last Halloween-ish tradition shared between her mother and her… And that was her October pendent. From October 1st until October 31st, Zariah had to wear a tacky crystal necklace. She didn't know why exactly: Just that it had to be done. It put her mother's mind at ease, apparently. Something to do with "protecting" her. Though, how a piece of rock would protect her, Zariah did not know.

She peered into the box and saw a selection of five necklaces. They were all equally tacky: Big ol'crystals of various colours, set in old, rusty metal with weird engravings. Zariah hated all of them. They would be heavy around her neck and they looked like old lady jewelry… But she as much as she hated the necklaces, she loved her mom more. So she picked a rusted silver necklace with a shiny pink stone, and slipped the thick chain around her neck.

Mrs Croft smiled.

"Lovely choice, dear. I'll just put these ones away for now." Picking up the box, she added, "You're welcome to switch if that one doesn't match your outfit tomorrow!"

"Ohh yaay." Matching didn't matter to Zariah. She would stuff the stone under her shirt and wear a scarf, so that absolutely no one would see it. If she didn't get teased for the lack of Halloween spirit, Zariah was certain she would get bullied for the ugly necklace. And then her over-sensitive mother would make them move again.

"Now then." With the box back in the pantry, Mrs Croft turned her attention to the remaining mess of spilt coffee and broken glass. "Why don't you go bandage your foot, Zariah, dear? I've got to clean this up and go to work. And you need to get ready for school."

"Oh, right!" Zariah gasped, "I do! Thanks, mom! See you after school!"

"Mmhmm. Have a nice day, Zariah." Mrs Croft agreed, "And please, do remember: No Halloween."