Emersyn's Pendant

By Shelly Small

*Contains trigger warnings*

One person dead
One alive
Both have one thing in common
a pendant.

The body count continues to rise.
Will the latest victim be the last
with the help from the past?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shelly Small
• Release date: Aug 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201482688

Book preview

PROLOGUE

My life was perfect or as much as it could be. My mom and dad were still alive and happily married. They were the couple I strived to be, once I found the one, I would end up with. We had Sunday brunch together just to get caught up on each other’s lives.

I had great friends, some of them I’ve known since we were in grade school. We did everything together…well not everything, but close enough. We made promises to each other that we would be in each other’s lives till the day we died. I couldn’t ask for any better people in my life.

I had a job that I loved. Getting to work with others gave me a sense of fulfillment that I don’t think I could get from a typical office job. I worked as a nurse in a pediatric hospital.

My boyfriend was the love of my life even though we hadn’t been together that long…at least I thought he was…unfortunately, none of that matters anymore.

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My name is Emersyn…and this is how I died.

Twelve hours earlier…

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After a tough week, Emersyn pulled into the driveway of her little slice of heaven. She put her vehicle in park, turned off the engine, and opened her door. Stepping out of her truck, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and felt all her tension leave her body as she exhaled.

Emersyn lost a patient a few days ago and she didn’t take it too well. When she needed to center herself, she came to her family’s cabin. It was her oasis from being an adult. During this time, she would grieve and when she returned back to work, Emersyn would be able to care for her patients once again.

She opened her eyes and looked around. The lake was crystal clear today and always had a calming effect on her. She could see that her parents had been around recently as the yard had been taken care of. Emersyn grabbed her purse, shut her door then went around to the passenger side to grab her duffle.

After gathering all her things, Emersyn headed toward the cabin. She unlocked the door, and walked straight forward to her bedroom where she dropped off her bags. Emersyn then went to the kitchen to see what she would need for food from the store. She knew her parents had been here recently but didn’t know what they had left behind. As she looked into the freezer and the refrigerator, Emersyn wrote down the items she would need for her time here.

After closing the door, she made her way to the pantry and took inventory of the items, anything extra she may want she had to pick them up as well. With the list in her hands, she grabbed her purse, and left in pursue of the small general store at the heart of town.

Emersyn drove down the windy road a little way from her family’s cabin toward the tiny town where she would be able to get the supplies she needed. As she drove, whisps of memories filled her mind of the times when she was little and her family would come for weekend getaways. The thoughts put a smile on her face as she parked in front of the store.

Getting out of her vehicle, hairs on the back of her neck started to stand on end and she had the feeling of being watched. Emersyn brushed it off as some of the locals’ curious stares. She went up to the automatic doors, and as they opened a blast of cold air hit her in the face. It wasn’t hot enough in her opinion to have the air on. The bell dinged as she got into the store signaling another customer had entered the building.

She grabbed a cart and looked around gathering the items on her list. Since she’d been here plenty of times, Emersyn knew where everything was located. As she went back to the front, she spotted the ice cream section and paused to see what they had.

Finding rocky road, she opened the door and grabbed a pint. She knew she didn’t need it but she figured what the hell. With the list complete; Emersyn went to the register. She was unloading the cart and didn’t notice who was ringing her up until she heard, Emersyn…is that you?

She looked up and saw a guy around her age and he was tall, broad shoulders with green eyes and dirty blonde hair. Emersyn furrowed her browns, cocked her head to the side, and looked at the man in front of her trying to remember him. Then as if a light bulb went off above her head she said, Travis, is that you? Wow…it’s been ages since I’ve seen you.

Travis smiled at her and the dimple on his right cheek came out. She had always thought he was good looking but they never did anything. Bad timing. Emersyn continued to put her items on the counter as she asked, How have you been?

Good. I finished college and came back to help out the parents but ended up staying and taking over the store. How are you? How long are you in town for?

I’m good. I’m a nurse at a children’s hospital. I’ll be here for about a week give or take.

Well, maybe one of the nights we can catch up? he asked as he bagged her groceries.

That sounds like fun. You remember which cabin is mine right?

Sure, I do. I drive by it on my way home. I own the cabin a few down from yours, he said as he winked at her.

I guess just come by one night and we’ll hang out by the pit.

Sound like a plan…maybe tomorrow night, I have something planned with the parentals tonight.

I’ll be waiting for you then, she said as she paid for her groceries.

Travis put the bags into the cart for her and they said their goodbyes. Wow. Travis got sexier as he got older. I can’t wait, she thought to herself as she pushed the cart through the door of the store.

As Emersyn put the bags into her truck, she had the feeling of being watched again. She discreetly looked around and didn’t see anyone near or looking in her direction. Once the bags were inside, she closed the door and got into the driver’s side and started to make her way back towards her oasis.

She thought she saw a familiar vehicle a few cars behind her but couldn’t be certain as she knew that he didn’t know about this place. Emersyn never brought anyone here so it could be her little get away with no one to bother her.

As she parked her truck in the driveway, she looked in the rearview mirror to see if she could see who was driving the other vehicle. Unfortunately, they sped up past her drive and she couldn’t see who it was. Emersyn got out of her truck went to open the cabin door before she went back to grab the groceries.

Once she had everything put in their proper place, Emersyn decided to go layout in the sun for a few hours while it was still warm. Summer wasn’t here yet, but next to the water the sun at its highest will still give her a slight tan. Then she can come back in cook dinner, relax and maybe watch a movie.

Emersyn had been outside tanning in the sun for a few hours. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and never went down the entire time she’s been outside. She kept trying to figure out where or who was watching her, but didn’t see anyone.

Deciding it was time, she stood up wrapped her towel around her waist, grabbed her book and water bottle and headed up the path back inside. She put her things on the table and went to her room to take a shower.

Once she was out of the shower and dressed, she went back to the kitchen and gathered the things to make herself dinner. Emersyn made her way into the living room and turned on the television for a little background noise.

Emersyn got lost in cooking and thinking about the soul that she lost a few days ago. She knew in her heart that she had done everything she could to try and save her, but for some reason it wasn’t meant to be. It still bothered her about how it happened though. The patient was getting better and was expected to leave the hospital next week then out of the blue the code came.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she remembered the little girl who captured her heart. Emersyn would find herself talking about her to her friends. They tried to cheer her up as they always would when she lost a patient, but this time it wasn’t enough. She asked for a week off to process this and of course she had the weekends off already so they allowed her the time.

She plated her food, grabbed her drink and went over to the couch to eat in front of the television. Emersyn knew her parents didn’t like it when she ate in the living room, but she figured they wouldn’t find out this one time. Picking up the remote, she looked for a movie to watch. She found an older movie You’ve Got Mail and decided it was exactly what she needed.

Earlier he’d watched her shuffle around in her apartment. He’d patiently waited for her to return home. Now that she’s here, he knew that his plan would come to fruition. He