The Endless Knot

After school I went directly home, tired and, for some weird reason, paranoid. I felt someone watching my every move but every time I looked behind, there wasn’t anything.

“I’m home!”

No one responded, sign that dad wasn’t home yet. I walked upstairs and directly to my room. I jumped on my bed and sighed. This day freaked me out. I put my hand under the pillow and felt something like metal. I took it out to see a pendant in the form of a knot. I watched it closely, inspected it and found something. Two initials.

“S…and N…”I jumped and put it behind my back when I heard the front door open. I heard someone’s steps on the stairs, ascending, and soon enough, Nate’s face appeared at my doorway. “Where have you been? You sure weren’t at school.”

He didn’t say a word, just stared.

“Just, around.” I beckoned him to come and sit next to me on the bed. He complied, even if it was terribly slow.

“Remember what happened in the morning?” I nodded.

“Have you found anything?”

Nate stared at Stella’s face, not sure if he should tell her or not. In the end he chose the latter of options. It wasn’t the time yet. She would get scared.

“No. Just old documents about the town.”

I nodded, a little unconvinced.

“Have you talked with Eric?” I shook my head.

“He said I should go back to my friends.” Nate raised an eyebrow and started spacing out. I stood there, the newly found pendant in my hand.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” I looked up at Nate. He was staring at something outside my balcony. “We just moved here and things happen.”

“Like what? This thing with Eric? That’s nothing.”

Nate shook his head. “Stella, we’ve been here for about three days and people went missing. It may sound like a horror movie but their bodies haven’t been found.” I chuckled.

“And we’re vampires, right? I’m Bella and you’re Edward, right? Or I’m Elena and you’re Stefan…and Eric is Damon or what?” While I was making fun of the situation Nate glared at me.

“I’m serious! This is not one of your stupid fictional books!” I flinched. I’ve never seen Nate so stressed in my life. He took a big breath and let it out slowly, closing his eyes. When he opened them, there was something else. His green eyes were fiery and not in a good sense.

“Nate…?” I couldn’t put my hand on his back because I felt my hand burning. I opened it to see the pendant burning my skin. It was red, like fire. I dropped it on the bed and it slowly turned back to its original color. Nate’s eyes were now on the pendant as well. He tried to hold it but it was still hot.

When he finally got a hold of it he glanced at me.

“This is the Endless knot. An ancient symbol representing the interweaving of the Spiritual path, the flowing of Time and Movement within. Which is Eternal. An eternal binding. What’s this?” He took it closer to his eyes and inspected it. “S…and N.” His eyes opened wide. “S…” His eyes traveled to me. “Stella.” I looked at him curiously. “And N…from Nathan. Everything makes sense…Stella and Nathan, bound to an eternal brotherhood…” I raised an eyebrow. “Where did you get it from?”

I shrugged. “I found it under my pillow when I arrived home.” He nodded. For him, everything made sense. It would be sweet if he would tell me what he was thinking too. While being in my own thoughts I didn’t realize Nate was getting up and walking to the door.

“Oh. I’m sorry for blowing up like that.”

I smiled and winked. He shook his head while smirking and left, the pendant going with him. This day can’t get weirder.

It was late at night when I felt watched again. I looked in every direction but I couldn’t see anything. There was nothing wrong with my room but still, something was different. I got up from the chair, I was doing homework, and walked to the balcony. When I opened the doors I felt paranoid again, the feeling of someone watching me intensified.

I heard a noise and turned to see the ouroboros pendant glow a fiery red again. Hearing something drop, I turned back to see water, no, blood. I screamed. Nate was by my side in the next second.

“Stella! Are you alright?!”

I was on my knees shaking. I didn’t know blood made me so weak, it clearly didn’t before. I was staring at the place I previously saw the blood, but there wasn’t any. Nate’s arms were tightly around my still shaking shoulders. “Stella?” I shook my head and kept it down.

“What’s happening, Nate?” I raised my head and looked in the distance. “I feel…different. Since we moved here I feel watched. I’ve always been able to feel presences before seeing them but now…it drives me crazy.” Nate sighed and hugged me close.

“I know. I’m sorry. Everything will be alright. I promise you.” I nodded and let myself lay on Nate’s chest, feeling safe.