The Necklace

The Necklace

My eyes opened,it was just me and the necklace

I stood looking outside the window,a perfect purple crystal heart

It was like a purple petal,a pressed butterfly

Or a purple firework making me gasp

I remember the lavender fields I once saw outside a plane window

On my holidays ,spiritual,special,so beautiful

I always hoped to find a purple starfish on the beach

It was like the juice of a purple berry.I could taste it

My fingers pointing,one day,I thought

Everyday I went passed that window,holding on to the coins in my pocket

After paying my rent and buying scraps of food,I barely had enough to buy

Dancing shoes.I worked as a seamstress,the hours were long,but with a single

Golden thread I held on to my dreams and soldiered on

One day when I stepped on the bus,it was a different driver.

His eyes were blue,his skin was golden,everyday was a holiday!

I imagined lying next to him,

Watching him breathe

He was always smiling,very polite,looked like he would be

Good in a fight!Tough and handsome.I wondered if he had noticed me

I started putting my hair in ringlets,wearing a little red lip stick

I just didn’t want to get off the bus!

One day,I found myself alone on the bus,trying to think of a conversation

Then,the engine stopped,the lights went out right in the countryside

We were alone,and there were no mobile phones!

I couldn’t have dreamed a more perfect situation!

All I had to do now was talk!

‘Hi ,my name is Jasmine,what has happened to the bus?’

‘I think we have broken down’Hi my name is Jake’

‘What can we do now?!I said

‘We may have to walk to the nearest house or farm,it may be a few miles!’

‘Oh,dear’I said.We both laughed and smiled

He said ‘here take my hand ,I think there’s going to be mud’!

I thought if we both fell in the mud,it wouldn’t be so bad!

The Stars

But the stars didn’t fail us,in secret,I held up my hand to wear them

I came across some purple violets in the field and remembered that crystal heart.

We were both lost and really cold.

I suggested we made a fire,I had so many butterflies but I think he felt it too.

The flames were high and we slowly kissed.

His hands around my waist

When the noon came,so did the sun

Oranges and lemons in the sky,and a strawberry patch, yum!

We decided to have a walk,and we were holding hands!He kept putting my

Hair behind my ear.There were rabbits jumping and they showed no fear.

Then we saw a house.

It was a charming house with a pink blossom tree in the front garden.

We knocked on the door,an old lady appeared.

I said ‘Hi my name is Jasmine’

He said ‘And my name is Jake’

‘We are sorry to disturb you but we are lost!

Could we possibly use your telephone?!’

The old lady said ‘Certainly’ ‘Come inside’

‘I’ll put some logs on the fire and boil the kettle’

She was so kind

We stepped in the house and shared a moment

Jake said ‘I better telephone the bus station and tell them what has happened’

He said ‘Excuse me Mrs……?

The lady said ‘My name is Mrs Bowness’

‘What is your address?

She handed us a cup of tea and then said ‘My address is 13 Swift Avenue.

Jake ‘Do you have a map?

Mrs B ‘Erm,yes I think so’

‘We need to locate the bus!!!For the breakdown truck to tow back into town!’

We all laughed!!

I didn’t find it too much of an ordeal,spending the night totally drunk on Jake but

I did fear he would leave it as a fling.

When the bus was back at the station,I didn’t need to fear,he said

‘Don’t go too far,I know where you live’!!!

The next morning,he called round!Infact he called again!

We got really close,went for walks in the countryside and visited Mrs Bowness!

She became a friend.We often took a bottle of wine and chatted into the night.

One day we were passing the jewellery shop and that purple heart necklace was still in the window!

I wasn’t deluded,we had very ordinary jobs,barely enough for our own little house.

One evening,I was getting ready for a night at the theatre.Mrs Bowness had given us the tickets as a

thankyou for planting her some violets in the garden.

And then it happened,Jake presented me with a box,a large velvet box!

I had tears in my eyes,I coundn’t believe he had managed it,remembered it even!

A purple heart necklace.

Jake said ‘it’s just on loan’

‘I have to take it back tomorrow’

It was wonderful.I sat in a box with a pair of posh glasses and felt like a real lady.

However,the next morning Jake was looking worried,he said ‘Jasmine,we have to go away’

‘But why,what’s wrong?’

‘I didn’t borrow the necklace’

‘I stole it’

‘But why’?

‘I wanted you to look and feel like royalty’

‘Oh,no where can we go?

‘Do you think the police know?’

‘Yes,they might we have to run’

So Jake and I boarded the train to Europe.We thought we could sell the necklace and live

On the money we made,keeping our heads down.

All of a sudden,the train began to violently move.We looked at each other,as in slow motion,

The train put on its breaks and our carriage fell to the ground.

We didn’t make it to Europe.

All I could hear was people shouting for help and screaming.I looked up and the train had

Completely come off it’s tracks.Carriages were scattered across the line and nearby fields.

I could smell fumes.I saw the train was on fire and quickly sat up.

I said ‘Jake,Jake’  ‘Where are you’?

I started to cry as I searched for him.

The sky was black with smoke and the ground was a red watercolour,swimming.

I heard the ambulances and fire trucks arrive but I still couldn’t find him

I walked around the dead and injured and I began to think,what if fate had intervened,

What if…Then I saw purple in the light reflecting,it was my necklace and Jake was holding on to it

Tightly,barely breathing.

He began to speak,

‘Take this necklace and think of me’

My tears hit the ground and I realised I was all alone.I let go of his hand and took the necklace

But it was broken and I lost the heart,just like I had lost his.