Medallion
                                          By: Sommer Shepperson





Chapter One
"Hurry up Jade, you're going to be late!" Alexis yelled from downstairs. "Your grandmother's going to be displeased."
Jade covered her head with her feather pillow and yawned slightly. Uncovering so her face could be seen, "I'll be right down."
She got up and went stalking to the bathroom to brush her teeth and then her hair into a ponytail. Getting dressed and walking down the hall to the kitchen, she saw Alexis making a cup of coffee and chewing a bagel.
"Morning sunshine! By any chance, did you finish your term paper?" Jade turned her head to the right, looking to the paper on the desk.
"Yeah, do you think you can hand it into Mr. Vanning?"
"Sure, but you just might want to go to work. I'll see you later during class," she said walking though the door with a coffee cup in her right hand and a bagel in her left. "Good morning dear, we a bit late, aye?" her grandmother exclaimed with one hand on her hip.
"Yes grandmother, I forgot to set my alarm and I stayed up late finishing my term paper," she said, taking her apron from the wall and wrapping it around her small waist.
"Has there been anything this morning?" Her grandmother turned to walk behind the counter, intent on doing her balancing.
"No, not yet. Say, do you think you could go through the box in the corner? A young woman came in late last night and gave it to me."
Jade took a look at the small box in the corner and then back at her grandmothers still hand on the checkbook.
"Did the woman ask for money in exchange?" With her question asked, Jade started to look through the box of small objects, patiently waiting for her grandmother's response.
Looking up from her checkbook, her grandmother shrugged.
"No, but she asked that we watch who we give the Golden Necklace to." She paused for a moment, thinking. "She said that it's evil and she had to get rid of it. She sounded a little scared."
Jade was still searching through the box when she came upon a golden box embedded with stone spelling.
"Miksu en sai" Slowly, she opened the end of the box to see a small chain with a ruby medallion hanging from it.
"Grandmother, look!" Jade lifted the necklace from the box and held the medallion in her palm. "Isn't this just beautiful?" Her grandmother lifted an eyebrow.
"You know you can't just go and ask for merchandise that can be sold for money."
"I know, but what if I bought it myself? Then could I have it?" Jade asked.
She started touching the curves and small lettering along the sides. It had felt like Ancient Chinese, but she wasn't sure, all she was for sure is this was the golden necklace the woman had spoken of. If she could just get Alexis to look at the letters, maybe she could figure out what the necklace was meant for. Jade had felt a strange vibe when she held it. Coming back to reality, Jade jumped as she realized her grandmother was speaking in their foreign tongue.
"Jade if you want it, than take it. Don't expect me to give you anything else in the future though. Customers should have first pick."
Jade wasn't listening exactly; she was determined to find out what the words on the medallion meant. She was going to go back home and wait for Alexis to come home from her morning classes.
Jade spoke, "Umm, grandmother, would you mind if I took the rest of the day off?"

She stood in the middle of the back room, looking straight ahead at the clock hanging behind the front desk. 'I've only got four more hours left. I'm sure I can convince grandmother to let me off. I'll just tell her I have studies to attend to, she thinks they are of great importance.' With these thoughts, she walked towards her grandmother.
"May I ask why?" her grandmother asked, looking up from her checkbook. Her eyes glazed over her bifocals, looking at Jade.
With a slight gulp, and a silent prayer, Jade answered, "I have studies to attend, grandmother. There is another term paper I have to do for my World History course." She didn't really care what her grandmother said, this was just a formality. She had all intentions of leaving anyway.
"I suppose you can," her grandmother sighed. "Just make sure you're here early in the morning tomorrow." And there, she had it. A chance to figure out what the necklace meant. It was a key to freedom. 'My freedom,' she thought with a smile, walking away.

Chapter Two
Walking down the Hall to her next class, touching the bulge in the side of her bag. "I hope shes able to read the scripture, if I were able to i wouldn't be going to class at all"
stepping in threw the door quietly hopeing mrs. Hataway wouldnt spot her....she did " Jade,May i ask why your late?" glaring at her now, Jade replys "I had some erands to run after work." not to mention she stoped by a coffe shop not short after she had left. Mrs. Hataway pushed her glasses up and point to the lab tables "well please take your seat we're just talking about the reactions to acid and water"

She continued to her table beside Alexis. Now too excited to wait she whispers to her "hey i got something intersting for you, it's something that absolutly can not wait." playing a smile on her lips. turning her atention over to Mrs. Hataway who was now drawing equations on the board. alexis replys shortly after " i'm sure it couldnt be better than how hard it is to wake you in the mornings" she frowns slightly ." or is it your grandmother fired you . "I know how much you don't want to work there." Jade frowned in reply and sighed at the fact her friend didnt catch the "got something" part.  instead she got out the small box that the pendant had come in then passing it over to alexis under the table "take a look at that."

" Jade, can you answer this equation on the board?" not only did she not take down notes the day before but she had failed to glimpse ever so often at the board to not look so obvious " No Mrs. Hataway, i can not" she ofcoursed grinned with please. Jade knew Mrs. Hataway didnt take any liking to her . "but would you mind, I can't see threw you." giggling so light not many could see she was looks back up at the board at Mrs.Hataway who was now flusterd. Jade was now pleased with herself not only did she find a treasure but just emberassed her Chimistry Professor.

Now realived class was over, three hours later looks over to jade who was walking beside her "so what do you think of the pendant, think you can decifer it?" alexis running her fingers over the lettering replys "im pretty sure, it would be better if you knew your own culture and could read character" sighed she speaks again after she saw a annoyed exspression on Jades face " I can of course, it might take some time, maybe a week or so, think you can survie until then?" now she herd it herself Jade hugs Alexis all of a sudden "thank you!" walking on to Alexis car the drive off to go eat.

Later on that night Jade and Alexis were stuck up at the kitchen table studying the padent and at the same time doing homework " you know i haven't dated in a long time, and now that you think about it, it's a wonder im so grouchy." giggling at her outburst and now at Alexis now studying face stops "well did you figure out any of it so far?" Alexis turns over to grab a soda from the fridge " well I know the first line says something along the lines of " he who uses this pendant gains strength, and1 power of their desire" then the rest is hard to understand. its like it was completly written by a different person"

Jade was now excited, but at the same time worried about the thing she remembers what the woman had told her grandmother "it's evil and had to be gotten rid of" she paused and looked at Alexis who was now studieing her "what are you thinking?" she asked. It's as simple as she could reply "my grandmother said that the woman who braught it in said it's evil and to get rid of it." not only does she have a feeling about it after hearing the first phrase .

She got up quietly stopping at her door "hey Alexis , do you feel anything wrong with the pendant?" running her hands threw her hair and leaning aghenst the door frame alexis simply replied "not quite , but i get a vibe of something from it." and with that Jade walks away into her room to sleep "Good night Alexis" she mumbles "night." you could hear the stress in her voice and worry, but Jade wasnt going to let it get to her just yet. she rolled over and went to sleep.