THE CHAIN OF LOVE

Riya found the locket in an old antique shop buried under a pile of rusted trinkets.

It was golden, heart-shaped, and slightly warm to the touch.

The shopkeeper, an old woman with milky white eyes, grabbed her wrist when she reached for it.

"That locket… it carries a curse," she whispered. "It binds people together… forever."

Riya laughed. "Sounds romantic."

The woman shook her head.

"Not in the way you think."

But Riya ignored her warning and bought the locket anyway.

She had no idea what she had just invited into her life.

That night, Riya cleaned the locket and decided to wear it.

The moment she clasped it around her neck, a chill ran down her spine.

She dismissed it. Probably just her imagination.

Until midnight.

That’s when the whispering began.

"Riya… you are mine now."

She jolted awake, heart pounding.

Her room was empty.

But the mirror in front of her showed something impossible.

A shadowy figure standing right behind her.

Watching.

Waiting.

And smiling.

The next morning, Riya tried to take off the locket.

It wouldn’t budge.

The clasp had disappeared.

Panicking, she ran to the bathroom and pulled at it.

But the more she struggled, the tighter it felt around her neck.

That’s when she noticed the marks.

Faint fingerprints, as if someone’s hands were pressing against her throat.

Her hands started shaking.

The locket wasn’t just stuck.

It was alive.

And it wasn’t going to let her go.

Desperate for answers, Riya searched for any history behind the locket.

She found an old newspaper article from 1952.

"Newlywed Couple Found Dead in Their Home—Mysterious Locket Linked to Tragedy."

She kept searching.

More cases.

A woman strangled in her sleep. Locket missing.

A young couple found hanging from a tree. The locket was still on the woman’s neck.

Every victim had one thing in common.

The locket.

And a single note left behind.

"Love is forever."

That night, Riya woke up unable to breathe.

It felt like hands were choking her.

She gasped, clawing at her throat, but no one was there.

Then she saw it—her reflection.

The shadowy figure was clearer now.

It was a woman. Pale, with dark hollow eyes, and a smile that stretched too wide.

And then, in a voice that was cold and sickeningly sweet, the woman whispered—

"You’re mine now, Riya. Just like the others."

The mirror shattered as the woman’s hand reached out.

Riya screamed.

Riya rushed back to the antique shop.

The old woman was waiting.

"You didn’t listen," she said.

"How do I stop it?!" Riya cried.

The woman sighed. "The locket binds souls. The only way to be free… is to pass it on."

Riya’s heart pounded.

"You mean… give it to someone else?"

The woman nodded.

"Or… you die. And you become part of the chain."

Riya felt the cold hands on her shoulders again.

The cursed spirit was waiting.

She had to make a choice.

That night, Riya invited her best friend, Neha, over.

They talked, laughed, drank wine.

And then, as Neha admired the locket, Riya made her decision.

"It would look beautiful on you," she said, unhooking the chain.

For the first time, the clasp came undone easily.

Neha hesitated. "Are you sure?"

Riya forced a smile. "Of course."

The moment Neha put the locket on, Riya felt a weight lift from her chest.

The whispers stopped.

The room felt warm again.

She was free.

But as she left Neha’s house, she didn’t dare look back.

Because she knew, somewhere behind her, Neha would soon hear it too—

"Neha… you are mine now."

And the chain of love would continue.

A month later, Riya saw the news.

"Young Woman Found Dead in Her Apartment—Wearing an Unusual Locket."

Riya turned off the TV, her hands trembling.

The locket had chosen a new victim.

And someday… it would find its way back to her.

Because love is forever.

And so is the curse.

💀The End💀

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