The young woman approached the counter, then pulled a necklace out from under her t-shirt. It was a locket, of all things. Her fingers trembled as she tried to unclasp the latch. A cool breeze drifted through the air and my eyes narrowed. The store heated in response, and after a moment she was able to unclasp the necklace. She carefully set it on the wooden counter.

"I think it's cursed," she whispered. "I got it three weeks ago from an estate sale…" she shook her head frantically. "At first it was just weird dreams, but the picture I put inside keeps falling out. I think I'm hearing voices."

I reached out and touched the locket. The metal was ice cold, and I opened it. For a second, the picture inside blurred, showing just a blob, before changing to two friends smiling at the camera.

"Interesting." I set it back down. "I think we can take care of it."

"We need to buy it from her," said the Cat. "It needs to be destroyed."

That's when the hair on the back of my neck rose. In the distance, it sounded like someone was whispering.

The woman's fingers inched back toward the locket.

"Are you sure you want to keep it? It might be easier if we take care of it. I can't guarantee the process won't destroy the locket."

Her lips parted, and her eyes grew wide. "I…"

The Cat moved, nudging her hand and purring. Warmth pulsed from the store, heating the wooden counter.

The whispering stopped.

"That might be best." She paused. "How much?"

"It won't cost anything."

She blinked. "You'd take it for free?" The Cat stuck near her, letting her pet his head.

"Yes, things like this aren't safe." A blast of cold rose from the locket and I grabbed a mug from under the counter. I placed it over the locket, cutting it off. "Better to clean them up. I'm sorry you're going to lose the locket, though."

"As long as the dreams get better," she said, shaking her head. "I thought I was going crazy."

"Sometimes things go sideways, and it's better to distance yourself from them. We can take good care of the locket, and you can be free of its burden." I really had no idea what to say here, and the Cat wasn't helping, though now she was more easily petting the Cat.

"It's for the best. Thanks for taking it off my hands."

"Of course, and good luck."

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The woman turned and gave one last pet to the Cat before fleeing the shop. She didn't even notice Indigo staring at her from on top of the bookshelf. The door closed with a snap.

"Evil necklace," chirped Indigo.

"What do I do with it?" I asked the Cat.

He moved closer, sniffing at the coffee mug. "You contained it for the moment, but we need to destroy it. The shop can do it. Much like you did with the book."

I didn't want to think about how I had destroyed the book with the demonic soul attached. "What's going to happen to the ghost? Is it a person?"

"Not anymore. It was once, but now it's been twisted. Once destroyed, it will return to where we all come from." The Cat stepped back. "You don't even need to touch it again, just focus on the shop eating the energy."

I frowned and glanced at the espresso machine. Last time, I had imagined it turning into a warrior knight dressed in red metal that attacked the evil book.

"Betty, I'm going to need your help with this," I whispered.

The mug under my hands grew warm, very warm.

"We need to destroy the locket." This time my voice came out strong. The mug on the counter melted, almost like it was metal instead of ceramic. Thankfully, it wasn't a mug I used. It soaked onto the counter, then a hand tried to reach up out of the melted mug.

"I don't think so." I focused even harder on the idea of Betty reducing the locket to nothingness. My hands twisted into fists at my side as the hand tried to reach up again. It couldn't break through the liquid mug coating it. "Now, Betty!"

The liquid contracted, then hardened.

All of the energy inside me vanished, and I stumbled backward onto my stool. The hardened ceramic puddle then crumbled into dust, leaving nothing on the counter. My head spun, and I leaned toward the counter.

"Thank you…" whispered a soft voice.

Something landed next to me and I could hear the Cat speaking, but couldn't make out the words. Warmth rushed into me from everywhere that I touched the shop. My stool, my boots on the floor, and my arms touching the counter. It felt like a jolt of caffeine and I sat up quickly.

"She's fine, it just took a bit out of her," said the Cat.

"Okay…" chirped Indigo.

"That was weird."

"Spirits are strange," said the Cat. "Especially when they can't move on. They turn dark, and try to regain new bodies. They yearn for what they knew, even if the person they once were would never choose such a path."

I shivered, and Indigo growled at the Cat before climbing into my arms.

"I'm okay, it's just creepy." I held her tight. "You knew the necklace was wrong, though."

"Bad feeling near it. You both are brave."

I hugged her again before letting her climb down. "I think a dip in the hot tub sounds like a great idea. Don't you?"

Indigo jumped up from the counter and quickly flew toward the balcony. She hadn't gone for a dip since she woke up. She made a cheerful sound as she flew upward toward the door leading to the roof.

"It is gone, right?" I whispered to the Cat.

"Yes, the shop ate the energy and the locket. The spirit has moved on."

"Just checking." I stood up from the stool and moved toward the stairs. "Cat, if I ever go in that direction, don't let that happen…"

"Of course not, Sable. That won't happen to you."

"Better not."

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