life in the desert more than that at home, walking bare foot on the sand every morning and
leaving beautiful footprints as greetings to cactuses. I loved the beauty of the sand, the mountains
and the blue, cloudless sky. Sometimes we would pass some greenery and see streams running
by, hear their bubbling sound and look at the shimmering diamonds on the peddles. Locals
from the villages were extraordinarily friendly as they showed us directions and talked about
traditional cultures there. Some would even ask us to stay for dinner, which of course was really
heartwarming. I loved everything about the Gobi Desert.
The sun shone onto the brilliant sand as we walked on one morning. All was as usual except
a huge lizard appeared again, scaring Lucy to death as she shrieked like mad. After lunch, we
started walking again. As we hiked along the sand mountain, I caught sight of a gleam. However,
a second later, it was gone. I exchanged an alarming look with Lucy and peered at that spot again.
Yes, something was gleaming under the sun a few feet away from us. I hurried to that point and
gasped. It was a necklace! There was gold woven into a thick rope of a chain, almost scaled, like
a smooth snake that would curl close around the throat. One jewel hung suspended from the rope.
It was a topaz diamond that was at least ten carats! It was cut in a million facets, so it sparkled
under the pleasant sunlight. I inhaled a low gasp as Lucy and Joanna stared at it, dumbfounded.
“It’s not real,” Joanna whispered.
“It’s beautiful,” Lucy murmured as she stroked the diamond.
“It must be nice on you. Lucy, put it on!” I grinned.
“Wait,” Joanna warned, “Remember what the old man told us before? It might be the necklace
from the legend.”
“And since when have you started believing in legends?” Lucy said impatiently, “Go on,
Catherine, why don’t you put it on?” Smiling, I fastened the necklace around my neck. For a
moment, I could feel nothing at all, except seeing a shadow just like the old man’s.
And then, I was in excruciating pain. I fell. A stream of piercing shrieks burst from my
lips. I screamed in agony. I could hear Lucy and Joanna yelling my name but I couldn’t breathe.
I’m going to die, I thought in panic. I couldn’t make sense of what was happening. Or was this
happening in my head? It felt like I was being hit by a bus, torn into half and submerged in acid,
all at the same time. Ripping. Breaking. Agony. Something was burning me. “Stop the fire!” I
yelled, my eyelids were fluttering as my eyes rolled and my head was suddenly filled with images
of the old man. He was laughing, his cold laugh made my hair stand. White-hot knives were
piercing every inch of my flesh. I wanted nothing but to die. I tried to rip the necklace away, but
my fingers could not close together, let alone to give me strength. Then a shadow came forward
and pulled the necklace off. I was immobilized. After some time, I could feel the pain fading from
my fingertips, leaving me panting on the floor with tears and sweat.
“Cath! CATHERINE!” Lucy screeched. “You scared me so much.” I didn’t answer, still
panting heavily.
Suddenly there were some heavy footsteps. “I’m sorrier than I have ever been,” whispered a
voice as Lucy and Joanna whipped around. It was the old man.
“I knew it!” hissed Joanna furiously. “I knew it was you!”
The old man was sobbing, “Listen to me, please!”
Joanna seethed with rage as fury boiled in my head. I asked in a shaky voice, “Why did you
do this?”
The old man looked down. “When I was young, the Alpha told me that some foreign young
