One evening, as the city lights flickered on, Giulia stumbled upon a small antique shop tucked away in a forgotten corner of the city. Curiosity led her inside, and she found herself surrounded by dusty shelves adorned with peculiar objects from different eras.
As Giulia ventured through the maze of antiquities, her eyes were captivated by a shimmering amulet that exuded an enigmatic energy, drawing her inexorably closer. The wise old shopkeeper, wearing a knowing smile, revealed that this amulet had been handed down through generations, rumoured to possess extraordinary powers.
With a blend of scepticism and an ardent yearning for change, Giulia made the decision to acquire the amulet. Little did she realize that this seemingly happenstance encounter would serve as the catalyst for her metamorphosis, propelling her from an ordinary prodigal daughter into an indomitable force to be reckoned with.
Returning to her apartment, Giulia held the amulet in her trembling hands, feeling a potent surge of energy coursing through her veins as the amulet melded seamlessly into her skin. Overwhelmed by panic, she grappled with the desperate urge to extract the amulet, resorting to her pocket knife in a frenzied attempt. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to catch her breath, her heart pounding with fear and a deep knowing that, although unseen, the amulet's presence persisted.
In the midst of her turmoil, Giulia's distress mounted, and she succumbed to dizziness, losing consciousness. As her senses returned, she found herself lying on the apartment floor, astonished to discover that her wounds had miraculously healed, leaving no trace of the earlier harrowing struggle still in a sleep like state she moved to the bed.
The following day, Giulia awoke to find her scars miraculously healed, leading her to conclude that the previous night's events were nothing more than a haunting dream. Relieved by this realization, she reached for her phone and intended to mindlessly scroll through social media for a brief moment. However, what was meant to be a short distraction turned into an unexpectedly prolonged hour and a half of endless scrolling.
Amidst Giulia's trance-like state, a series of sounds echoed throughout the room as objects toppled over. Assuming her mischievous feline companion, Luna, had returned, Giulia paid little heed to the commotion. Luna was known for her escapades in the neighbourhood, and Giulia had grown accustomed to her independent nature. Besides, Luna always managed to find her way back home, sparing Giulia the futile pursuit through the streets, and it also meant she could save on cat food since their neighbours kindly fed her.
Curiosity eventually got the better of Giulia, and she decided to check on Luna's well-being. However, as she exited her bed, a chilling sight met her eyes—an ominous pool of blood stained the floor. Caught off guard, Giulia let out a piercing scream, causing Luna to screech in response, startled by the sudden outburst.
Overwhelmed by confusion, Giulia found herself sliding to the floor, trying to make sense of the inexplicable situation. Questions swirled in her mind—how did the blood end up on her bedroom floor? Why was there no trace of injury on her own body? The enigma deepened as she realized that her wounds had vanished overnight, leaving no scars behind.
Seeking some semblance of answers, Giulia's trembling hands reached into her bag, hoping to find the receipt from the amulet's purchase. Although she located the receipt, it revealed no address or any indication of where she had obtained the amulet. Frustration and fear intertwined within her, as the realization sank in— the amulet was undoubtedly inside her, and its presence likely played a role in the inexplicable occurrences. Yet, despite the initial panic, Giulia couldn't deny the fact that the amulet hadn't caused her harm. She was alive, and her wounds had healed. Reluctantly, she accepted that removing the amulet was beyond her control, resigning herself to its presence within her.
"Luna!" Giulia's voice reverberated through the room as she scooped up her mischievous feline companion, who had been innocently lapping at the blood-stained floor. Luna responded with an innocent meow, seemingly unaware of the bizarre circumstances surrounding her owner. Giulia couldn't help but wonder about the food her neighbours were providing for Luna. Perhaps it was time to thoroughly cat-proof the house and ensure her safety.
With an abundance of questions lingering in her mind, Giulia braced herself for the inexplicable journey that lay ahead, determined to uncover the truth behind the amulet's powers and its connection to her own extraordinary transformation.
Since there was an absence of a cash windfall from the amulet, Giulia still had to go to her weekend job. She dutifully cleaned up the blood, attended to Luna's needs, and decided to indulge in a bit of cannabis to help endure the tedious hours before her shift. Lighting her blunt, she grabbed her controller and immersed herself in a game, promising herself to research the amulet later when the game finished loading.
Known for her tendency to procrastinate, Giulia set a timer for two hours, hoping to keep track of time. Luna made several attempts to capture her attention, but upon realizing her futile efforts, she resigned herself to lying at Giulia's feet, observing the game. When the alarm finally went off, Giulia reluctantly put an end to her gaming session, begrudgingly reminding herself of the necessity to go to work in order to make ends meet. Grunting and dragging her feet, she made her way to the bathroom to prepare for the day. Though still slightly under the influence, she predicted she would be fully sober by the time she arrived at work.
Giulia, with her low-maintenance approach to appearance, sported twists in her 4C hair. She opted for a skater skirt, cat-patterned lace thigh-high socks, boots, and a button-up white shirt, not concerned about the potential peculiarity of her outfit. Lining her lips and applying gloss enhanced her radiant complexion, which featured a blend of copper and bronze tones.
Arriving at the cafe ten minutes early, Giulia settled into a secluded corner to relax before her shift commenced. She kept her interactions with her co-workers to a minimum, as most of them were new, and she lacked the stamina and time to form new connections.
Five minutes later, the cafe doors swung open once again, and her work buddy, Troye, finally arrived. Familiar with Giulia's behaviour, he found her in her usual spot. "Love the fit today," Troye complimented her.
"It's the first thing I grabbed," Giulia responded with a nonchalant tone.
"You always manage to wear the most incredible outfits, even when they're the first things you grab. Either you're lying, or you have a closet that magically coordinates," Troye teased.
Giulia shrugged her shoulders in response. "I guess," she replied, not placing much emphasis on the matter.
They engaged in casual conversation, discussing various topics as they whiled away the time before their shift began.
Towards the end of their workday, Troye expressed a desire to make plans to hang out after their shifts. However, Giulia regarded him solely as a work companion, having distanced herself from forming close friendships. She preferred keeping different people for different areas of her life.
As Giulia prepared to close for the day, her attention was abruptly seized when Alex walked into the cafe. In that moment, excitement and anger surged within her. She was thrilled because their relationship had ended abruptly, leaving her without closure. But she was also infuriated because he had been the reason, she left home at such a young age, only to be left to fend for herself.