The Family Locket

This artifact is a locket, that was made in approximately 1766- 1833. This locket was worn as a necklace, you would open it up and find a picture of family. This locket has a painting of three young children, assumed to be all boys. On the back of this locket there is braided hair, with three distinct different types of hair. Often people would put hair on a locket as a way to remember the dead. Hair is also used on the painting, which was likely painted with watercolour onto some type of fabric, likely silk. The materials used in this locket, and what they symbolize, gave me a lot of the inspiration for the story I wrote.

Across the room my grandmas cat lay stretched out on my bag. Butters, as my grandma called her was the scariest cat I had ever seen, she reminded me of a lion. Her fur was a similar orangey yellow that you see on lions, and she was just as ferocious as one. It didn’t help that she hated me, I think it is because of the time I put her in some of my clothes.

She was sitting on my bag that had everything in it, from my clothes to my lucky rock, I always kept with me. I wasn’t going anywhere near that bag, I would wait till grandma called her for dinner in an hour. Ohh. All my stuff is in there, and there’s nothing to do here, it’s like sitting through that really boring lecture my teacher gives us every time my class gets really loud. I would have to wait though, maybe I could go outside. As I turned around to open the blinds, I noticed the sound of rain thumping on the skylight in the kitchen.

A Locket Through Time

Across the room my grandmas cat lay stretched out on my bag. Butters, as my grandma called her was the scariest cat I had ever seen, she reminded me of a lion. Her fur was a similar orangey yellow that you see on lions, and she was just as ferocious as one. It didn’t help that she hated me, I think it is because of the time I put her in some of my clothes.

She was sitting on my bag that had everything in it, from my clothes to my lucky rock, I always kept with me. I wasn’t going anywhere near that bag, I would wait till grandma called her for dinner in an hour. Ohh. All my stuff is in there, and there’s nothing to do here, it’s like sitting through that really boring lecture my teacher gives us every time my class gets really loud. I would have to wait though, maybe I could go outside. As I turned around to open the blinds, I noticed the sound of rain thumping on the skylight in the kitchen.

As the blinds open, I saw it was pouring outside, it almost felt like the beginning of a storm.

Well there goes that idea, I couldn’t even sit in and watch TV, because my weird grandma doesn't want to accept that our world has evolved from record players. I had even explored around the whole house, except... The attic! I had never been there, mom always said I was to young to go up there. Grandma was busy with tea and listening to her new favourite record. I would have time to go up there and see what she keeps hidden in those boxes.

As I tiptoed near the cat, she lifted her head up, and I leaped the rest of the way across the living room. I thumped on the other side and my grandma must have heard me because she said, “Where are you going my dearest grand-baby?” Ughh, the worst nickname ever, but she insisted in calling me that.

“Just to my room.” I said as sweetly as I could.
As I walked up my stairs I thought of all the crazy things that could be up there. As I crawled through the small hole leading into the attic, my hair got

caught in a huge spiderweb. I had to hold back my squeal as I kept going forward. As I stood up I realized it was pitch black in there, there were no windows anywhere. The only light leaking from the hole I just crawled through. As my eyes adjusted I saw a lantern, accept it was super old. “Wow.” I whispered. As I lit the lantern, I really got to see the attic, it was small and crammed with things, but not things from this decade. It felt like I was in a walking time capsule.

I carefully walked along the small path in the middle, I didn’t want to knock anything over. As I neared the end I noticed something shinny that reflected the light from the lantern. I took a step back, and saw what it was. It was beautiful, I had never been a fan of jewelry, but this seemed different, it had an otherworldly look to it.

I put the lantern on a nearby stack of boxes and went to pick up the necklace. No, it was a locket! As soon as I picked it up I felt a rush, but not the normal excitement kind. I couldn’t see my fingers anymore, at least not mine. I was in someone else's

caught in a huge spiderweb. I had to hold back my squeal as I kept going forward. As I stood up I realized it was pitch black in there, there were no windows anywhere. The only light leaking from the hole I just crawled through. As my eyes adjusted I saw a lantern, accept it was super old. “Wow.” I whispered. As I lit the lantern, I really got to see the attic, it was small and crammed with things, but not things from this decade. It felt like I was in a walking time capsule.

I carefully walked along the small path in the middle, I didn’t want to knock anything over. As I neared the end I noticed something shinny that reflected the light from the lantern. I took a step back, and saw what it was. It was beautiful, I had never been a fan of jewelry, but this seemed different, it had an otherworldly look to it.

I put the lantern on a nearby stack of boxes and went to pick up the necklace. No, it was a locket! As soon as I picked it up I felt a rush, but not the normal excitement kind. I couldn’t see my fingers anymore, at least not mine. I was in someone else's

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body, I was on a ship, underneath the deck with a bunch of other women. They all looked just as seasick as I felt, but how could I feel something if I wasn't in my body. I was scared and panicking, but I wasn’t, because whosever body I was in, they weren't scared. I actually felt really brave, but I knew that wasn’t me, it was the women I shared a body with.

Then she, we, moved our arm to pick up a locket around her neck. It wasn’t any locket though, it was the one I had seen in my grandmas attic! That’s when this had happened, when I had picked up the locket. I didn’t have time to think about it though because all of a sudden I was walking with all the other women off the boat. As I made it to shore I had a thought, but it wasn’t mine, it was the women whose body I was in, her name was... Jacqueline! This place is exactly what I need, she thought, it looks like the perfect place to restart.

As we walked toward the buildings someone yelled, “Bienvenue á la France Nouveau!” So that’s where I was, I had learned about this place. As I was walking

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toward the buildings, she was given a home and something they called a Hope kit. When she got to her lodging, she sat down and went through her kit, it had a brush, some shoelaces, two bonnets, and variety of other things. I still couldn’t control the body I was in, but I was getting used to it, it was interesting to see what someones life was like, so long ago.

As days went by she met different people, people they wanted her to marry or other women who moved here to start a life. Some were already married, within the first week! Jacqueline didn't want to get married though, she was really scared, she had just lost her only child before she decided to move here. She wanted to find someone who was okay with waiting a bit for children.

It had been a month, she was now married to a decent man, who was ok waiting a bit for a child. They were getting short on money, and if they started having children, they would be granted some money. That night her husband came over to her and said, “I know you don’t want to have kids yet, but

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toward the buildings, she was given a home and something they called a Hope kit. When she got to her lodging, she sat down and went through her kit, it had a brush, some shoelaces, two bonnets, and variety of other things. I still couldn’t control the body I was in, but I was getting used to it, it was interesting to see what someones life was like, so long ago.

As days went by she met different people, people they wanted her to marry or other women who moved here to start a life. Some were already married, within the first week! Jacqueline didn't want to get married though, she was really scared, she had just lost her only child before she decided to move here. She wanted to find someone who was okay with waiting a bit for children.

It had been a month, she was now married to a decent man, who was ok waiting a bit for a child. They were getting short on money, and if they started having children, they would be granted some money. That night her husband came over to her and said, “I know you don’t want to have kids yet, but

my fur trading business isn't doing to well right now.”

“I know,” she said, “but after losing my first child, its scary to think of the possibility of losing another.”
“This time, you have me.”
“I know, theres just so much pressure from everyone here. It’s one of the main reasons they brought me to live here.”
“Ok,” he said, “just think about it some more, its going to happen eventually.”

Nine months later, Jacqueline was giving birth to a baby boy. Her husband had picked out a name, his fathers name, André. Within the first week André was starting to show some signs of being sick. Jacqueline was starting to remember how hard it was to take care of a child, they needed constant attention, which left no time for her to sleep. She would watch the other women take care of their children, some of which had more than one. It was like a simple dance for them, one they seemed to have memorized.

By the second week the doctor was a constant presence in her house, he said there had been some complications with the birth and there was nothing they could do. That night Jacqueline lay in bed crying into her pillow for hours, of course, that was only until André woke up crying.

He wouldn’t stop crying, all night and through the early morning. By the time the doctor came, André was as pale as a ghost. The doctor stayed all day trying to do as much as he could. By the time he left that evening Jacqueline was so tired and just wanted to go to bed, but she stayed up watching André. She couldn’t stand to lose anther child, not again.

That night she had a fitful sleep, in and out of consciousness. When she awoke the next morning, there was no crying, a blessing she thought. As she quietly walked toward André, she saw how peaceful he looked, calm and still. To still, as she came up to him she saw he was to quiet, to still, and to pale! She fully realized what happened as she crumpled on the floor, her silent sobs masking the failure she

By the second week the doctor was a constant presence in her house, he said there had been some complications with the birth and there was nothing they could do. That night Jacqueline lay in bed crying into her pillow for hours, of course, that was only until André woke up crying.

He wouldn’t stop crying, all night and through the early morning. By the time the doctor came, André was as pale as a ghost. The doctor stayed all day trying to do as much as he could. By the time he left that evening Jacqueline was so tired and just wanted to go to bed, but she stayed up watching André. She couldn’t stand to lose anther child, not again.

That night she had a fitful sleep, in and out of consciousness. When she awoke the next morning, there was no crying, a blessing she thought. As she quietly walked toward André, she saw how peaceful he looked, calm and still. To still, as she came up to him she saw he was to quiet, to still, and to pale! She fully realized what happened as she crumpled on the floor, her silent sobs masking the failure she

felt inside, but I felt it. It was like nothing I had ever felt.

That evening her husband came home to find her curled in the same spot. When he realized what happened he ran out of the house to get someone. A few days later they held a small funeral. Afterward a few women came over to her and said how truly sorry they were and that if it had happened to their children they would be devastated. It only made her feel worse, they had children, living, joyful, laughing children, and she didn’t.

Over the next month she was staying at home a lot more than usual, she left the house on a very rare occasion. One night when her husband came home from work he announced, “were going to a party, and there’s no getting out of this. You need to get out of the house.”

The next day she reluctantly got dressed and ready for the party. When they arrived though, other families kept giving her weird looks and whispering to their friends as she walked by. In the mess of

everything she still hadn’t managed to make friends. Tonight she wore her locket, the one with her first son and his cousins. She managed to bring it here, the only thing left she had of her past life and her first child. All night people looked at her weird and didn’t talk to her, she heard some saying that losing her child had made her crazy, staying at home all day.

That night when she got home, she was determined to do it again, to have children. She would prove those women wrong, that even though she had now lost two children, she was strong and could do it.

A year later she had done it, a baby girl this time! When they got home she wouldn’t take her eyes off the baby. She would not lose this one, she would take extra care and become just a good a mother as everyone else. Better than everyone else!

Over the next few months she watched her kid grow up, feeding her and singing to her. Once a year had passed she finally felt, safe, okay. Her child had made it, and she was healthy and starting to say her first words. She still wore her locket everyday to

everything she still hadn’t managed to make friends. Tonight she wore her locket, the one with her first son and his cousins. She managed to bring it here, the only thing left she had of her past life and her first child. All night people looked at her weird and didn’t talk to her, she heard some saying that losing her child had made her crazy, staying at home all day.

That night when she got home, she was determined to do it again, to have children. She would prove those women wrong, that even though she had now lost two children, she was strong and could do it.

A year later she had done it, a baby girl this time! When they got home she wouldn’t take her eyes off the baby. She would not lose this one, she would take extra care and become just a good a mother as everyone else. Better than everyone else!

Over the next few months she watched her kid grow up, feeding her and singing to her. Once a year had passed she finally felt, safe, okay. Her child had made it, and she was healthy and starting to say her first words. She still wore her locket everyday to

remind herself of what she went through, and how strong she was because of it. As she reached up to touch the locket, I felt the same rush, and all of a sudden I was back in the small cramped attic.

Wow,” I whispered, “now I know why mom always said I was too young to come up here.”

Annie W is a grade 8 student at Seycove Secondary. She is part of a special program called PLP, Performance Learning Program. In this program they do all their work on iPads, and go on field studies to learn in a more hands on ways. She was interested in the locket because of the children on the front, they sparked her curiosity and got her thinking. This story was written from the comfort of her home in B.C. Where she enjoys hiking, playing multiple sports, and visiting friends.