The day wasn't as bright as it was forecasted on the weather channel. It was wet, and cold. One had to be careful when walking near a water pond near running cars. And even when trying to evade been splashed, some cars went purposely faster as to magnify the intensity of the splash. It was also accompanied by some wind, so having your hair done was basically a waste of time. The group of friends had agreed to get together at the station near the museum, but they all came up with some excuse that they weren't going to be able to attend the day's conference, and that they probably go another day.
How shameless! I can't believe they stood me up! Not only that... Even Rachel who is from the three, the pickiest!
Pamella was already in front of the museum, but she hadn't had the guts to go in yet in case, by some luck she could meet and have the conference with another class comrade. No one came, and it started to get cold. She needed to get inside if she didn't want to get more soaked than she already was. She was at least sure she'll have her 25% checked out from her to do list.
This is how it always went wherever she went; all the things she had to do them alone. Sure, she got help from her parents now and then, but she was already 26 years old. She couldn't always abuse that help she had to take the rains of her life, get a job, find a stable partner, establish herself, have and maintain a family; all the stuff normally we all had planned for our lives on this Earth. Whatever the case, she will succeed even if alone, but that's not to be taken into consideration now.

-          Are you here for the conference about the found artefact young Miss?

The person who spoke was neither old nor young. He had a handsome fresh aired face, had a young tone to his voice with a tinge of hoarseness; maybe because of too many loud speeches given, tall built, and an intellectual light in his dark eyes. She has never seen one bitchy-man as this one in real life! All of them remained on the media covers, or in her read novels, but watching one at close for the first time... It was scary... But good... But scary... Lost in thought she regained her consciousness and pushed out from her throat an answer that she would have liked it had come softer, and not as if she had ate spicy food and burnt her throat.

-          I... I... YE... YES!! ARE YOU YIN!?

She quickly cursed at herself for her high-pitched voice. But even so, Yin just laughed out loud himself.

-          HA HA HA! Yes! I am THE YIN.

-          The Yin?

Yin just smirked at her, and explained that using that reference name for people to use for him, gave him a power above everyone else, which was,

-          I know more than you, on this matter, isn't that correct?

Pamella was taken aback from this way of speech. The guy didn't even ask her name, or to sign any paper, and he was already getting all full of himself. She detested that. She detested that, a lot. She answered back trying to hide the annoyance in her words.

-          Technically yes you do, but...

Yin's smile started to loosen a little. Apparently, he didn't like to be thrown off the high skied cloud.

-          But?

-          You don't know anything more from what you had enclosed yourself to learn and cultivate from the area you've studied.

-          So?

-          So... If you want others to feel undermined by your level of knowledge then that small amount of knowledge won't do for some, because what WE look for in an admirable gape inducing person, is the knowledge of mostly everything in the world... Not some one/ sixth of the whole...

The guy really touched that side of Pamella which couldn't shut up but had to make a whole hour speech defending her pride. Two flames could be seen on her eyes, ready to fire up. Instead of getting a frown from THE Yin, his smile became wider; some may even call it playfully amused. Yin couldn't deny the young woman had a feisty personality. He couldn't wait to ask,

-          Are you Pamella by any chance?

How does he know my name?

Without waiting for her to answer, he continued,

-          Lao Zhi Chen is an excellent professor, isn't he? He talks about you a lot. I can swear you are the reason he kept on teaching for this semester. He was going to retire you see and was going to what he calls "cleansing peregrination".

-          ?

-          Going to places, and such. Separating from the urban and ruckus of modern society; maybe even returning to the monk ways.

-          Is that so? And what do you think of such a way of living?

Yin thought for a moment...

-          I really can't tell if it's the way to go for me, because I really like the city, but since I also go to places, and participate in excavations; during those times I feel freshened up, as if nature gives me back an energy that when I am here, I get stolen from. So, I understand him until that point, but to be separated from where I grew up? NAH! Never! Now come, come, I'm about to give the conference.

Pamella made a puzzled face.

-          But... There's only me here. Aren't there going to be more people for the conference?

Yin laughed again, like if it all was a joke.

-          Why do you think your Lao Zhi gave you advise to come earlier on the week? It was supposed to be a private conference. I am part of the coordinators of the excavation and the exhibition, and since he was my professor once, and friend why wouldn't I give him a perfect offer as this one. But it seems only you decided to come today...

Yin became silent for a moment, but immediately laughed again.

-          This is the BEST!

Pamella,

-          Huh?

Yin seemed relieved.

-          What I mean, is that dealing with too many kids is a pain in the ass, and especially thoes who don't give a damn about what you're talking about so anyways let us not bother with unimportant things. You are here that's great don't you think?

If you mean if it is great for my grade, then...

-          Yeah... Sure...

After Yin had grabbed some papers from the front desk, he directed Pamella to follow him. As both went from left, and right; from right to left, and like a maze made as many turns as necessary, almost making Pamella feel a little dizzy. Until, they final arrived to the door they were looking for. Pamella read the sign on the two doors.

-          Storage. Room...

Yin pushed one of the two doors open and invited Pamella in. It was very, very dark. She could not see either her hands, or Yin anywhere. There was a faint smell of dust, and humidity, but the air was clean enough for one to not feel suffocated.  She dared not move; scared of that by moving just a little to any side, she would bump with any of the antics, stored in there. If it weren't for Yin's constant cursing, while he looked for the light switch on the energy control panels, the place would have given her a creepy feeling. As the Yin switching went on, suddenly at the last one, the place lighted up. He sighed and combed with one of his hands his hair back, as if that would throw from him the frustrating task he just went through. He asked,

-          Better?

But after some analyzing, Pamella couldn't help to answer with another doubtful question.

-          Yes, but now that I think about it, if I had maintained one of the doors opened, you could have some light to see the control panels, and...

Yin slapped his forehead in awe.

-          Now why didn't I think of that!?

Pamella had to laugh at his remark, and answered with some irony,

-          See why is it important to think outside your area of experience?

But she wasn't prepared for the bomb statement thrown at her by Yin.

-          Yeah, but if you had the intelligence to think out of your box, you would have done what you just now suggested, so we are both at a loss here.

After he said the last words while shrugging and smudging a smile, they both laughed at their own stupid remarks. Yin grabbed two led lamps and handed one for Pamella. She asked,

-          For what do we need the led lamps? Isn't there already enough lighting here?

-          As an expert excavator, and artefact collector, along the years one gets to know by experience that ancient objects need a large amount of lighting for their true beauty to show; especially if they were jewelry, or rhinestones. Even if we artefact collectors try to clean them from the accumulated dust, there are always some particles left behind that compete with our eyesight.

That makes sense.

Yin went through some stacked wooden boxes, piling some in one place, and lowering to the floor other ones. One of them he lifted, and in a nearby table, he delicately deposited it. With the teeth of a hammer he yanked the screws from the wood and lifted the loosened lid.

-          This hasn't been opened since it arrived yesterday.

The box contained lots of straw, and acid free paper. As he put on some nitrile gloves, he cautiously grabbed something at the end of the box and pulled it out.
Pamella's heart was thumping nervously to what amazing thing awaited her eyes, and as the object came to sight, she gaped at it in astonishment.
It was a long gold necklace about eleven inches long with a circled golden dragon pendant that held within its claws a blood red rock. Yin had said before, that objects retained some particles from too many hardships along the years, but this one seemed like it never had contact with the external world. Yin saw the interest in Pamella's expression, and in sighted her to lift the led lamp he gave her. As she did, she realized, that what Yin had said earlier hold truth! The necklace pendant gave out more shine than it previously had. She was so hypnotized by it. It was like it was inviting her to look deeper into it; to touch it. While she had these thoughts, she unconsciously raised her free hand as to touch it, but Yin's reprimanding voice woke her from the spell she was in.

-          Hey you... You can't just go barehandedly touching very old artefacts. What if they instantly turn to dust?

Trying to not pout in shame, Pamella took another look to it, while Yin explained something about it belonging to the "Lord of Darkness" Hu Xián Lèng, and been found inside a piece of embroidered cloth, with what appeared to be seals that ancient Chinese believed to be effective for trapping evil. As Yin was already moving the necklace out of Pamella's reach he continued,

-          If you want to keep looking at it, I'll leave it here.

Yin placed the necklace in a cushioned stand that had its own led lamps installed.

He took off his gloves and started walking out of the storage room. At the same time, he offered,

-          I'm going to get some coffee at Kingfishbucks? Want something?

Pamella detested Kingfishbuck's coffee. It tasted like watered tea more than coffee, and the only way to make it down her throat was with a double shot, and chocolate syrup. Anyways, she didn't have her morning coffee and started feeling anxious.

-          Yes, thank you. Make it a 16 oz mocha.

Yin almost chocked on his own breath. He exclaimed in a laughing tone,

-          DO YOU WANT TO DIE FROM COFFEE OVERDOSE!?

-          I'm a coffee addict... It'll be a satisfactory, happy death.

Yin laughed at her words, as he walked away; leaving that strange hotheaded yet amusing young lady in the dusty museum's storage room.

Yin now gone, Pamella went over the stand holding the "Lord of Darkness" necklace. She still couldn't believe how someone in charge of ancient artifacts could be so carefree as to let one of his precious objects with a stranger. What if she decided to steal it.

Ok, scratch that. I'd get caught and thrown to jail before even getting a few steps from the museum's exit door.

Her serious, yet brilliant personality has always given her acceptance from whomever she talked to, earning their confidentiality.

The only thing she wanted was to touch it once!

The more she looked at the pendant, the more eager she became. She would have put some gloves if there were any on sight, but Yin must have put them somewhere she didn't have knowledge from.

It couldn't possibly turn to dust with some strokes... could it?

It didn't matter if she argued with herself, because one of her fingers were already stroking the rare gem of the pendant.

So pretty...

Why in a daze, a flashing light inside the stone became stronger by the second, and before she could dump the object back to the cushion, there was a profound flash of red light.

She was gone.

Moments later, Yin came back with two coffees, and a cinnamon bun in mouth, only to drop everything on the floor.

-          She's gone!

And so was Hu Xián Lèng's necklace.