Snatched Away - Prologue

It was all completely innocent, I swear.
All I did was notice the chain because it looked cool, I didn't even know the pendant was attached when I first picked it up - much less what it really was, okay? All it was, then, was a thick golden chain I found on my way into the interview for my first job. If I knew what it was, I would have left it there - wait, no, I wouldn- I don't know what I would have done, but I definitely would have been a lot more careful, honest.
I saw it out of the corner of my eye, and meant to keep walking without even pausing, but it called to me. It wasn't like a "Hey! Come here!" but as I turned away from it there was a tug in the pit of my stomach, like my breakfast hadn't agreed with me. Somehow, I knew it came from the chain, so I bent down and picked it up, shoving it into my pocket as I pushed into the HR building.
I didn't even notice the pendant until I got home three hours later. I put my hand in my pocket, having completely forgotten about the chain, and received a kind of electric tingling that shot up my arm, rattling my whole body until it came to a painful stop at my heart, practically electrocuting me. I screamed in shock, standing in silence for a full minute as the shock wore off. Hesitantly, my fingers felt the warm chain. I pulled it out and there it was, swinging innocently, like it had been there all along: a perfect wooden circle, strapped to the golden chain with thin straps of leather.
I fingered it and felt the same tingling that this time stayed in my hand. It is was, and still is, smooth and thick; it would be extremely hard to break if I ever had the urge. Satisfied, I slipped the chain over my head, and I was instantly warmer. It was like a warm coal with a soft glow had been planted in my stomach, just with this insignificant wooden circle.
Ha. Insignificant, see?
I told you - it was completely innocent.