Making hay

Tilly almost didn't recognise the withered, grey form that was her Grammy laying on the bed in the sitting room. The last time she saw her was two months ago. Grammy said she was going into hospital "for a little bit". But now Tilly was confused.
"Mum," Tilly whispered. "I thought people went into hospital to get better. Grammy doesn't look well at all."
When Tilly's mum didn't answer Tilly looked up at her. Her mum was biting her lower lip and her eyes were glazed and red.
"Just go and sit with Grammy, Tilly. She wants to talk to you," said her mum, resting her hand on Tilly's shoulder, gently ushering her over to her grandmother.
Tilly was reluctant at first. The woman in the bed wasn't the grammy she knew. For a start she was grey in colour, her cheeks were sunken and her skin was even more wrinkly than before. But more disturbing was Grammy's bald head and the blonde curly wig placed over a polystyrene head on the beside table. This wasn't the smiley, energetic Grammy she knew.
"Tilly," Grammy croaked from the bed. "Come over here, sweetheart."
Tilly crouched down beside her grandmother, trying to smile through the smell of stale sweat and disinfectant.
"Hi Grammy," Tilly said, reaching out her hand tentatively to her grandmother's.
"Your mother tells me you've been a good girl, since I last saw you."
Tilly mustered a sheepish smile. She knew that wasn't entirely true but realised it was a well-intentioned white lie.
"I'm glad. Because I have something for you," Grammy said reaching across to open the draw of her bedside table.
Tilly watched her grandmother's slender hand pull out a silver locket.
"This is for you," she said, dropping the locket into Tilly's hand. "This will give you all you need to see you through your life."
"What do you mean?" asked Tilly.
"There is nothing that can save me now," whispered her Grandmother. "So I'm passing my luck onto you. Do you know the myth that cats have nine lives?"
Tilly nodded.
"Well humans do as well. In fact with the right help humans can have any number of lives. I have lived many, over thousands of years. But I'm weary now. I see in you a lot of me when I was your age. Your strength, your courage, your wit," she said with a throaty chuckle. "I'm now passing that gift to you. Your essence will live on, from one body to another. You will live a thousand lives so make hay whilst the sun shines," she continued before taking a deep gasp, falling back against the pillow and closing her eyes.
Tilly stared down at the locket in her hand, unable to comprehend what her Grammy had just told her, and unaware of what was about to befall her.