She was going to rewrite her fate, with every set fate, there are bound to be loopholes that can be reconstructed to cause a domino effect so she was going to test that theory. Didn't the old man always rave about his experiences both good and bad? It was high time she got a taste of the flavours. She walked into a dimly lit shop that looked to be associated with a lot of voodoo stuff and slightly more on the delusional part. She could already tell from the spooky eyes that looked to have been gauged out of an owl, to the soft, eerie music in the background, to the various bones that hung from the ceiling to an average person's face, the silky cloths that hung on all four walls... as if their sole intention was to block out any unnecessary amount of light from seeping inside the place. The shop had dark sculptures carved in wood and others in clay while others looked to be of a material she couldn't quite put her finger on it. From vampire legends to werewolves to crystal balls. There were broken shells of different creatures and sea stones... it was clear to see that the owner was a collector of note. She scanned her eyes from floor to ceiling and that's when she spotted a counter or what could've been considered a reception area at the far end. She shook her head in disdain, the first impression she already had of the owner was not good but she went ahead and found a small shell that looked man made, she was touching it absent mindedly when it suddenly gave a 'ping' sound that almost startled her before she regained her composure.
"Weird"
Even as her subconscious said it, her mind already gave the 'what did you expect from a place like this' reply. She had expected to at least find someone behind the small desk or for someone to emerge from a hidden room somewhere in this shabby place. She tried to be patient just a little longer...
"Halo, how can I help you"
She had expected some kind of offered service but still the voice came as a shock, especially when she turned around and saw the face. She quickly schooled her features, not sure about the first thing to say to a child in a place like this. "Halo there honey, uhm... are you lost" she asked the first thing that popped up in her mind.
"Mmnn... that's weird, I think I am the one who is supposed to be asking that question. You do actually look lost so how can I help you" the little girl asked again and this time Dana was down right dumbfounded! Could it be.... no! She quickly eliminated the possibility of the little girl who looked shy of her 12 or 13 years, being the owner of this place. She sweeped a glance around the place again before she put on a polite smile "where is your mommy?"
"Oh, my mom passed away, why?" the girl didn't seem to put much emotion when saying this and the blank face didn't escape Dana's notice.
Oh-Kay... now that seemed like a very bad question for her to have asked, a bit on the insensitive side too. She thought it was a safer thread to avoid seeming like she's rude or prying. Now, how on earth was she supposed to answer that? Only children would ask you something like that after answering so casually about a rather sensitive issue.
"I had stopped by because I wanted to see her" she blurted the white lie put so fluently to see the child purse her lips as if in deep thought before she said "I don't think I've seen you in the shop or around the area before. Are you a friend of mommy?" her clear eyes radiated with an intelligence that made one want to look at her again after summing her up to be just a kid. She felt like the kid was trying to lure her to a trap but she was already in far too deep to turn back now so she said "we are old acquaintances" which earned her an 'Oh' from the girl.
"That must've been a long time ago" she said nonchalantly to no one in particular. "Are you looking for something?" the child was smart for not letting her redirect her initial question.
"Do you have any elastics? wool? generally toys that children might be fascinated with"
"Your aura is impure... tainted" the girl suddenly sniffed the air as if trying to hold onto something that came and left just as quick. Wasn't this just a child? What was it with her and psycho analysing her? She was getting impatient with the child and for some unknown reason, she suddenly felt calm... her irritation evaporated into thin air and that's when she noticed the girl's tiny fingers interlinked with hers. When? How? She didn't even see her move. She changed her initial impression of the girl who had been nothing but a teenager in her eyes.
"You're not just a mere teenager, are you?" she uttered it as more of a statement than an actual question. Call it the sixth sense but she was sure the girl had layers to her. "What do you think" she threw the question right back at her. She closed her eyes and exhaled briefly before starting to hum something that caused her lips to curve upward as if reminiscing on a distant but fond memory. She thought it was somewhat melancholic and vaguely sounded farmiliar before her mouth hung open in shock.
"Y-you..." she now looked at the girl in a different light.
"You shouldn't have been in a rush to gain knowledge of everything for with knowledge comes responsibility and not all responsibilities are without burdens" Dana heard without fully comprehending yet again but instead of the younger woman being elaborate, she continued to say "You have to cast your sight far and beyond the perceptions of the human flesh".
"Are you real?" she had tried one too many times to phrase the mess in her head but that was all she could say in the end.
"Look to really see, what do you think?" and there goes her question, slapping her right in the face again. Instead of gaining answers, she found the questions piling up and fast without giving her time to solve it. She didn't come here for all this! She didn't come for another mystery but it already looked like she was in for a treat.
"I am just so tired of being dictated you know" she uttered exasperatedly to see the younger woman smirk, "not all fates are good and not all dictatorships are bad. You should've waited just a little longer".
She felt something shift inside of her but the darkness was fast on its feet, forcing its presence and dominance to the surface. She had already decided so she was going to stick with her decision. "Look, I'd love to stay and chat but can I have the things I asked for now" she was done listening to people who always hurt her while claiming to have her best interests at heart. The girl reluctantly let go of her hand to go and take an old antique box that Dana didn't remember asking for but she decided to keep up her faith even as confusion painted her face. The girl opened the box and she saw exactly what she was looking for. Her eyes were wide in shock after the girl told her how the contents of the box worked but a minute later, she realised its exactly what she needed.
Let the hunger games begin!
She took what she came for, paid for it and left the store with a permanent cynical smile on her face. She was walking on the pedestrian lane when she spotted a small group of little girl that seemed to be bickering about something. She took the skipping rope and the ball to whisper to it.
"Give it back"
"No, you give it back"
"You are mean, Kira was right"
"I am not going to let you bully my friend"
The girls argued back and forth, fighting over a rag doll that seemed plain and nothing eye catching at all. She made her presence known and the girls seemed startled to see her.
"What do we have here?" she looked all the 5 girls in the eye and she wondered why the fifth one hasn't said a word and she didnt even try to involve herself in the catfight. The other four had split themselves into two to defend each other but they were obviously all friends from the looks of things. She put up a bright smile and squatted to be able to look at them at eye level. They seemed wary of her but they still stood their ground, all of them still visibly irritated with each other.
"What do you want from us" the one with auburn hair and hazelnut eyes questioned her. She thought the little girl was smart for her age and a little on the blunt side byt aren't all kids like that? She mused internally before showing them the things she had with her. Their eyes sparkled immediately, their doubts from a moment ago forgotten. This was exactly the reaction she was hoping for!
"I thought you might like a skipping rope and a frisby ball... you know, incase mommy wants to take you to the beach" she uttered with a mimicked voice that resembled a voice of a little girl with pure intentions. When she saw them smile, she tilted her head in a low bow to utter the words as instructed by the reincarnated witch in the antique shop.
Now she will just have to wait...
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