31 Stories of Halloween

Day 1: The Curse of a Hibiscus

This prompt is about the Hibiscus 

Long ago, in a time furthest from our minds, there was a witch who loved a mortal. This mortal, however, loved another. The witch knowing this, asked the mortal to give her a chance before deciding and getting to know her. The mortal agreed, giving the witch one year to prove herself to them. Agreeing, the witch did everything for the village to prove that she was a good and noble witch and not one of evil. The village people came around and were slowly agreeing that she was indeed a good person. But the mortal still loved their other. On the last day of the year, the witch went to the mortal's home to find that the mortal had already secretly married the other and was using the witch's kindness for greed.

In raged, the witch stood before the mortal's home and gave it a curse, 'Under this moonless night, I give thee a curse, take my kindness for your advantage and weep what must be sown. This flower, so white and pure, will always be black as your heart, and anyone who touches it will meet a fate just as yours. Cats will you and your other be, for your greed, you will be repaid as a witch's pet cast out like the witch. Only if you can touch this hibiscus can your curse be broken.' "Then, just like that, the witch uprooted the Hibiscus plant taking it far from where the mortal and his lover could find it."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes; this story was just made up for children not to use people. "They say the witch cast a spell on it to hide the black hibiscus until the moonless night of October, and it only shows itself on the anniversary of the curse. Which is tonight, so all of you kids must be safe and don't touch any hibiscus flowers; better be safe than sorry." The kids file out of the children's library; watching them, my friend waves me over. "Eve, thanks for listening to my reading today." Smile, "Yeah, no problem, I had nothing else to do anyway." Nudging my arm, we laugh and walk out to the streets of the small town, "Eve, would you like to go with me to Don's? They have a new October menu up." I shake my head, "Nah, I think I'll pass today; I have errands to run before everyone closes down for the night."

My friend nods, "Alright, see you tomorrow." Waving, we parted our separate ways, and if I had known, I would have followed her to Don's and, this mess I am in would be different. Walking down the sidewalk, I walk into the creepy herbal medicine shop; my mother insists that herbal medicine curing her night terrors. I told her I would pick up her prescription as long as she agreed to make dinner, so it's a win, win really. The bell rings as the musty smell lingers in the air of the store. "Hello!" the young woman said as the mature woman looked like some sexy nurse and doctor Halloween costume.

"Hi," I stated as I walked to the counter. "I'm here to pick up my mother's medicine; it should be under McDaniel." The pharmacist clicked away on her computer as she smiled at me, "I saw you walk out of the library. Did you go to listen to the curse of the hibiscus?" I look over at her, "Yeah, my friend was reading the story to the little kids today. I was there for moral support." The pharmacist smiles, "You are such a nice friend." Rolling my eyes again, "Yeah, but that story is for kids nothing more than a tale to teach children how not to take the kindness of others for granted."

The pharmacist's eyes look deep into my soul, "Do you not believe in the Cursed Hibiscus?" I wave my hand, "No, I only really went so they would stop bugging me about the reading; I ditched them and told them I had errands even though this is the only one I had to do. I really wish I wasn't asked to do much; I work all day than on my day off, I'm dragged around, or someone comes and whines to me about someone else."

The pharmacist's eyes suddenly sparkled, "A person who takes their good life for granted normally is too blind by their pride and ignorance, but it seems you are blinded by greed." I furrow my brow; greed I'm blinded with greed? Aren't my so-called friends the greedy ones? "Well, anyway, here is her prescription, and make sure you don't run into any black hibiscuses on your way home." Of course, she's playing with my annoyance now, "Sure; thanks anyway." I walk out the door and head down the sidewalk as houses become fewer and fewer.