I walk quickly to keep myself warm then four stores later unwillingly retrace my steps to read the board. Once in the store, I engage the clerk in back and forth banter about my candles. Reds and whites are in abundance but she isn't sure there are any blacks left.
"Please, without the black it's useless. I might as well put the others back."
She heads to the back room and rummages through stuff just beyond the door. I watch her search aimlessly for a few minutes, get called to the front twice to attend to another customer, and do an exchange before she finally comes back out with my prized goods.
"Are you doing that chain prayer?" she asks, "the one with the child of light?"
"These are for my mother," I lie. "She's into witchcraft and shit."
Her eyes widen like saucers. "Girl, then you must be rich. All that prayer got me was this job."
I almost throw the candles back and walk out. Day two and my only inspiration, to finish tomorrow, is this woman's accomplishments. Instead, I pay ten dollars for everything and leave.
Hazel meets me at the crafting store as planned. I wander the length and breadth of it but buy nothing. We head to the grocery next. It hurts me to see freshly packaged vegetables and meats, big blocks of cheese for the cheesiest pasta dishes, and merchandisers pushing cheap new snacks, none of which I can buy and enjoy with my novels. Hazel takes up a few items and disappears to the adjoining aisle. I lose myself in the array of abundance until I knock over some empty boxes. The manager gives me a nasty look and shouts at a boy way too young to be working here during September. I bend over to help him pick them up. His hand touches mine by accident and I get a flashback. It's almost as if we've been in this position before, just that he doesn't seem familiar to me. Matters not though. We're sure to meet again soon. Because somewhere between now and the matron's deadline I'll have to return for those same boxes.
YOU ARE READING
NINE TIME MACHINES: Do you want to undo your entire life on planet earth?
FantasyThere is a war coming! In it, Lilith and the impostor God must battle for all human minds on earth. But one girl can stand in the gap for all humanity. However, to prove worthy for this feat, Mary must begin shadow work to take the mark upon herself...
