Erika's Birds

Robins

There is no better disturbance than sun beams cooking my resting eyes. The blinding light and the magnified heat through the thin glass window agitate my slumber and cause my body to retract from the intruding rays. My irritated eyes blink away the crusted sleep and receive a gentle massage from my fingers to brush the dust away.

Ah, when did I fall asleep? It's not even past two pm and I had already taken a nap?

I sit up and feel the novel I was previously reading tumble onto my lap and lose its page. Quickly, I flip through the pages of the book to recover the spot I had left off on, but I have no recollection of where it was. A sigh escapes me and I toss the book onto the coffee table next to the cooled glass of green tea.  By the time I had fully woken up, it was 2:02 pm. It's about time for Mrs. Olivier to be finished with her shift.

 I get off the couch and saunter down the hall to the "garage". However, I take a quick pit stop at the mirror I hung on the wall. Yep, same as usual. My previously dark charcoal hair is now an ivory platinum. A simple trick I learned while flipping through a beauty oriented spell book months past. My skin is still a sickly pale beige and a dark purplish-brown aura stains the edges of my thin almond shaped eyes. My lips are the only things I find attractive about myself. They are small, but plump and pink. The cupids bow perk up in a "M" shape. I've received lots of compliments about my prized lips. They are passed down by my mother's genes, who used to be the talk of the town when it came to beauty. My father is the one responsible for passing down the pale skin and thin eyes. I run my hand through my long hair once to erase the middle parting, then continue my trip to the garage.

My "garage" isn't actually a garage. Father had remodeled it to become a cozy grocery store many years ago. I open the door to the shop's rear entrance and spot the elderly employee sitting behind the counter. There were a few familiar customers browsing through the display of discount fruits and vegetables who gave me a welcoming greeting and wave in my own store. I do the same and give them a polite greeting as I walk to the old woman watching over the shop.

"I can take it from here now Mrs.Olivier," I whispered to the employee and placed my hand lightly on her bony shoulder.

She beams a sweet old lady smile at me and nods. "Okay sweetheart. O-oh, but I don't mind staying a little longer. It hasn't been so b-busy today, so I can help with st-tocking the shelves with the upcoming d-deliveries," she offered genuinely. She is a wonderful woman, I won't deny that. However, I don't particularly like speaking to her for too long. Her verbal ticks drive me crazy and her gentle charisma causes me more trouble than I ever ask for. 

"No, Its quite alright. I'll handle restocking the shelves. Please, rest easy today. You said that your back isn't in such good shape, didn't you?" I insist. Honestly, I don't care what condition this woman has problems with. I just want her to go home.

"Well yes. I-I suppose I could go for a little lunch and t-tea...Maybe take a nice bath t-too..." She said and reached under the counter for her lemon yellow purse. The woman slowly stood up and slung the purse over her shoulder before turning to face me with her usual bright grin. "I will get going then. See you on Friday Erika dear," she said and headed out of the shop.

I give a small wave and say my goodbyes as she leaves my house. An inaudible sigh escapes my lips and I sit down on the chair Mrs. Olivier was sitting on moments ago. Managing a home grocery store isn't so bad. Check out items, make small talk with the customers, kick out thieves, get paid. The only thing that I have to wait for now is the shipment of canned food and bottled sauces.

The shop doesn't have a door. The store front is opened to the public with a red awning  looming above carts of fresh apples and bell peppers I haul outside every morning. I don't like the wind very much; However, I do enjoy the sun. It's always sunny here. It's as if this town is frozen In a children's story book about the perfect summer weather. The streets are clean and the people passing by are never loud or disruptive. The loudest sounds you would hear on a daily are the cicadas, a couple gassy cars and bicycles bells chiming through the streets.

My favorite part about not having doors in the shop occurs at exactly 3:12 every day. At this exact moment, my friends come to visit me. Five tiny owl finches swoop under the awning and flutter their way to the counter, landing on my outstretched arms like branches. Every witch has a strong compatibility with a certain animal. I am compatible with birds.

"Hello my pretty boys," I cooed and brushed each of their itty bitty heads with my ring finger. I took a short pause and recounted the birds once more. 

Five...Five? 

"Where's your brother?" I asked the little creatures. Of course they didnt reply. They just blinked their eyes and chirp obliviously. It certainly is strange to only see five of my usual customers visit today after a perfect record of almost a decade. Perhaps the missing finch is just taking a little snooze out in the sun like I did just an hour ago. 

"Who wants a snack?" I asked the birds and dismissed my worries for the time being.