Providence

The Dream Catcher

It was a small little shop, tucked away behind a restaurant and a jewelry store. The grimy windows had trinkets galore in them. Old scarves, Dream catchers, and various homemade jewelry The sign out front was weathered, the letters faded. It read:

The Glass Horse

A strange name, but intriguing nonetheless. I drew my coat closer around my body and entered the shop. A bell ringed at my entrance, and I smiled at the familiarity of it. Not many shops had those bells now-a-days.

The sudden temperature change fogged up my glasses, and I took them off for a moment. As I wiped the fog off to the best of my abilities, I wandered forward into the shop. It was a maze of shelves filled with knick knacks. My type of place.

There was a small box full of cards, most of them worn and nearly unreadable. I rummaged through them before something on the next shelf caught my eye. It turned out to be a glass rose that seemed to have no other purpose than as decoration. On the shelf next to the rose was a bin full of old costumes and masks.

I picked up a fraying cape, and clipped the slim chain attached around my neck. It fit well, settling around my shoulders. I admired myself in the full-length mirror set up on the shelf- probably for this exact purpose. As I twisted and turned, I noticed a small heart sewn into the corner of the cape. It appeared to be bleeding. Before I could look at it closer, someone interrupted me.

"Sorry sir, but we're-" I twisted around to see a girl with stark white hair. "Closed." She finished. She looked a tad freaked out, and I realized I was still posing in the mirror.

"Oh. Oh! I'm sorry, there wasn't any sign out front." I blushed in embarrassment. I took off the cape and gently put it back in the bin. "And, um, I've been to every store here and none of them have the thing i'm looking for, and I've always had luck with antique stores.." I rushed out. The girl smiled at me- actually, it was more like she stopped giving me the death glare.

"Well, if we're quick..." she paused and glanced back at the cluttered checkout desk. "Alright, come back here, and I'll see if we have what you're looking for."

"Thank you so much!" I smiled as she led me towards the desk. I hadn't noticed it before, but she was a very strange looking girl, with her dark skin and light blue eyes. On her cheeks were two white streaks that matched her short hair, which was held back from her face by two blue feathers. You'd have a hard time finding a bird with feathers like that. They had to be fake. The rest of her outfit fit along with her weird, animalistic theme. A leather pouch acted as a belt for her brown leggings, leather strips crisscrossed her white tank top, with a russet red scarf tied around her neck. It slid down slightly to reveal a tattoo of a small bird.  She quickly readjusted her scarf, and the tattoo disappeared. 

"Ok, sir," she started, pushing a broken doll and a stack of papers to the side. They bumped against a metal tree with dream catchers hanging from it. They were all so intricate! I smiled.

"What is it specifically that you're looking for?"

"Well, my daughter's birthday is coming up and I want to get her a-" before I could finish, a brown bird- a crow, by the looks of it- flew in, its wings brushing against my head. It landed on a coat rack tucked to the side of the desk and tipped its head at me before cooing softly.

"Barnaby!" the girl snapped in surprise. "Stop swooping in like that." I smiled as she scolded the little bird. To my amusement, the little guy actually seemed remorseful. He ducked his head and flapped his wings uncomfortably.

"I am so sorry sir. I didn't realize I let her out of the back." The girl glared at Barnaby-who, apparently, was female.

"She?" I asked.

"Oh, her owner has a weird sense of humor." I must have looked confused, because she elaborated. "I'm just watching her for a few days. Don't worry, I definitely wouldn't have chosen that name."

"Oh, that's very kind of you. To watch her, I mean."

"So, what was it again you're looking for?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Umm, a figurine. Of a dragon, specifically. For my daughter." I elaborated. The girl smiled at me sadly, and I couldn't help but wonder what had her so down.

"I think we might just have that. Follow me." we re-entered the jungle of knick knacks. She was taking me toward the back of the store.

"I don't think I ever got your name." I broke the silence.

"Jinx," she answered over her shoulder. I nearly stopped moving at the peculiarity of it. What a strange name to have. "And yes, I know it's weird." she finished. I blushed, knowing I'd been caught in the act.

"Well, at least everyone will always remember you, with a name like that." I commented. Jinx paused in her step. I bumped into her before quickly backing up. My wife was always commenting on how clumsy I was. How I got a job as a custodian for such a big, important lab, I'll never know.

"No one ever remembers me." Jinx whispered. I almost missed it, too busy thinking I guess. Jinx started walking again, faster than before.

"Don't say that!" I said as soon as I'd caught up. "I'll remember you! And I'll be sure to bring my whole family to come meet you down here! You'd like my daughter Maria. She absolutely adores stores like this. Says they're like hidden treasure chests waiting to be opened." I chuckled softly to myself.

"Your daughter sounds like a lovely girl." Jinx finally stopped and turned around. Sure enough, on the nearby shelf, there was a variety of dragon figurines. I stepped closer to the shelf, and tripped on something. I glanced down to see a long chain thrown haphazardly on the floor. Jinx noticed it too.

"Oh my gosh! Sorry, that's not supposed to be there. Barnaby must have knocked it off the shelf." she leaned down and picked up the chain.

"It's all good. I'm just glad I didn't break anything. I'm a mess magnet." I laughed. Jinx just stared sullenly at the chain. I frowned, hating to see someone sad.

"Can I buy this one?" I pointed at one of the figurines. The dragon was curled around a misty orb, his scales painted a silvery blue. Maria would love it.

"That's the one your daughter would like?" Jinx asked softly. I smiled.

"Yep."

"Then I'll be sure to have it delivered to her." Jinx said.

"Wha-" I felt a pinprick in my neck, and I turned to see Jinx standing right behind me, one of the feathers from her hair held in her hand.

"I'm sorry," She whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." My head was starting to ache. I yawned, suddenly very tired. My knees were shaking, and I collapsed onto the ground.

"Ma...ria.." I sighed.

"I promise, I promise you're death won't go to waste." Jinx said, her voice muffled. When had she moved so far away. My eyes felt so heavy. Did it even matter anymore.

"I promise."

It was so quiet, so peaceful. I think, I think I'll go to sleep. Yeah, that sounds nice, that sounds....