by N. I. Rojas
Edora was standing in the other side of the showcase, her hands already full of clothes in pretty silky hangers. She motioned for me to follow her and I did, not without bellowing and growling as a flogged ox. Being pushed inside a dressing room was something new to me but Edora was acting like the friend or sister I never had. She was also acting as the sister or friend I had never wanted to have. But it was an act after all, and I needed to remember that.
Two hours later, I was back in my minivan. The rear seat was full of bags with dresses, boots, undies and more girlie clothes. I wondered if Edora made me buy all those things so that could borrow them later, but I didn’t care as long as I could be back on time. Again she took the driver’s seat, this time asking me for the keys. I made a mental note to change the locks and the ignition switch of my minivan.
“Once upon a time, a sweet little girl was taken to a party she had never been before. There, she fell asleep and after waking up she noticed she was all covered in blood. That little girl had survived the sacrifice, as she was the recompense made. Everyone around was dead, bodies displayed in still-melted candle wax. Standing up, the girl remembered nothing of her former life, of what she had witnessed just a few hours ago.” -Convinced that I wanted to hear a story, Edora started telling me an urban legend of a known sleeping demon. Little I knew that her story was about to change from the legend we have all heard and turned into a horrific tale of witches and maybe something related to my past. -“One thing she knew. Maghik. A strange current running across her body turned all in fire, leaving her with just enough time to escape. Right outside that house of horrors, the girl remembered she had left something inside. Innocence forgotten there, the girl managed to cast a counter-spell to recover her greatest loss. In its place, the girl created a house she had always dreamt of, a yummy house of licorice and sugars. Every now and then, someone wandered too close to the girl’s house and she let them lick the walls, bite the gates, nibble the frames of the doors. Satisfied and mystified, victims came in the house and helped the girl to eat. Eat their flesh.”
Aghast, I told Edora her story was just a tale for a pajama party around a bonfire. She laughed at me and parked the car in a desolated road. How we got there, I don’t know. Somehow I wasn’t focusing on the road while that creepy story was being told.
She left the car and waved at me. While I left the car too, Edora nibbled the brown fence surrounding the house.
“Mmm!” -She was delighted with the piece of wood she put in her mouth.-“Best chocolate ever!”
Chocolate? Was she out of her mind? I wanted to prove to myself how this situation was affecting me. I was just going crazy. I was just a victim of delusion of persecution. But when I ripped a piece of the fence, right where Edora had nibbled, I almost fell backwards. It started melting in between my fingers.
Chapter 8: Lost and Found
If I couldn’t recognize chocolate, basic ingredient, I wouldn’t be a baker. That piece of fence was chocolate, in fact. Milk chocolate with puffed rice. After calling Edora several times, she never came back. I knocked the front door of the house a few times but my knuckles turned puddly with melting sugar. Soon, her words echoed in my brain. She let them lick the walls, bite the gates, nibble the frames of the doors. Satisfied and mystified, victims came in the house and helped the girl to eat. Eat their flesh.
Giving up was the wisest thing to do; unless I wanted to get eaten by a sleeping demon before the first date. Without taking my eyes from the house I walked towards my LuxGen, turned it on and hit the gas pedal without releasing it until I was certain I had left Edora far, far away. There was no strength, human or supernatural, to make me enter that house.
Confused and lost, it cost me another additional hour to reach the main highway. I was back on track with just two hours or so to spare. One more hour behind the wheel took me back home. Grateful to be alone I went to my kitchen, my safe place, my apocalypse-proof bunker. Thinking on Sam’s issues with sugar, I took two cans of chickpeas, drained and washed them. Patted them dry. Very dry. Turned my oven on to preheat. While it got hot enough, I coated the chickpeas with healthy sugar and cinnamon and spill them on a stainless steel tray. While they were on the oven I hurried to my van and took all the bags out.
Right in my shower I thought of what to wear. Which one of those tons of new girly sets was the right for our first date? A shiver took power of me and a quaver forced me to reconsider staying home tonight.
Back in my room, I put on a white dress with long sleeves and black velvet knee-high boots. I put some easy makeup, emphasizing a black line in my yellowish-green eyes. The house smelled as baked goods and I felt happy. Perhaps I buzzed some tunes in low voice. Looking at myself in the mirror I was shocked. I looked like a kitten. A sexy kitten. Pink lip gloss and a fast comb to my hair and I was ready. I went to the kitchen just in time to take the caramelized chickpeas from the oven.
I fixed a cute treat box and when the chickpeas were cold enough I spilled them inside the box. Tying a ribbon to the cute and simple gift I heard a knock on the door. I looked at the clock. Five minutes to five in the afternoon! It was time already and I hadn’t had the chance to consider what I was doing.
Some drops of sweat ran from my hairline to my neck and my hands trembled with spasmodic coldness. Another knock on the door. Soon he’ll be gone. Gone forever. Soon, this marvelous opportunity would fly away to another girl’s arms. A third knock told me he was still hoping for me to open the door. What are you doing, Morgan? Why don’t you move? You really want to send him to the Blondie Man Eater’s arms? Is that what you really want, Morgan?
I ran to the front door and peeked through the side window. Sam was retrieving already. His head was bent, appalled. My heart hurt so bad seeing him walking away. Without thinking it twice, I opened the door but he didn’t turn to look.
“Hey, leaving already?” -I yelled trying to look relaxed but truth was I was shaking like a leaf in between a storm. My legs were weaker than any other day, like porridge. Determined, I leaned against the door frame, trying to make my hips appear bigger. Sam turned around and when he saw me his eyes sparkled like lightning of fire. His mouth was opened ajar and he walked towards me, caressing my face softly with the palm of his hand. He smelled so good, as vanilla and coconut, my favorite scents in the entire world.
“Oh my!” -Sam said and repeated again and again. -“I’m speechless. You look amazing.”
“Thank you. I’ll take your lack of words as a big compliment.” -I said as I watched him from head to toe. He wore dark blue jeans and a short-sleeved black shirt with the top two buttons undone. -“You look amazing, too.”
He stood there, in front of me, watching me with big wolfish eyes and it didn’t matter to me. I would be a happy prey if that was what he wanted. I was happy just standing there, been watched in detail by such glorious man.
“If we don’t move I’ll kiss you right now.” -Sam confessed between trembling lips. To me, it sounded like a promise. And I wanted to see it becoming truth. -“Come on, don’t let me ruin the evening.”
He walked me to his car after making sure I had closed the house’s door. I stood still for a few seconds, watching how cool and awesome his car was.
“What kind of car is this? A Batmobile?” -I asked in between laughs. His matte charcoal gray car was just like stolen from a car show.
“Aventador.” -Sam answered as if it was an obvious pick. He held the door open for me and I sat in his car, not the police patrol.
“Thank you.” -I said shyly. -“Oh, I made something for you. It’s with healthy sugar so you can eat the whole package.”
Giving him the gift I went out of the car, kissing him quickly in the cheek. Sam turned red, but I was redder than him. Back in the car, he closed my door and went to his side. The bag of sweet chickpeas was already opened when he took his seat and he was munching the crunchy treats. Eyes closed and head rested on the soft pillow of the seat, Sam inhaled deeply and moaned placidly.<
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“This… is… so… good…” -He said between bites. -“And kind of sugar-free you say?”
“Exactly! Good for your health.” -Happy, I managed to say. -“Not all my desserts are poison to the body.”
“You… are… my… baby!” -Sam yelled like if those words belonged to a rock n’ roll song. With big grins we left my house behind and soon the whole town was at our backs. My eyes fixed on the immediate future and my heart glued to this estranged feeling and the promises of a better tomorrow.
By Sam’s side, the road to the city flew by. Time disappeared between my fingers as slippery as piping gel and yet I tried to hold it dearly, a keepsake to never let go.
The restaurant he picked was simple yet harmonious. It was like my store but in a sophisticated city way. We sat outside in a bistro table, enjoying the fresh breeze only brought by darkness. Street lights turned on in synchronization and music coming from inside the restaurant was so sweet I wanted to rest my head on the table and smile and dream for endless time.
“I love your dress. And white!” -Sam tried to talk between the music, and his words were like verses been sung. His eyes were filled with passionate wonder. -“You know the saying about white in the first date?”
I shook my head no while his lips formed a thin line of satisfaction. He extended his hand to take mine and I rushed to slide my fingers in between his.
“If the girl wears white for the first date, they’ll end up in the altar.” -His words gave me a massive blush. Pleased, he leaned over the table, softly kissing my knuckles. -“I have a good feeling about this. Wine?”
With watchful eyes and a satisfied smile, Sam offered me a glass filled with wine. I looked at him, nervous, not knowing what to really say. I was speechless, nothing to claim in my defense.
“I have never had alcohol in my life.” -I confessed at last. For someone who cooks and bakes for living not having a glass of wine was ironic. I preferred my spirits well cooked. -“Only when I eat tiramisu is when I have some rum.”
“Thenit's a first for tonight.” -Extending the glass to me, Sam took his own glass in the other hand. I took it without regrets and smiled sheepishly. -“For the first of many to come!”
Many cups of fruity wine later I really didn’t remember what the menu for the dinner was. Sam ordered for both of us and I was grateful for it. In my life I had never laughed so uproariously. Held by his strong hands we danced through the brick walkways of the city. The moon hanging right over our heads helped me to feel fearless and without any need to be different from this moment. No Maghik, no spells, no bad witches, no vengeance, no more candy houses. I wanted to be just this silly girl in a cute white dress and black boots hanging around with this beautiful fine gentleman.
A fine gentleman! That reminded me of the crab apple Lavender gave me. It was still under my pillow, choosing between a fine man or unicorn’s chase. Maybe it had made a decision already. Maybe luck was on my side. I have never seen a man as happy as Sam, I didn’t pay much attention to other guys anyway. But his laugher was a sincere burst of emotion coming from his heart.
Perhaps I was drunk but cold drops started to fall. Despite the cold I felt hot inside. A warm feeling, like being tucked in a soft silky blanket and kissed goodnight in the forehead. Yeah, I was drunk. That was for sure. But drunk felt good too. Drunk n’ Love! Like for a song.
How I ended in his car again, my hair damp and my hands shaking, was a mystery. A mystery I didn’t want to give explanation, just savor it.
When I opened my eyes again it was daylight. The sun was shining high. The light leaking through my window curtains painted my room a cute bright pink color. I was tucked in my bed and it felt so good. A smile was drawn in my face, as a tattoo. That was good, too. Except for my head. It ached so bad. Maybe I over drank last night. If not for the pain, I was perfectly happy.
Rattling noises startled me. As hard as I wanted to jump from my bed I was so tired and happy that any thug could steal my beloved kitchen appliances and I wouldn’t even move. I was afraid that moving would break this huge charm and I didn’t want to wake up from this very nice dream.
The door was pushed open and I tucked the blanket to my chest to cover myself. That was when I noticed my white dress was gone and I had a red satin nightgown. How I changed myself? Don’t know. How I came to bed? Don’t know. What I did know is that Sam was standing at the foot of the bed, holding a tray with coffee and breakfast for two.
“Good morning, pretty sleeper! I hope I didn’t wake you up.” -He sat beside me and kissed my forehead softly. I was about to faint, but this was a very lucky morning. A pinching wouldn’t have assured me I wasn’t dreaming anymore. -“I brought you some coffee. How’s your head?”
“Hurting and pounding.” -I said with curiosity. -“How I ended home?”
I wanted to ask where my white dress was and how I had this sexy gown on, but shame took control of me. What if last night we… No. I can’t think of that.
That’s a no go, Morgan. You know better than to tie yourself to him that way.
“Have some coffee. I’ll tell you everything. But I promise you that if you laugh I’ll run away. Okay?”
Obeying his command, I drank the steaming coffee in a single gulp. Waiting to hear the story of last night, I straightened in my bed.
“Last night you drank too much wine and you slept all the drive back. When we got home you were asleep and I felt bad to wake you up so I carried you and put you in bed.” -Sam said smiling. -“And that’s everything.”
“Okay.” -I mustered with doubt. -“What happened with my clothes? I’m dressing a very indecent and inappropriate gown.”
“Oh… the gown!” -Sam laughed while sat close to me in bed. -“You stood up and I thought you were a sleepwalker or something but no, you were awake. Drunk and awake. You started undressing yourself and got tangled with the dress. I helped you to get rid of it. You said it was suffocating you. So, you took this gown and put it on.”
“I did that?” -Covering my eyes I regretted having drunk so much wine. -“What a shame! I’m very sorry, Sam.”
He pulled me to a hug and held me strongly. His smell was calming and I felt safe like a baby lying on her mother’s chest.
“It’s my fault. I didn’t know you don’t drink. But I’m not sorry at all. It was hilarious.” -He said while playing with my hair.
“Hilarious?” -I protested jumping to my knees but not releasing the blanket from my strong grip. -“I undressed in front of you. I'm shameless!”
“I wouldn’t say that, but that you trust me.” -Sam argued.
“Trust? Undressing in front of a man I barely know is not a matter of trust. What woman in her right mind does that? That only means trouble.” -Embarrassed, I told him. Sam’s face turned offended.
“And your point is? I didn’ttake advantage of you. I had you naked in front of me, yeah, but here you are, still untouched. No regrets, you know.” -Now he was holding me by the chin, his face so close to mine I could distinguish every stroke of color in his beautiful blue eyes. -“When that day comes, I want you fully awake and entirely sober.”
Chills coated my body, giving me a new skin. Ashamed as I was I could only imagine that moment. His words echoed deep within my core and my knees trembled. My whole body trembled. When that day comes, I want you fully awake and entirely sober. That sounds like a promise. Another one I can’t wait to fulfill.
See, love is like exercise. You don’t want to do it but once you start you can only think on doing a whole triathlon. Exactly that way I was feeling now.
“Get ready, Morgan. I’m going home to change my clothes and pick you around three.” -Sam told me, walking away from my room.
“Aren’t you worried for my stupid behavior from last night? Didn’t you have enough of me?” -I yelled at him, looking at myself in the mirror.
Sam appeared through the door again, like if he was walking on rewind.
“I’ll never get enough.”
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Chapter 9: Is not magic but Maghik
Three o’clock already and Sam was back as offered. I had made a double batch of sweet chickpeas and also made a cloud cake with whipped frosting. Sugar-free sugar, just to pamper him. Sitting in the table, I watched Sam eating an easy lunch I made for two. I couldn’t help but wonder why I had chosen that menu when I love carbs so much. His face filled with satiated happiness forced me to reconsider my goals. Kill this crazy bad people, avenge my family, make them pay for all the mockery they had put me on, or stay here, feeding with happiness this crazy gorgeous cop. Marry him soon. Maybe have a baby or two. Live happily ever after.
Morgan, Wake up! Witches don’t live happy forever. They kill and eat children alive. What, no. Not that. Maybe. But, even so, here you are. Growing false illusions.
I know by now that my mind is sometimes my worst enemy. Treacherous and full of envy. In a constant battle with my heart. They hate each other. My brain, so rational. My heart, so emotional. They don’t want to live together. But they live in a house that cannot be split in two. So the only option was to bring it down.
Of course I didn’t have quinoa on hand but with some Maghik I grew some fast in my private orchard. Harvesting the little grains and make them ready to cook was the funny part. Maybe it would have been easier to maghikally appear a bag of ready to cook quinoa but that’s just not my style. I’m a complicated person.
Fresh veggies, ginger and beef made a delicious stir-fry to accompany the quinoa. I ate it all while Sam savored and tried to name what he was eating. Sometimes he guessed right. Other times he was way too far. Talking to him was very easy and comforting. He somehow made it all full of sense and also made me meaningful and distant from the empty vengeance I had planned all my life. I could only think on why I had planned doing bad to people, if I come to think deeply, I had never met my real family. As far as I know I was left abandoned close a water well when I was just a premature baby.
