Even though the sign on the store said "Open," Mina hesitated. Great trepidation formed knots in her stomach. With those mysterious eyes watching her, this could easily be a trap or a trick. Maybe some mysterious medium had summoned the dream from her subconscious in order to lure her into the mits of The Aura.

But still, her natural intuitiveness battled her skepticism. She really wanted to know what this was all about. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and pushed through doorway at long last.

The store immediately reeked of incense. A strangely sweet yet sickening smell too. Beads and bangles jangled overhead as the door swung open.

"This might be worse than a secret Aura base," she muttered. "More like a den for smelly hippies!"

Neon pink lava lamps were stacked on shelves alongside bizarre knickknacks like a ceramic pyramids with the all-seeing-eye at the center. They seemed to follow her as she moved. "Eww-luminati!" Mina exclaimed in horror. "How is that possible?!"

"Well, dearie," the eye answered in a squeaky high pitched woman's voice. "Perhaps your eyes are playing tricks on you...or rather my eyes!"

Immediately, the eye disappeared and a bizarre woman popped out from behind the shelf. Intrigue and suspicion both loomed in Mina's mind upon seeing this woman's get up.

She was slightly heavyset and middle aged with large bushy brown hair and a dark purple gown that draped all the way to the floor. She wore large silver hoops on her ears that nearly hung down to her shoulders and a high amount of bracelets wrapped around her arms. She would have looked like an amateur palm reader at the mini-mall, except she wore the most dazzling mask. A pink and blue butterfly mask fit for a masquerade ball. Mina immediately exclaimed, "My lawdy! That's the same color as my butterfly necklace!"

"That's because it's MY necklace, darling!"

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The woman giggled for a second before reaching out with her arms outstretched. "Give it back, will you!"

"Ew no!" Mina exclaimed, taking a step back. "There's no way I'm getting mugged by a wacky wannabe witch! Beside...my best friend paid for it fair and square!"

The crazed woman's eyes darted around behind her mask. She lifted her fists in the air. "Curse you capitalism!" she howled. "My grand daughter probably sold that by mistake."

"Too late now," Mina said, ready to turn tail and leave, but the woman seized her pale palm.

"Tell me dear," the woman asked, caring not an iota about Mina's personal space. "Have you been experiencing visions or sights of auras?"

"Hold on a minute..." Mina squeaked. "Did you say auras? Like strange red auras around wicked people?"

The woman traced her clammy hands along Mina's fingers. She raised her hand and shouted, "Eureka!"

The mystic smiled warmly behind her mask. "Either you've been hit in the head with a blunt object or ... you have been gifted with the ability to sense the true intentions of others!"

"What in the flying huhs?!" Mina shouted. "So I am a psychic? And here I thought I was just emotionally intelligent!"

"You're actually not too sensitive to other's emotions" the woman chuckled. "Being rude to the most beautiful spinster in all of Business Park, but...that necklace...my necklace...amplifies the powers of those who see auras. And you clearly have that flair!"

"And who are you?" Mina said softly.

The woman pointed her slightly pudgy fingers to her marvelous mask. "I am the illustrious Madame Butterfly! Though my friends in my romance book club call me Frida."

"Oh my!" Mina exclaimed. "I can't believe I haven't heard of you. You sound like super important!"

"I was," Frida answered, and narrowed her eyes. "I was the most famed mystic last century. I helped presidents, kings, and judges with my visions! Being able to sense the intentions of others, I allowed those who were fair of heart to see the auras of other important figures!"

Frida held up her hands and twinkled her fingers in an ominous fashion.

"For if the color of their aura was red...the color of wickedness and malice...I let them know before they formed a partnership or made a deal!"

"Hold-da-phone!" Mina said. "Did you say...that red auras mean wicked intentions?!"

Mina,'s eyes widened. She suddenly knew why all those criminals had red auras. They all had tainted souls of pure evil.

"Yes..." Frida answered. "Unfortunately, by labeling those with malevolent auras...I accidentally formed a cult of evil billionaires and rulers ...it's called The Aura."