As the door shut behind her, Soraya immediately noticed the fresh scent she was breathing in—the blend of savory aromas of herbs and exotic spices, the sweet floral notes that reminded her of spring, and something else she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
She exhaled relief from getting away from the car exhaust outside, and just as she took a deep, soothing breath, a memory fluttered to the surface. The image of a glade she had once stumbled across while deep within the forest of The Blue Ridge Mountains flashed across her mind. She’d taken a…spontaneous…hiking trip with Jesmine and Delilah almost a decade ago where this memory took place.
She had never thought about it since—until now.
Shaking off the memory, her gaze flew to the center of the room. The evening light from outside barely filtered through the shop’s fogged, age-worn windows. Soft glass lamps cast a warm glow into the otherwise shadowed corners. In the center of the room stood a small tree perched on a round table, appearing as though it radiated light from within.
Maybe it was just the lighting, but the tree seemed to glow, its white bark gleaming faintly and its lush petals shimmering with an ethereal brilliance.
It was obviously fake but still captivating.
It was large and squat, and the top of its canopy went above her head. It had a gnarled white trunk, like that of a bonsai tree, and clusters of white flowers tipped in royal blue drooped down in waves of petals reminiscent of wisteria blooms.
Intricate silver wind chimes hung from some of the branches, their soft metallic tones catching the light, while crystal sun-catchers sparkled prettily, scattering flecks of rainbow across its leaves.
Truly, it was a stunning piece of decor.
Managing to tear her eyes away from the mesmerizing tree, Soraya found herself unsure of where to look next. Around the tree were several tables, each overflowing with objects that begged for attention. Her gaze then flicked to the shelves lining the shop walls, where dense green plants sprawled across the tops, their vines trailing down in wild, untamed tendrils.
On the shelf to her right, tomes of leather-bound books with gilded spines seemed to beckon her, whispering promises of secrets waiting to be uncovered. To her left, the first shelf held glass containers filled with liquids of various colors, shimmering faintly in the dim light. Her gaze followed the progression of items—potions giving way to shelves filled with woven baskets of dried herbs, earthy spices sealed in jars, and pickled vegetables marinating in brine.
She stepped around a table adorned with little velvet drawstring bags, each propped up neatly on box stands. One deep sapphire bag caught her eye, and she paused briefly before continuing her slow circuit around the glowing tree.
That’s when she felt it—the unmistakable sensation of being watched.
Flicking her gaze to the back right corner, she nearly flinched when she spotted the shopkeeper. Tucked behind a crowded counter, the woman observed her with a look of detached curiosity. She had auburn hair cut into a sharp bob and wore a long puffed-sleeve shirt paired with a bright green corset cinched tightly around her waist.
The shopkeeper was unnervingly quiet.
“Hello,” Soraya greeted.
The shopkeeper didn’t return the greeting but instead asked in a tart tone, “Is there something I can help you with?”
“No—I just wanted to take a look around. I spotted your shop and was curious,” Soraya responded, a little taken aback by her tone.
The woman gave a curt nod and glanced down at the counter where a book lay open before her.
“It smells lovely in here,” Soraya commented as she stepped further into the shop. “Is this a—” Soraya thought for a moment. “A holistic shop, by any chance?”
“You could say that,” she responded flatly, offering no further explanation. She made no effort to elaborate on what was available in the store. In fact, she seemed more annoyed by Soraya’s presence than interested in engaging her. But Soraya wasn’t about to let that deter her curiosity.
She wandered to an overcrowded table nearby, eyeing the stone bowls filled with gemstones and crystals. One particularly vivid red stone caught her attention. She reached out a hand to touch it but immediately jerked it back as a sudden pulse of heat radiated from the stone at her fingertips.
She changed direction and headed for the shelves filled with glass containers. The bottles came in all shapes and sizes—some containing clear liquids, while others held opaque solutions, like a cloudy blue tonic that swirled hypnotically within a square jar topped with a jewel stopper. Ruby red, pearl white, emerald green—each was more vibrant than the last, with exotic names listed on labels beneath them.
A small container with purple liquid caught her eye, labeled Indigo Crème. Beside it, an even smaller bottle with golden-amber liquid bore the name Dew Drop Honey.
“What are these bottles filled with?” Soraya called out, her eyes flitting from one intriguing label to another.
The shopkeeper didn’t look up as she flipped a page in her book. “Bath soaps.”
Soraya nodded thoughtfully, her curiosity piqued. She wondered what they smelled like, her fingers itching to twist open a stopper and take a whiff. She glanced at the shopkeeper, debating if she could get away with it, but ultimately decided against it.
Turning on her heel, she wandered across the shop to the shelf of books. Her interest in the tomes faded almost instantly when something else caught her eye—a rack of clothing hanging on the wall between the shelves.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Approaching the wall and table of clothing, Soraya reached out and let her fingers trail along the sleeve of a purple hoodie. The fabric was incredibly soft, and she smiled, delighted by the texture. It looked to be her size, so she snagged it off the hanger. Her gaze then shifted to a stack of neatly folded blue jeans on the table.
She found one in her size and draped it over her arm before adding a white T-shirt and black leggings. Her hands absently ran over the luxurious material, and she was happy she was able to find some new clothes.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Fishing it out, she saw she got a text from Jesmine saying she was going to be out late and to not wait up for her.
Soraya tsked, really hoping it had nothing to do with those guys she met. After the state she found Jesmine in last time….Soraya typed out a message.
Soraya: I hope you’re not seeing those guys again.
Jesmine: So what if I am?
Soraya: Do you need glasses?
Jesmine responded with an emoji—one that could easily be interpreted as a middle finger, depending on the viewer.
Sighing with a faint smile, Soraya pocketed her phone and walked over to a rack near the shopkeeper. Sunglasses of various styles hung from it, and her hand stopped on a pair of rose-colored glasses. She smirked, deciding they’d make the perfect gag gift for Jesmine.
Turning back toward the bookshelf, she was suddenly distracted by a soft cooing sound. She glanced up, her gaze sharpening as she did a double take. There, nestled among the lush green vines draped over the top of the shelf, was a gray dove.
Its sleek feathers shimmered faintly in the dim shop light, and its black, inquisitive eyes seemed fixed on her, unblinking.
“What’s the name of your bird?” Soraya called out. “It’s beautiful.”
The shopkeeper didn’t answer, prompting Soraya to glance her way. She found the woman already watching her, a flicker of interest lighting her previously disinterested expression. Before Soraya could feel uneasy, the sudden flapping of wings snapped her attention back to the bird.
The dove had left its perch, swooping gracefully over Soraya’s head. Turning to follow its flight, she saw it land delicately on one of the many branches of the glowing tree in the center of the room. It cooed softly, its tiny head tilting as if observing her.
“Her name is Dawn,” the shopkeeper finally answered.
But Soraya’s focus stayed on the bird. Her gaze traveled to its breast, where dark pink feathers shimmered as though they had been dipped in rose gold.
Can you dye bird feathers?
“Beautiful,” Soraya repeated.
“She is,” the shopkeeper replied, her tone carrying a wistful note. “Reminds me of home.”
Soraya tore her gaze from the bird and looked back at the shopkeeper. Her face was neutral, but there was a thread of sorrow in her voice that Soraya couldn’t ignore.
She approached the counter and placed her items on the polished wooden surface. “You have a wonderful shop here. What’s your—”
“Laura,” the shopkeeper interrupted, her eyes studying Soraya’s face with quiet curiosity.
“Soraya,” she replied, her smile warm. It felt good to see that Laura no longer regarded her as an inconvenience.
Laura looked down at the items and slid them closer to her. She glanced back up to Soraya, opening her mouth as if to say something, then cocked her head before asking, “Just these?”
Soraya looked over the countertop, overflowing with baubles and snacks. She picked up a bag containing an assorted trail mix and added it to her pile. “Yes, this will be all, unless you can recommend something that will help the horrible smell outside.” She also hoped she would be able to afford all the items. None of them had any price tags, and she hoped it wouldn’t cost her an arm and a leg.
The shopkeeper nodded and gave the items another once-over. Then, meeting Soraya’s gaze, she said, “Forty bucks—and a favor.”
Soraya laughed, “A favor?”
Laura nodded, her face serious.
Uneasy, Soraya asked, “What kind of favor?” This stuff had to cost more, but who traded in favors these days?
“Give me a second.” And with that, she disappeared behind a beaded-off doorway.
Not sure where this was going, Soraya tapped her fingers against the counter. Her eyes flitted around the space until they landed on a tapestry behind the counter.
It was beautifully woven, and prose written in a different language was sewn into it, with colorful flowers stitched around its borders. She wondered what it said.
Fishing out her phone, she snapped a quick picture of the tapestry to examine later.
A flutter of wings alerted Soraya that Dawn was on the move, and indeed, the dove flew past her through the beaded doorway where Laura had just gone a moment before. A second later, a flash of light sparkled from the back room, making Soraya shift on her feet. She hoped this favor didn’t involve anything too crazy.
“Here,” Laura said as she reappeared, holding up a necklace with small charms dangling from it. Soraya barely had time to examine it before Laura moved behind the counter and approached her.
“This is my favor,” Laura announced.
“Um… what?” Soraya asked, completely bewildered, as the shopkeeper came up behind her.
“It’s a charm,” Laura said with a smile.
“Oh, I—uh,” Soraya didn’t know what to say as she clasped it securely behind her neck.
Walking back behind the counter, Laura said, “Take good care of it.”
Soraya blinked. “I’m confused… Do you want me to promote your shop?” She paused, trying to make sense of it. Did Laura think she was some kind of influencer? Soraya didn’t even have social media accounts. At most, she just scrolled as user2378654 to watch cute animal and nature videos.
“No, just keep it safe,” Laura replied, her eyes soft on Soraya’s.
“This isn’t stolen, is it,” Soraya chuckled nervously, unsure how to feel.
“Nope, I made it.”
Soraya nodded slowly. This was getting weird. “Ah—thank you. Here’s the money.” She placed two twenties on the counter, eager for the exchange to be over.
Laura reached under the counter and pulled out a bag, beginning to place Soraya’s items inside. Then, a tinkling sound echoed through the shop.
Soraya turned over her shoulder, her gaze landing on the wind chimes hanging from the tree. One in particular caught her attention. The gold chains cascaded down in a waterfall effect, attached at the top to a circular ring that held a glass ball. Inside the glass, a shard of black stone floated, spinning chaotically in place.
Turning back to look at Laura, she noticed the shopkeeper’s face had gone pale. “It’s time for you to go home now, Soraya.” Quickly walking around the counter, Laura gently ushered Soraya to the door with her bag in hand.
Soraya, concerned, asked, “Is everything alright?”
Laura gave her a wan smile. “Oh, it will be.” She gripped the doorknob tightly and looked at Soraya. “Go straight home. Tonight is not a good night to go wandering about. You will be traveling soon enough.”
“Okay, um—thank you for your help.”
Laura nodded, then opened the door and peeked out both ways as though checking to make sure everything was clear. She quickly passed the bag to Soraya and gave her a gentle push out the door.
“Straight home,” Laura warned before shutting the door in her face and locking it. Soraya watched as the lights turned off inside the shop, and all was quiet again.
“Huh.” Soraya didn’t know how to feel about the past five minutes, but she was happy with her purchase. Taking out her phone, she ordered a car and waited under the seven-pointed star as twilight settled on the streets, and the shadows watched her from afar.