Near the end of the town square, next to an Elven church, across from the pub the Witches liked to frequent, there was Broucka General Store. It was the shop she went to every time she was out for the day because it sold everything from fresh meats and fruits, to specialty potions and knick-knacks laced with psychic energy — things she might need for a night of hunting.
“Edwin?” Charlotte called to her favorite clerk, pushing through the noisy curtain of stones that rained down from the front doors. Enchanted, red clay birds twittered around Charlotte's head as a welcome before disappearing to the wooden rafters of the shop ceiling.
“Hello there, Charlotte!” A small demon poked his head out from behind a tall oak shelf of crystal potion bottles. “I’ll be with you in five minutes.” He went back with his rag to finish polishing. The purple stained glass of the bottle he dusted distorted his burlap face into a funny jug shape that forced Charlotte to smile. Edwin was the strangest creature she had come across in her lifetime so far — something like a living scarecrow, with potato-sack skin and button eyes.
“No problem. I’m just going to browse.” Charlotte peered into the cases of rotating quartz pyramids and evil eyes that blinked back at her. On top of one counter sat lightning in a bottle, jumping around on the wooden surface.
“Uh…Edwin?” she called nervously as she watched the lightning bottle skitter closer to the counter’s edge.
The bottle leapt over, and was caught at once by two small stitched hands.
“Got it!” Edwin smiled at Charlotte through thick bottle-cap spectacles. “I don't know why the boss even wants this on display. I don't see how anyone would want to buy it.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “It's…interesting.” She was only recently acquainted with Edwin when he began working there, but they’d become fast friends.
“What can I do for you today?”
“I am going out for the day. Have anything fresh?” She grinned.
Edwin placed both hands atop the counter and leaned in close to her, whispering, “You're leaving the Occult city again, Charlotte?”
She nodded.
“That is a bad idea. A very bad idea.” He started to sputter. “Bad, bad, bad.” His fists twisted in the material of his coat, a habit when Edwin sensed danger. But Charlotte didn’t like to let Edwin’s little episodes bother her. They rarely came to fruition. She only rolled her eyes at him.
“No…no, I don't think you should. I definitely d-don't….”
The lightning bottle leapt off the countertop again, but this time Edwin was too distracted to catch it. The glass shattered on the ground. The electricity zapped, breaking the other glass bottles, tearing chunks of wood from the walls. Owls and bats screeched in their cages, and Charlotte and Edwin were completely knocked off their feet.
She slowly lifted herself up and dusted off, looking around to see the spotless store was now in utter chaos. A few of the black rats had even escaped and were scurrying for a hiding spot.
Edwin gripped the edge of the countertop and pulled himself up as well. Charlotte laughed when he coughed out a puff of smoke, beams of electricity zapping off the ends of his spiky, black hair.
“No offense, but leaving the Occult seems a lot safer than staying here,” she said smugly, and put out a small flame flickering at the point of one hair spike.
“I really doubt it, Charlotte. It’s one thing to leave at night when they don't keep watch as much….” Edwin wiped the soot from the material of his face.
“Edwin, I'll be fine. I do it every night when I’m hunting for Valek. And anyway, it’s because I am human their stupid magical laws don’t apply to me. Remember?”
“That just makes it all the more d-dangerous. They will find out you live here. You are not only putting yourself in danger, but Valek, too. Can you not see that?”
“Who’s going to catch me, Edwin? I'm telling you, it’s fine. And I’m going.” Charlotte walked to the large barrels of produce and sifted through apples. “I’ve gotten away with living here my whole life. I don’t see how anything has changed.”
Edwin hobbled behind her, wringing his hands nervously in the washrag. “N-no. I–I r-really think t-that you should j-just stay—”
Charlotte placed a hand on his shoulder. “What do I owe you for the apple?”
Edwin mumbled something undecipherable and waved his hand at her as if to say she owed him nothing. She smiled affectionately, placed two hellers in his hand, kissed his cheek, and left his shop.
She made her way into the suburban district of the village where groups of Elven children were on their way to school. She recognized a few of her old friends and waved, instantly missing the times when they used to play together. She hadn’t the time to be around them for a while now with her responsibilities of hunting for Valek. She sighed.
One of the Elven boys called out from a small group. “Charlotte!”
Aiden Price, a woodland Elf with feathered, auburn hair and bright green eyes.
She’d kept her schoolgirl crush between herself and her sketchbook since she was thirteen; the sight of him still made her heart beat a little quicker.
“Hi, Aiden!”
He ran to her, lifting her a few feet off the ground in an enormous hug. He had been her very best friend until she stopped coming out in the daylight.
“How’s Mom doing?” Charlotte asked. She always adored, Meredith, who had been her caretaker when she was too little to care for herself, and when Valek wasn’t available.
“She’s great! And Valek?” he asked, adjusting the books in his arms.
“He’s doing really well. Busy too, though.” She smiled.
She hated the awkward pause that settled over them. Their hours of deep conversation about mutual had been reduced to meaningless small talk.
Charlotte blushed, not knowing what else to say. One of the other Elves called Aiden’s name. She exhaled, relieved, and also a little sad.
“Well, I better be getting to school. You’re so lucky you had Valek growing up.” He laughed. “No teachers.”
“Right! Valek is just as strict as any teacher of yours! Trust me.” She rolled her eyes. When Aiden chuckled and tucked a stray curl behind one of her ears, she blushed an even deeper shade.
The other Elven boys waiting for Aiden had already begun to start again without him. Noticing this, he said, “Well, it was nice seeing you, finally.”
“You too, Aiden!”
“Let me know the next time you decide to be normal. Maybe we can get together or something,” he offered as he started to walk backward to catch up with his group.
“Sure! You got it.” She bit her lower lip and made her way in the other direction.
The canopied pathway extending past the Elven houses remained dark in spite of the bright day. Charlotte lifted her gaze to see the dense covering of mangled vines and branches that blocked out the sunlight almost completely. The tunnel was so void of light and life, the sound of birds singing wasn’t even present like it would be in a normal forest.
Traveling this pathway during the dark hours for Valek was much scarier. At night, it was impossible to see through the blackness between the trees and bushes. If Charlotte really were being followed last night, she’d never know until whomever it was caught up with her. She shivered.
The roads leading beyond the Occult were completely abandoned. None of the creatures ever dared to cross the borders anymore, which made her feel a little dangerous. The inhabitants were too afraid even to travel to the other secret cities since the wizard Vladislov had taken power and smothered his people with laws. But Charlotte had done this a thousand times before, and no old wizard was going to stop her now. Technically, she wasn’t among the magical, so technically she didn’t have to abide by magical law. At least, that was her logic.