Yeah, woke up stuffed up and bleary eyed this morning. I know it is just seasonal allergies but it really feels like payback for waking up well yesterday. So the coffee is brewing and the allergy meds are already clearing the sinus passages. Lets jump into the morning prompt.
Okay sinuses aside, I am doing really well with prompts this week. This is another I really need to see the story on the other side of.
Wednesday, December 21st: The air was warm and fragrant.
The air was warm and fragrant. She took a moment to inhale deeply before walking in. Normally candle shops made her nose twitch and her eyes water. The conflicting scents, the overwhelming aromas. This was different. They only sold one scent. It was represented in their candles, incense sticks and wax melts. Everything else was merchandise that was fragrance fee.
‘Unification of scent,’ she thought. ‘and a nice scent for a candle.’
She looked around and spotted a checkout counter. There was a smiling clerk behind it helping a patron wrap up a recent purchase. They were chatting and smiling. Lucy was too far back to hear what they said. She thought of browsing until the patron was gone, but she wasn’t here to buy candles or incense or wind chimes or any of the many other items she could see around the store. It was interesting, but not really her thing.
She walked towards the counter and stopped when she was a discrete distance. She didn’t want to crowd anyone or get into their space. She hung back as the patron took their bagged purchase and stepped away. She was all smiles clearly enjoying spending her money on whatever it was she bought.
“May I help you?” The clerk was looking at her. Eyes green, Hair blond, smile whit as pearls.
She stepped forward. “I’m here to deliver a letter to a Diana Watson.” Lucy said. She lifted the flap of her messenger bag and pulled out the thick envelope. As always she marveled at the paper. It felt thicker than paper, almost as if someone had happened a sheet of metal thin enough to serve as an envelope. She saw the letters go into the envelopes and knew that they looked just a thick and sturdy. She didn’t know what they said. She never knew what they said. She just delivered them where she was told to deliver them.. Sometimes those receiving them reacted with joy other times with sadness.
‘Either way it will wreck the cozy vibe,’ Lucy thought.
“Oh she’s in the back, I’ll go get her.” Green eyes disappeared and Lucy stood there waiting. Oddly heavy envelope in her hand. Usually she didn’t care too much about the chaos the messages caused, but here, there was something tranquil about the space , like peace captured under glass. She knew she was the one kicking the rock into the pond. Whether the ripples were seen as good or bad didn’t matter, she was still the one who brought the ripples. For the first time she felt a little saddened by that.
Green eyes turned and older woman behind her. “I am Diana,” she said. The woman was small and dark haired. Her eyes black as coals. She was not as striking as green eyes but while Green eyes would draw a crowd, Lucy had the feeling that Diana was simply not someone to cross.
Lucy held out the envelope. Dina looked at it.
“I see. It is time then,” Diana said. The voice was neutral which Lucy found strange. There was no anger, no sadness no joy. Just neutral, tranquil like the shop. Lucy felt a shiver in her belly and somehow the peaceful tranquility of the shop no longer felt peaceful It felt oppressive stagnant smothering.
Diana took the envelope and Lucy turned away more than ready to leave.
“Do you know what it is you bring or are you a blind messenger,” Diana asked from behind her.
Ten til Midnight 