She Put a Spell on Me
I remember our first meeting.
Ina had just handed me off to Nori to finish the tour of Konohana. We had just finished meeting Yun and Ying, they run the small restaurant in town, and it was getting late.
"This is the last house Phillip. Then you can start planting those seeds Grandpa gave you!" Nori smiled at me like my mother used to when I was a child.
I nodded in agreement as we crossed a small bridge over into a tiny bamboo park. There were little oriental benches set up around the edges with little pots of bamboo. A small wet umbrella lay closed from the rains that had covered me this morning. The grass was neatly trimmed and there even was a variance of lantern sizes that were hung haphazardly around the small park for a small bit of light.
That was too our right, but as we both continued on the path we came across a two story shack with an apple tree growing in it. Aimlessly spread around the tiny yard in front of it was pots filled with exotic plants and trees. Next to the house was a huge orchard filled with neat rows and columns of fruit trees. Not a single weed nor growth lay under them. Around the orchard was a small wooden fence that wasn't I the best condition but it seemed to do its job.
As we slowly approached the house, I gazed up and saw small hanging pots attached to the side of the house. Some with vines in them had begun to creep from their pots into the siding. Tiny red flowers dotted the green plant as it crawled slowly up the side of the house, nearing the old apple tree that butt it's way through the structure. Two small windows looked out over the front yard as light blue curtains drift in and out of the windows. There was touch of simplicity to them, but for some reason I couldn't get out of my head that they were meant for a little girl not for an older girl. But our short walk suddenly comes to a halt when Nori stops.
She knocks on the wooden door slightly. A small red mailbox has the names Mako and Reina painted in blue paint sloppily. Almost as though a child painted them. At the time I never would have thought how much those two people would impact me. But who am I to say that.
Anyway, Nori sighed and turned around to face me.
"Phillip, I think Mako is out in the orchard somewhere, but Reina is most likely in her research lab. Would you like to visit them now or go home?"
"I'd rather stay." I shrugged. Why not?
Nori opened the door. It wasn't locked? What kind of town is this?
We entered a small dinning room. A tiny kitchenette lay in the far corner of the room. Plants, tree saplings, and different types of berry plants in pots covered the walls and floor. Even a vine grew up the stairwell.
The stairwell. A song softly rung through my ears as I unconditionally walked up the stairs.
I Put A Spell On You; Screamin' Jay Hawkins
I put a spell on you
Because you're mine….
Oooh yeah!
A loud saxophone rung through my ears.
Stop the things you do
What's up? I ain't lying.
Yeah!
I can't stand. No running around.
I can't stand. Don't put me down.
I entered a bedroom. A tall dresser lay in the corner of the room with books and a microscope. Bushes and saplings line the walls. But the music just kept getting louder.
I put a spell on you!
Because you're mine!
Oh Yeah!
I entered the research lab. Books lined the back wall and a long low table lay in the middle of the room. Bits of roots and leaves lay on the table along with a record player. It spun in a long circular motion. Making my eyes follow the line of the table until I saw her.
Her hair was as black as midnight, but was as beautiful as a raven. She had three neat braids hanging down from her naturally wavy short hair. Her slender back was exposed only until her mid, then her soft blue cloth dress captured her skin again. Her long slender arms were engulfed in striped sleeves that hung over her long slender fingers.
Slowly she turned around and laid her dusty emerald eyes on me. Her light rosy lips formed a secret smile. She tried to hide her adorable candy colored blush behind her long bangs, but to no avail I saw them and smirked. She shifted slightly and walked over to me.
She held out her hand and I immediately took it.
"I'm Phillip Hart the new farmer. Pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine. Reina. My uncle and I are both botanists."
I watched her eyes go from her hands to my eyes. She was perfect in every form possible. A little shy, a little standoffish, smart, and not to mention breath taking beautiful. She put a spell on me.