Electricity bubbles up and down her spine as her fingers tighten around the small, antique looking necklace charm. The old Asian woman blinks owlishly at her from behind the counter, squinting eyes flashing mischievously.
"You know," She wiggles a bony finger at the small bluette, "That charm magic."
Her amber-colored eyes dart back up to the old woman's face, suspicion flitting through her features.
The old woman continues, "It passed down from generation to generation in old shaman, ancient Chinese sorcerers, family from far east." Her voice is a low hiss, like a snake, "Legend says original owner cast a horrible curse on that porcelain heart."
"Oh?" Her lips curve upwards in amusement, "Then why do you have it? You're just a shop-keeper trying to make some money."
"Old friend give it to me." The woman's long nails click together, "To watch over and protect."
"But?"
"I am dying." A startling wave of somber washes through the old woman and it's like a dark, deathly veil drops over her eyes. The woman's gaze becomes glassy and distant. "And need someone to take care of heart. I chose you."
She frowns at the woman, grip tightening around the porcelain charm, "But why me? I'm nothing special."
"Not true!" The woman leaps on to the glass counter-top, jabbing a bony finger into her face, "You very special!" Amber eyes widen and narrowly miss being clawed out by a super long fingernail, "You the one!"
"I am not." She protests, holding the charm back out to the woman. "I'm nothing but a stupid wallflower. Take it back."
"No, no refunds!" The woman crosses her arms in front of her chest, like an x.
"But I haven't even paid yet!"
"Leave store, now!"
"I can't! It'll be considered stealing. Take the necklace." She tries to hand the necklace back to the old woman, only for said woman to whip out a shot-gun. Gasping in surprise, she shuffles back and waves her hands furiously, "I'm not going-"
"Don't break necklace!" The old woman shouts, pointing at the dangling charm with the barrel of her shotgun, "Don't break or you ruin everything. Leave store, now!"
"Okay, okay!" The bluette rushes out the door; a shard of cold fear embeds itself deeply into her stomach. Cold air nips at her skin, chilling her to the core. She makes it to the middle of the white-sheeted street and then turns back, to stare at the store incredulously.
But it's gone.