The day was bright enough to me squint my eyes slightly. It wasn't the median of light and dark, I disliked it. I wished it were completely dark, that would be easier than trying to balance between the two. I want everything to be dark. Unfortunately, I don't follow that code. My hair is white and my eyes are just blue enough to distinguish from the whites of my eyes. My skin is fair to say the least, and my nails have a tiny shade of blue to them rather than pink. I wore dark clothing, the kind that consumed the matter as it swooshes about me. I was perfection. I was the center of the dark waves.
I walk amongst the Common, I mean amongst in the loosest of terms. I was perfection; I walk above them; I walk on them. I go to the store my dear friend runs. The cobblestone clicks nicely against the shoes of the Common. I can hear each individual heel, except for those with rubber soles. They sound more like a screech of nails on a chalkboard. I hate those that wear human inventions. I was human once; I wore those shoes before, and I am glad I got rid of such filthy habits.
The door is slightly tilted all the way to the base. The only reason I let him keep the door so of center is because his entire shop is off. Or perhaps the entire world is a little tilted the other way. Either way, I let it remain as such. I turn the knob to the left. I push slightly and I hear a ting that makes me cringe. Such an annoying bell, but I let him keep it because it hangs in line with the door.
As I walk in, I hear him call, as though I were a normal customer. He'll be regretting that soon enough. My bare feet touch the wood; I can tell it is newly polished. I used to think he polished the floor every day. I came a day early, previously, to discover that the floor was disgusting. I now know he does it especially for me. I come in the first and third Sunday of the month, exactly at eight in the morning. Each of those days, the floor is smooth enough for me to glide against.
"Hello, Rudolf." I was delighted at the tone of my voice. It rang with the true intentions of death, likely striking fear into the assistant. He always hides in a corner of the shop, pretending to be working. I call to him every time.
I get the same response; "Hello, ma'am."
"Christian, I have a different order this time." My old friend hurried to the counter, I felt his pace quicken as he passed the books and premade potions. I felt him put down my usual order and I realized that he did not know I meant augmenting my order, not instead of. "I need the usual as well. This is simply something I need on the side as well."
"Would you like what you ordered from last time as well," he stuck his head between the curtain. It was a musty red, slightly more purple on the left half. I hate those curtains, but the last ones were blue and slightly green. I put up with it since this is Christian.
"No, please, leave it with the messenger for another fifteen days. That way it's even more probable that he is killed for the very item I have had you on the lookout for since we began business." I smiled evenly and supremely, I am his queen. "Bring it out," he started to retreat behind the curtains, "after, you bring my usual order."
"Yes, ma'am," he was his normal, foolishly unafraid self, unlike Rudolf, sniveling in the corner as he reorganized the same four glass jars. His hair flopped from one side of his head to the other; it was almost like it was gelled together. Yet, it looked too soft to have been globed together. He reminded me of a bunny rabbit; his nose was small enough for it, and his ears were slightly elongated. Christian set the basket on the glass counter. Everything in here felt like it was glass. "The usual, now, what is your unusual request? Typically you don't stray from routine for months, but this is twice in one visit!"
"No, I asked you to find it three years ago. It is but happenstance that its arrival lines up with the need of these supplies. Now fetch it. Quickly!" he turned and walked composed until the curtains settled. Then I felt him run, down the corridor, past two doors, up the later and back one door space. He moved slowly after that. He had received it. The fool at least knew to be careful with it. His return would probably take a few moments, so I bothered the assistant as entertainment.
"Boy, tell me," he looked over with fear in his eyes. I leaned more of weight on my elbows as I looked at him, peering around the shelf. "Are you done with those four jars? Can you play with me now?"
His face was bright red as he sluggishly walked to me. There was no way that he could be slower than Christian, if that were his hopes, for he had only made it to the ladder. Rudolf appeared in front of me in shambles; his face was paling, but still pink; his clothes were shifted and wrinkled; his hair flopped, but not in any attractive way, as Christian's did. What a mess. "Yes, ma'am?" he was so pathetic.
"Reach into that basket," I commanded.
"The one with the fabric? Your basket?" he was close to sniveling and Christian wasn't even near the second door.
"Yes, that one, you fool." He did as I had said. "Do you feel that coolness about your hand?" He nodded, "you can't remove your hand until I say so and it warms." I moved the basket directly behind me, his form stretched over mine. Christian was at the first door. "And I don't think I want to let you go, convince me."
The boy was on the verge of tears. "I haven't done anything wrong."
"Neither have I, so why have you avoided me for three years? Do me looks displease you?"
I moved the basket even further; he was mere centimeters from me. His left hand hovered around my waist, unsure of what to do with it. I leaned into it. He stuttered, "no, not at all."
"Then, do I please you a little too much?" He opened his mouth and I cautioned him, "if you lie, I'll rip your heart out."
"Uh-I, I can't stop thinking about you," I pushed the basket a little further. The entire length of his body lie against mine, I supported his weight. I felt him stiffen. I urged him to say more. "I have touched myself thinking about you. I thought if I could avoid you, I could avoid the thoughts."
"Release," he had told the truth, and he could move if he wanted, but he stayed. To think that Christian still had fifteen meters to travel, I could play with him for so much more longer. "What if I told you, that these thoughts you had, are perfectly fine? And that I even encourage them?"
"I would have to ask why, then," he was becoming courageous, which meant less honest.
"Perhaps, if you come to my flat, you'll see why. Would you like to come? Would you like to stay?"
"Yes, ma'am. Though I don't know if Christian if he'll let me."
"Well, I control Christian, just as I control you," I rubbed my nose against his. I threw him to the ground to turn around and face the approaching Christian. "Hurry, my darling, I have what I wanted as my special request." He moved with less care and more purpose, though he still moved slower than usual. "If you keep me waiting much longer, I'll have to call it free," and there did his pace quicken! He burst through the uneven curtains in a flash, holding it.
It glimmered in the store light. I was surprised that anything could glimmer with such little sun. Yet, there it was, glimmering as though it was water kissed by the moonlight. The black metal seemed to consume all that surrounded it. I could finally begin. Finally, the world was mine.
Christian casually slipped the dagger into my basket, almost as casual as I slipped him thrice our arrangement. He was delighted at the money, less so at the boy on the floor with my right foot on his chest.
"You can't have him," he was so strong in his words, but I knew he didn't mean it. He knew the dirty, unclean thoughts this boy had about me, I had to make him pay for that.
"Here," I tossed on another purse; it had forty gold coins, half of what I had told him would be on the table. Christian was silent. He knew he would get stories of what I did to him when I came back. Christian did love my little stories.
"Do give me every detail." I helped the shop boy to his feet and thrust the basket into his hands.
"Have I ever withheld anything?" Rudolf started to sweat; now listening to our conversations for the past three years was unwise. He knew exactly what I was going to do, and he couldn't move. "Christian, do you mind if we take the fireplace? I want to unwrap my new toy as soon as possible."
"Be my guest ma'am."
