Well I 'ad a bit of a problem with th' server but it was fixed n' on with th' show.

Dfhadfh

"Jupiter bless you."

Vivian stopped sneezing and coughing just enough to peer at the strange woman that stood behind the counter. Through watering eyes she had a vague impression of a brightly colored muumuu and lots of rings on thick jointed hands.

"What," minced Vivian.

"Jupiter bless you," the woman repeated.

"I'm not in agreement with the whole god thing so I use my way of speech. I'm a spiritualist and my name is Amanda and this is my shop." Said Amanda since that apparently was her name.

By now Vivian had gotten her breathing accustomed to the thick atmosphere of smoke in the room but her nose was going berserk since it picked up every whiff of every thing. The woman didn't seem to laugh at her but did have a faintly amused look on her pale freckled face. She had short hair and several piercing spots on her face and ears.

Certainly not what I had thought a woman like her would look like. But then again I don't know anyone that is a self proclaimed spiritualist.

She shot a small look at her surroundings and noted that there was a back door to the left of the counter. Vivian couldn't see any other entrances. The shop was full of bright little knick-knacks. There where statuettes made of resin of Egyptian gods and there where whimsical little figurines of bambi eyed dragons and brightly colored cloth everywhere. Closer to the woman was a glass case along the front of the desk. Vivian was still thinking of the small cushion but couldn't help but feel drawn to the case in front of her. The woman was re-arranging the desk that was adjacent to the front one and was humming a tune. She walked up to the case and in the half light of the shop she saw dozens of bits of jewelry winking up at her. There where dragon rings and symbols and birthstones everywhere.

"I can bring out anything you'd like to see closer if you like," offered Amanda.

"Alright and thanks," responded Vivian.

She could see a rainbow hued bracelet made out of tiny crystals on a drop of purple velvet.

"Could I see that one please?"

"Sure. That is a chakra bracelet. Do you know what that is? It is the stations the body has at all times there is a chart here that you could get if you like that explains it fully." Said Amanda.

"No I would just like to see the bracelet"

Amanda hoisted back the arms of her muumuu and on her arm there was a band of keys on a squiggle key ring. She pulled it of and riffled through the keys and selected on small one and inserted it into the case. She opened the back door and plucked out the bracelet and handed it to Vivian. Vivian noted that it was held together by a series of drilled bits on the crystals and strung together by some clear thread. The small price tag on it said 5 bucks. Vivian pondered about how much would the cushion cost along with the bracelet. She glanced up at Amanda and made up her mind to ask.

"The cushion in the display. Is it hand made? Who made it? How much is it?"

Amanda smiled, "I was wondering when you where going to get to that. I noticed you looking in at it. It's really nice isn't it? I made it. And yes its hand made. Its only nine dollars. I had tried selling it for more but I was thinking of closing this place down since it's more of a hobby thing now and I usually don't have it opened anymore."

Vivian began eyeing the woman again. She didn't smell like her kind and sure shooting didn't look like them. She couldn't get any whiffs of her people in the shop but with all the smog she wasn't sure…

Amanda noticed the silence and amended, "I have a good friend who has had dreams that he liked to describe to me and that's what my artiste's interpretation of it is."

Vivian decided to buy both things at once. It didn't matter that now if she was hit by that renegade bus all she had was a bracelet and a cushion. At least whoever found her would think she had good taste.

Then she thought of something she had forgotten.

"How much is the bracelet and the cushion plus tax?"

Amanda smiled and answered, "I don't charge tax on stuff I made and I made both of these."

Vivian said, "Then can I take them both?"

Vivian thought about what Amanda had said and decided that anyone who had such vivid dreams that another could see them just by listening was worth a little investigation. That and she was just bored.

"So who is the dreamer?" asked Vivian.