By Fleur Lind
The latest contribution from Rose City Writers, this week from FLEUR LIND…
Check out more short stories at Fleur Lind’s website – fleursfabulousfables.wordpress.com
“Itchy Palm”
Agnes was having trouble containing her excitement as she made the finishing touches to her new potion.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, she had overheard time and time again when out and about on her broomstick, that pockets weren’t deep enough.
To say she had ‘overheard’ wasn’t accurate; all her senses were sharper than a new tack. It was a ‘witch’ thing; it was all part of the package. She was born with a particular set of skills. Her nose didn’t just twitch, it could pick up a scent from miles away. Her ears were synced in the same way with distant sound. Her senses were highly tuned and never let her down. Her eyebrows were like a radar as well. The more intense the scent, the higher they would raise. This feature was often he downfall as he mother knew she was probably scheming up something wicked. But generally, her senses could save her from imminent danger, or, and this attribute she always found enticing, draw her to the smell of something…or someone delicious. Sometimes it was a blessing, other times it was a curse; no pun intended.
Licking her lips, Agnes gave her new potion one last, lucky stir.
“That should do it!” she grinned.
Back on her broomstick, with her bottled potion in her pocket, she set off to do some laps around the town. She listened out for the laments she had heard earlier. With her ears alert for incoming calls of help like a police CB radio, she picked up signals and went to work.
As she heard calls for the need of her potion, she dipped the tip of her wand into the potion bottle and muttering a spell, directed a droplet down through the clouds to a woman with a heartfelt cry. The woman wanted to get her disabled mother the perfect gift for Christmas. Suddenly, the woman’s hand started to itch. As soon as she scratched, a $20 note appeared in her palm. The itching only stopped when the dollar value was met for the purchase she had in mind.
The woman was shocked but delighted to see the money miraculously appear in her hand from nowhere. She looked around for any clue as to how it had happened. The world around her appeared the same as it had been before her hand started itching. How very odd, but how very nice! She carried on with her day, planning to make her purchase.
Back on watch, Agnes scanned a very tired, stressed parent needing an urgent cash injection for surgery for her child. The look of confusion followed by sheer relief from the parent, filled Agnes with joy, her nose twitching with delight. And the giving went on…a man needed a new and expensive part for his car, holidays were booked, travel plans were made, deposits were made on new builds, food was put on the table to those in need, all sorts of needs were met with a flick of her wand, a secret little spell, and a drop of her potion.
Over the course of the day, Agnes did her best to spread the Joy of Christmas far and wide. Her potion was never about greed. She was mindful not to override all the good that Santa did, after all he was in a league of his own. She was just out on her broom, feeling the breeze, dropping some joy to help people ease.
With its “shelf life” of just 24 hours, she hoped her ‘Itchy Palm’ Potion would make a big difference.
She was sure that everyone she administered it to, would enjoy scratching!
