I Put A Spell On You

SELEN got off her bicycle and knocked at the door, carrying a jar with concoction on the other hand. A few minutes went by… Still, no one opens the door for her. She heaved a sigh and sat on the doorstep. Maybe the client was still fast asleep. She laid the jar beside her and propped her hands on her chin as she looked up at the sky, watching the break of dawn.

It was too early in the morning, too cold it would make you wish to stay on the bed. But Selen woke up every day even before the rooster makes that cock-a-doodle-sound. She was her grandma’s only errand girl. No matter how cold it was, she had to put on her cardigan, get on her bike, and deliver the concoction to every client wherever they are.

Selen wondered how many more minutes she had to wait until someone opens the door for her. If only she could sneak inside. But that’s a little risky and tricky.

She yawned. “Gah! I want to go back to sleep.”

She closed her eyes slowly. The wind swooshed, and she heard the dry leaves on the ground rustled. Selen could not help but smile. She always finds it entertaining to listen to the sound of nature. It seemed to heal her soul. Then, she heard the door creaked. She grabbed the jar and stood up immediately. A woman in her late forties greeted Selen.

They bowed their heads at each other. And then, she handed the woman the jar of concoction.

With trembling hands, the woman accepted the jar and looked at her. She could see the cloud of worry in the woman’s eyes as she stared back at her.

“A-ah… I almost forgot.” She fished a note in her cardigan’s pocket. “This is the prescription on how to take the concoction.”

“Thank you, Miss,” the woman said somberly.

“You’re welcome…” She heaved a deep sigh.

“Wait for a while. I’ll go get the payment.”

Selen waited again, but unlike before, it only took the woman approximately two minutes to come back.

“Here…” She handed Selen a small brown envelope.

She took it quickly and securely placed it in her pocket.

“If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail us.”

The woman grabbed her by the arm when she was about to turn around and leave. “Y-yes?”

“Would it really cure my husband?” the woman asked in a hoarse voice.

Selen caught the woman’s hands and pressed them gently.

“Our family’s into this business even before I was born. Every client was satisfied with our service,” she assured the woman.

“My husband has been in pain for two years now. No one could cure him in the hospital. The doctors didn’t know what’s wrong with him.” The woman started crying.

“The concoction will help him regain his strength. Soon, my grandmas would be able to break the spell.” She patted the woman’s arm.

Selen came from a lineage of white witches. Her grandmas fight the spells of the evil witches that harm people. They make concoctions to heal those who could not be treated in a hospital. And sometimes, they make love potions for the desperate ones.

“I… have to leave.”

She got on her bicycle and looked back. The woman remained standing by the door, watching her.

Selen started pedaling away.

VIOLY looked at the grandfather clock in the living room before strolling to the kitchen. It was past six o’clock in the morning, and yet Selen hasn’t returned from running the errands. Whenever that kid was late, even for a minute, she always felt nervous. Violy could not help but think that Selen ran into trouble.

“Ate Cora, Selen isn’t back yet,” she informed her elder sister.

Cora halted from grinding the garlic and turned to her. “Did you call her?”

Violy scratched the side of her neck. “I’ve been calling her, but it just keeps on ringing. I’m afraid that— ”

The backdoor swung open, and a muddy Selen entered the kitchen.

“You! If you won’t answer your phone, better throw it on the river and let the fishes have it!” Cora nagged at her. “Look at you. You’re covered with mud. Where the hell did you dive?”

A small black head appeared from Selen’s pocket.

“Mew…” the kitten said.

“I saved a kitten,” Selen smiled proudly. “She was trapped in the mud.”

“You just wasted your time. You should use your time practicing witchcraft!” Cora scolded Selen.

Selen’s eyes started to wet, and with her lips pressed into a thin line, Violy knew the kid would cry anytime soon.

“Ate Cora…” Violy reprimanded her sister.

“What? Am I wrong? Selen is turning twenty-one soon, yet she couldn’t make a simple concoction or perfect a simple spell. What kind of witch is she?” Cora slammed the pestle to the mortar.

“How many times am I going to tell you that I don’t want to be like you? I don’t want to be a witch!” Selen countered.

“You were born into this family. That only means that being a witch is your destiny.” Cora said through gritted teeth.

“I want to live a normal life!”

“Does our life look abnormal to you?” Cora scoffed.

“How can you call our life normal when the neighbors would throw rocks at our house or even set it on fire whenever they learned about who you really are?”

“It’s been ages since that happened. People invest their time in the fruits of technology nowadays, Selen. There were only a few of them who still believe that we exist. There is nothing to be afraid of. Besides, we are doing it right. Fret if you harmed those people, like what those evil witches do.”

“Hey, hey, hey, you two…” Violy butt in. “Enough of this for now, okay?” She sauntered towards Selen and tugged her to the bathroom. “You and your newly found friend should take a bath now.”

“Violy, stop spoiling that kid, will you? That is why she always argues with me. She knows that you are always there to back her up,” said Cora.

She did not mind what her sister said.

“Your Nana Cora is getting older and older. Look at her nagging at both of us every time she has the time,” Violy whispered.

“You’re not mad at me, Nana, right?” Selen pouted her lips.

“Why would I be mad at you?”

“Because I don’t want to be a witch…”

Violy smiled at her granddaughter. “You are free to choose who you wanna be.”

“Thank you, Nana!”

Selen was about to hug her, but she quickly stepped out of the bathroom.

“Wash first so we can have our breakfast.”

“Hm…”