The Plate of Obsession - Aim to Engage - Short Story

Chapter 4

Alice was stunned. The lights in the room suddenly came on and she could see tables and tables of every sort of ingredient imaginable. Fruits, vegetables, dairy, wheat. Everything anyone could ever dream of was right at her fingertips. 

There was a lake in the middle of the metal tables, which Alice didn't understand why. She could see the reflection of the tables in the water and the lights made its appearance glow.  It looked like an episode of chef's exclusive. Was she dreaming all of this or was all of this real?

She wasn't sure what to do and tried to get her bearings. She glanced around--where did that funny fellow go? 

Alice started to move forward slowly, unsure if something was going happen. Or someone was going to pop out.

As she walked passed the metal tables filled with ingredients, she noticed that there wasn't anyone else around. It was only her. 

She couldn't tell if there was anything beyond the blackness but she wasn't sure if she wanted to find out. 

Alice went around to the other side of one of the tables and picked up the knife that was resting on the side of the cutting board. How strange.

There was a piece of paper with instructions written on it--recipes?

Alice put the knife down and picked up the stack of papers. She began to read half-hazard, more like skimming. 

These were not your everyday cooking recipes--these were spells.

Her eyebrows narrowed together as she tried to make sense of what was in front of her.

She suddenly got the sense that someone was watching her and she quickly shifted her eyes.

The sorcerer.

He was standing on what looked like a platform high in the air--except--he was floating.

That purple smoke swirled around him and she could tell he was grinning. 

Something was about to happen. 

He floated down and placed one foot on the ground, then the other. 

He clasped his hands together and clapped twice.

The rest of the lights turned on and Alice couldn't help but look up. 

She could see the night sky, with stars dotting all around in it. There were black and blue swirls mixed in with the same smoky purple. 

Alice was too stunned to move but the Sorcerer of Sauces kept smiling, eager to begin explaining what was going on. 

He slowly walked toward her, grinning now then ever before. Alice couldn't move--it was as if her body were frozen. She tried to move her arms up, but it felt like a force was holding them down.

She could feel her legs moving forward, but it wasn't her that was doing it.

She started to panic. What was happening?

The sorcerer stood in front of her now, still grinning. A little too much.

Alice tried to speak, but no words escaped her mouth. She could barely move her muscles. 

She looked at the sorcerer, she could feel her eyes getting wider as she attempted to speak. Thoughts swirled around her mind, but her mouth wasn't moving.

The Sorcerer of Sauces cleared his throat. 

This was the moment she was waiting for. Finally, an explanation.

"I see that you have discovered the powers of the coin, my dear." His raspy voice echoed in the darkened room.

"It's interesting, really. That you would succumb to the coin's magic so fast. Usually it takes it's owners several days to experience the side effects."