Mana Pool Snippets - Keystone

Part 6

February 10, 2013

Walsh Estate Winery

“You know what I really miss?” Robert said after closing Katie’s black Moleskine notebook, filled with sticky notes and tags on every written page.

“The days we actually have visitors?” Katie answered, looking over the empty storefront.

“Nah. It’s the kind of days I love talking about wine to complete strangers. God I hate this boredom.” He let out a sigh to make an emphasis on the place. He didn’t care to take his feet off the pay counter. “By the way, good stuff here.” He paused. “Katie, you listening?”

Katie blinked. “Uh, what?”

“I said good stuff. The notebook. You’re actually going through enchanted items?”

“Why not? It’s in the spellbook. And it might come in handy one day.”

“Like that last attempt?” Robert reminded Katie of the incident in her room. “Admit it. This break is good for you. You need to do something else than studying that spellbook page by page every day.”

Katie rolled her eyes. “I prefer to stay in there. I’m not in the mood to do tastings.”

“Either that or we keep loosing money. Dad and me think that putting terrans out to work, showing them they can still do something, that fear from the news becomes meaningless.”

“The last visitor didn’t think so,” Katie said.

Robert shrugged. “Sure he gave you the cold shoulder, but it’s a start. Made twenty-two bucks. A lot better since Jaruka stopped coming here a lot. Well, almost.”

Katie rolled her eyes again.

The Walsh Estate Winery storefront is the second oldest building on the property, next to the family house, and the ever expanding warehouse and cellar. Every detail in the store was that of an old cottage style interior. Nothing on the walls were painted in modern colors, just wood and light brown stains to brighten the interior, along with black iron fixtures with incandescent light bulbs. It was Katie’s grandmother’s original idea: care for the product, not for the décor. The floorboards creaked anytime a customer or employee stepped on them. Tables and upright used wine barrels bared items from local artisans and abroad, from china, eating utensils, history books on Temecula and its wine including Walsh Estate Winery History by Emily Claire, and of course, the fifteen foot wine rack of all the estate’s year round and seasonal wines. The most popular wine is Cliffhanger Port.

Katie grew up with the wines; it’s in her blood. She’s a natural fit for the tasting bar, and she loved it in between school. Robert too, but rather give Katie the job because she’s a social person and Robert focuses on the wine and haunted houses.

But her depressed mood was still with her.

“Still upset about the other night?” Robert asked.

Katie bit her lip, and nodded. “Can’t bring myself to call Andrea or go to the house, not to mention the news crews still roaming the area.” She took a breath and exhaled. “I don’t know what to do.”

It was five days ago, but it still felt like it was yesterday to Katie. Once the neighbors started waking up from the zombie enthrall—screaming over the coagulated blood on their faces and not remembering what happened—Morgan and Beth were still asleep with their new tattoos. But it wasn’t like they had to leave the parents on the front lawn before the police arrived. With help from Jaruka and neighbor Joe (friendly to terrans surprisingly) helped the unconscious parents inside and on the couch before they woke up. Scott wished to do something about the dead fat guy but they had to get out, and fast.