Graveyard, Backyard

54. Delusion

Ander parked his car not much farther than the shop and silently walked towards it. This was it. This was the moment he'd make that bastard-

A lady bumped into him, her heels tripping her.

'Good heavens! When did I turn into a clumsy lad?' he thought to himself as he lowered down to help the lady.

Even on a hot day, she was wearing a beanie and a scarf, her eyes hiding behind her sunglasses. Ander lent her a hand which she took.

"I'm sorry. I was -" Ander began.

"I know you!" She said with a smile. Her voice was vaguely familiar. So was her face. "You're Andy. No, Ander, right?"

He nodded with a frown.

"Abigail." She introduced herself. But it didn't ring a bell.

Maybe Ander knew her from a century ago. She could be a witch.

He remembered why he was here. 'Dammit!' He cursed as he zipped around to look for Rick. He wasn't there. 'Dammit! Dammit!' He rushed towards the old shop. Abigail followed him.

An old lady sat at the counter, her eyes lazily skimming over a torn book. The shop was filled dying shelves of various sorts of bottles, ornaments, and ancient books.

"Ah, Abigail. The usual?" She asked.

"Yes. Just 2 bottles this time." Abigail chimed beside him.

The lady stood up to fetch it, "Just 2?"

"Yeah. We won't need more."

Ander interrupted, "Excuse me?"

The old lady went inside the store without answering.

"She's a little grumpy." Abigail whispered, "Hates men. Bitter past experience." Ander didn't respond. He didn't care, to be honest.

The old lady came out with two tiny boxes in fluorescent colors and handed to Abigail. She handed her some coins and thanked her.

"It was nice meeting you. See you around." She said as she walked out while Ander turned towards the old hag.

"What's your business here, eh, pretty boy?" She snarled.

"I was just um... You know the guy that came here a few minutes ago?"

The lady inspected Ander with sharp eyes before saying, "I ain't giving information I shouldn't but he's a regular customer."

"What did he get? A potion? That's all I want to know. It's important."

The lady didn't believe him. Ander took out the bottle he'd found near the lake and showed it to her.

"I found this. I want to know what it's for!" He added.

The lady sighed and gave up. She craned the neck to see the bottle, "797" she murmured, "Reviving Potion" she said out loud.

Reviving Potion? Ander waited for more explanation.

"Most witches use this potion to contact with ghosts of dead people. The lady that came with you? She bought them too for the same. But, some witches use it for dark purposes too. Replacing souls in body and such. The runes and spells.." The lady was explaining but Ander's doubts were finally answered. Ander was right.

That bastard was going out to pay for this! He thought as he rushed out of the shop to his car.

He was driving over the limit as he zoomed through a jammed street. He knew the neighborhood in which Rick lived. Finally reaching there, he asked a pedestrian if she knew him. She did and gave him the address.