Hallowed Ground (GxG)

Chapter Fifteen

The girl at the front desk perked up the slightest bit when she noticed them.

      “Be ye real witches, or tourists?” The girl said tiredly.

       “Breanna, don't greet people like that.” The man who had been stocking the shelf said, turning around.

       “How else am I s’posed to know how to help them?” The girl, Breanna, said in return. 

        He grimaced and turned to face them. “Can I help you?” 

        AnnMarie stepped forward, but Esther hung around the door, contemplating leaving just to get away from the smell. She figured it was probably better to let her do the talking anyway. 

      “Yes, actually.” AnnMarie said, nervously bouncing on her feet. “We’re looking for something that might have information on how to break a curse.”

       “A curse? What type?” The man asked. 

       As they talked, Esther noticed that the young witch at the counter kept glancing up at her every now and then. Esther tried to keep her focus on AnnMarie, so as not to catch her attention any more. 

       “A blood curse. Generational.”

       “Ah, a blood curse. That’s a difficult one, let me look in the back and–“

        Suddenly, the smell of garlic overwhelmed her, and she jerked around to see the girl from the desk waving a bulb of garlic near her face. Esther jerked back and slapped her hand away, sending the bulb onto the floor.

        “I knew it!” Breanna said triumphantly. “She’s a vampire!” 

        Esther looked over the other man and AnnMarie, who both looked back at her, wide eyed. The man’s face was suddenly drained of color, and he took a step backwards.  

       “Well, get away from her!” He said.

        Breanna rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on now. That’s just offensive. You can't be rude to people just because they're dead."

        “Breanna.” The man’s voice was a warning. He turned back to Esther. “I rescind my invitation.”

        Esther bit the inside of her cheek, and her hands drew into tightly clenched fists as the deep anxiety of needing to leave took over her.

        AnnMarie shot a worried look her way. 

        “Does that work with stores? I thought it was only with private homes.” 

        “We live upstairs.” Breanna said, pointing tiredly upwards as she frowned at the other man. 

         “It’s fine. The smell in here is unbearable anyway.” Esther said through gritted teeth, turning on her heel and walking back out the door. 

She took a deep breath, immediately feeling more at ease once she had stepped outside.

         She stood back against the wall beside the door, just out of the sun, and crossed her arms with annoyance. The bell on the door chimed as another person came out behind her. She glanced to the side, worried it was Annie, who had been more traditionally kicked out for associating with her.

       But instead, it was the girl from the counter. Esther regarded her carefully.

       “Sorry about my brother. He’s terrified of the undead.” She said.