The Smell of Death

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷

   I opened up my feeble, heavy eyelids to the poky, little room that Lucille sent me to last night. I assumed it was probably daytime by the looks of the sun rays seeping through the holes in the ragged curtain that hung crooked over the solitary window.

   It is strange how little I remember from the previous night's activities. I only can recall eating Lucille's porridge and bread. Everything after that is just one gigantic blur.

   As I rubbed my frizzy, milk chocolate hair, attempting to sit up, a familiar voice spoke out.

   "Oh, Henry you're up!" Lucille came scurrying into the room with a tray of refreshments. "Please dear, it's best you not get up."

   Cautiously lying back down on the puffy pillow, I mumbled, "What...happened? Why do I feel so...sick."

   She set down the tray on a nearby rickety table and placed her boney hand on my sweaty forehead, that felt so wet like I was dunked in a bucket of water.

   "You're burning up," she replied by placing a cool washcloth over my face. "I'm afraid you're going to need to rest another day, if not more. You're in no shape to travel."

   "But...I must! My fiancé is waiting for me! Please I..."

   "Hush darling, you'll only make yourself feel worse," she carefully picked up that all too familiar mug. "Here's some more porridge and rye bread." Sensing my hesitation, she cooed, "Trust me it will help."

   At that moment, I was both frustrated I couldn't leave, yet terribly desperate for anything that could satisfy my grumbling stomach. That's if I could keep it down. All I cared about was regaining my strength so I could get back on the road.

   "Sure, if it helps," I sat up while my body ached, slowly being fed spoonfuls like a baby from the overly concerned lady.

   During this awkward feeding session, thoughts kept soaring in my head as to how and why I was in this surreal condition. I've truly never felt worse. It's like death was stabbing me in the heart a hundred times.

   "Now, I'll let you get some rest," she placed the empty mug back on the tray and stood up hovering over me. "If you need anything, there's a bell right here you can ring and I'll come to your aid as soon as I can. Just please promise me Henry, you won't try to leave this room. I'm only looking out for you."

   "Yes...ma'am. I understand."

   Before I knew it, my eyes started to grow increasingly heavy again, drifting into a state of unconsciousness.

   "That's a good boy. Sweet dreams...Henry," Lucille chuckled under her breath as she exited the bedroom with the tray of silverware and his empty mug.

******

   However long I was out, it must've been the whole day, because now the room was jet black with only a hint of the moon streaming it's beams to form shadows on the surrounding furniture.

   I wiped my forehead thinking that it would still be dripping with sweat, which it was, but not so much as it was before. Maybe I broke my fever. I mean I do feel slightly less woozy, but even if I did feel better, how was I going to just leave without telling Lucille goodbye? Afterall, she has been very generous and it would be rude not to thank her.

   I swiftly ditched my plan, when I unexpectedly heard cackling and hushed whispers of a person that sounded inhuman coming from outside the closed door.

   Without thinking of the worst possibilities that could arise from my curiosity, I fumbled around for my coat, because my sweat was starting to dry, leaving me fairly chilly.

   Cautiously turning the circular doorknob, trying not to make it squeak, a waft of French vanilla struck me like a punch in the face.

"What is with that woman and her sweet candles?" I whispered in my head.

   Once I adjusted to the smell, I tiptoed down the narrow hallway that was as black as the night sky, except for a flickering glow of light coming from the kitchen.

   As I maneuvered closer to the doorway, the voice of the person became more audible.

   It couldn't be true! It just couldn't!

   Standing hunched over the bubbling cauldron, lit by a pile of tree wood, was Lucille chanting something in an evil manner. From what I could make out from her low mumbling, all I heard was:

"The moon is full and bright
Whose soul will thou have tonight?

In two days time
That boy will be mine!"

   "What on Earth does this mean? It's like she's casting some wicked spell! Like a...no it couldn't be. But what if she was a...a witch!" I exclaimed in my head as I gazed at this horrid revelation.

   This disturbing scene burning right in front of my eyes was one that was so absurd, yet I couldn't look away.

   When I finally decided that I had enough, I tiptoed backwards from the kitchen entrance, and made my way back to the bedroom in case she caught me spying on her, when I tripped on my foot and fell flat on the oak, hardwood floor.

   Now I was really sweating trying to get my already achy body back on my feet when I heard her voice stop.

   By the time I was halfway up, I saw her frail, petite shadow lingering across the floor towards the sound of my clumsy fall.

   "C'mon Henry! You must hurry!" I frantically encouraged myself to regain my strength. Who knows what would happen if she saw me outside of my room!

   I finally stumbled back into my moon lit room and shut the cumbersome door.

   "Creak!" The door groaned.

   "Oh great! Now she really was going to hear me."

   With little to no time to spare, I threw my coat on the ground, adjacent to the bed, and lied back down trying to seize my rapid breathing.

   I made it just in time, when she entered in a bewildered manner, due to the sound of her hesitant footsteps I could hear through my closed eyelids.

   "Hmm...sleep while you can darling," she inquisitively moaned under her breath as I imagined her peering at me "sleeping."

   A few seconds later, the coast was clear when the echo of her heels clicking faded down the hallway.

   At that moment, all I knew was that she was anything but a fragile, old woman. Witch or not, she was dangerous. I decided that tomorrow morning, when she would do her daily check in, I would attempt to leave when she was distracted doing one of her daily activities. Whatever that was. Considering what I saw tonight, anything is possible.