Black Blood

My gaze glides over the front of the shop that I remember from the stories of the two ladies. Yesterday evening, I was standing in the queue for the new Alfa and Luna while I heard the two women in front of me talking about the shop in question. My curiosity was out of control. To my relief, Novak had other plans today so I could go my own way.

This morning we said goodbye to each other before I prepared myself for the day, enjoyed the abundant offerings of breakfast and made my way to the little shop I am standing in front of. Novak was kind enough to lend me some money as I have nothing at my disposal.

I open the wooden door. The bubbles hit the wood, bringing a bouncing sound along the material. The wood falls open with a slight creak. The room that appears behind the door needs no further explanation for its use. I walk into a herb and medicine shop. As far as I can see around me, cupboards are full of jars of herbs, bottles of unrecognisable liquids and books as far as the eye can see.

Slowly I close the wooden door behind me. The bells hit the wood one last time, the latch falls into place and I let go of the iron. I take a step into the shop. My heels tap on the creaking wooden floor. There is not an empty spot in a cupboard or on a table in this shop. There are things everywhere, mostly things I have never seen.

My heels slowly take me further into the shop, making their way towards a cupboard. In front of me are shelves full of jars of herbs. Blue, red, white, green and even black. A jar with a green and white herb in it catches my eye. I take the jar from the shelf and slowly unscrew the cap.

'Angelica, good choice.' I'm startled by the unexpected voice behind me. I hadn't seen anyone in the shop until now. I almost drop the jar from my hands, but manage to catch it just in time. I blow out my held breath and feel my heart beating in my throat.

Slowly, I turn around towards the bronze of the voice. As soon as I turn around, an older woman comes into my sight. The woman is small, slightly hunched over. Everything that characterises an older woman can be read in this woman. The wrinkles, the grey hair and the posture. She is wearing a simple grey dress with a blue apron and her hair in a bun. Her blue eyes look at me kindly and curiously. I quickly close the jar again.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to...' I try to find my words. The woman makes a soothing movement with her hand and walks with small steps in my direction.

'Calm down darling, you don't look like a thief,' the woman says with a small smile. I decide to keep my mouth shut and wait to see why the woman walks in my direction. Her steps are slow and small, yet quick. Within a short while, the woman is standing next to me. She taps the jar in my hand with her wrinkled index finger.

'Angelica is a very medicinal herb. Good for illness and intestinal complaints,' the woman tells me. She carefully takes the jar from my hand and opens it. She smells the contents and puffs her nose. She shakes her head and closes the jar again.

'Not this one, it's poisonous.' I look at the woman in surprise and quickly put the jar back on its original place. She picks up another jar from the shelf which looks almost identical to the previous one. She unscrews the lid and holds it under her nose again. This time she nods approvingly and turns herself around.

'Did you need it for something? Is there a sick person in the family?' she asks the woman as she slowly makes her way towards the wooden counter. I fold my hands together as I take a few steps in her direction.

'Uuhm no, I was mainly looking,' I confess. The woman puts the jar on the counter and takes a bag from under it. From a tray on the counter she takes a small spoon that I would use for stirring coffee.

'Are you looking for something specific?' I shake my head. She scoops a few spoonfuls of the herb from the jar and drops it into the bag.

'No,' I reply. The woman looks up as she folds the bag.

'You're not from here, I don't think I recognise your face. Are you travelling? Visiting perhaps?' The woman I certainly didn't mince her words. She puts the folded bag on the counter and closes the jar.

'Both, I'm making a stop here,' I tell the woman. She nods as she shuffles away behind the counter, back in my direction. Without saying a word, the woman makes her way back to the cupboard full of jars of herbs and flowers.

'A woman on a journey needs her herbs, especially a witch,' she says with a small smile. For a moment, I look at the woman in surprise. Her eyes shoot back and forth over the jars. What makes you think I am a witch? A small smile graces her lips. She's not entirely wrong in her assumptions. Night Riders are part magicians, all me. She takes another jar of blue-purple seeds from the shelf.

'After seeing many come and go, you recognise certain traits,' she replies, opening the jar. She holds the jar out to me.

'Tell me, dear, what does it smell like?' I carefully take the jar out of her hand and smell it.

'Sweet and a bit flowery,' I notice the smell. She nods approvingly. I offer her the jar again. She takes it from my hand and puts it next to her on a small wooden table. On the table is a bouquet of richly coloured flowers.

'Do you know which seeds they are?' I shake my head.

'Wisteria seeds, poisonous if you ingest it. If you were to put this through someone's flowery tea, no one would notice. Within a short time, that person would become nauseated and start vomiting. Often the cause is not found and the person dies within a short period. A beautiful poison.' I look at the woman in surprise. I swallow. This woman could kill anyone without ever being noticed. She takes another jar from the shelf. The jar contains yellow dried flowers.

'There are some herbs that are important to take along on a journey like yours. Each one makes friends and enemies. Rue is a good remedy for nausea and injuries, certainly one you should have with you. Friends can be healed with a simple tea, enemies with the same tea.'