章 13: Which flavour do you prefer
"See you tomorrow," said Circe as she walked towards the door. The cashier opened his mouth to say something but feeling the hostility coming from the weirdo with the hood covering his head restrained himself. He just waved at her his knees trembling behind the counter.
Circe walked over towards the pharmacy. She needed to get some fever medicine. Since her innate magic hadn't fully recovered she couldn't heal herself. She had to get something to alleviate her symptoms otherwise she would burn a hole in her brain from the fever.
After taking a few steps she realised that the person behind her wasn't following. She turned around and with an overly indulging expression she said, "Come on."
The man caught up and asked, "Where are we going?"
Circe felt like teasing the man so she put on a thoughtful smile and said, "To the pharmacy."
The man who recalled how he was used as a human air-conditioner the other night wanted to ask if she still had a fever but he quickly stopped himself. "Are you unwell?" he asked and Circe glanced at him from the corner of her eye before saying,
"We need supplies for tonight... Boyfriend."
The man's steps froze his entire body stiff. Circe stifled her laughter as the automatic doors of the pharmacy opened. She walked to the prescription counter and asked the young woman behind the counter for fever medicine. The woman disappeared into the small room at the back and Circe glanced back at the man standing a few feet away in the aisle scanning the shelves with a serious expression.
"Here you go. Take this twice a day as needed," said the young pharmacist when she returned.
"Thanks," she said before strolling over to the man standing in the aisle. "Is there anything else that you want?" she asked him glancing at the shelf filled with nutritional supplements. The man shook his head no.
Something at the bottom of the aisle caught her attention. Circe's eyes gleamed with a devilish sparkle. She bent down to pluck a box of assorted flavoured condoms from the shelf. Holding it up with a sly smile she asked, "Which flavour do you prefer? Bubblegum or grape?" teasing him her tone innocent yet laced with amusement.
The man's eyes widened in shock, a flush creeping up his cheeks underneath the hood as he stood frozen in place, utterly taken aback. He stammered, lost for words in the face of her playful audacity.
Circe stifled her laughter before continuing with her playful charade. "And what about the size? Or maybe it is one size fits all," she quipped finding his reaction interesting. "I am just messing with you," she said before placing the box on his chest. He caught it before it fell and he turned to look at her as she sauntered towards the till to pay for the pills.
Relieved and slightly flustered he placed the box back on the shelf. When they walked out of the pharmacy, Circe was still chuckling to herself. Maybe it was purely out of boredom that she was acting this way.
In the shadow of his hood, a fond smile tugged at the man's lips. Even after all she had been through she still had that quirky sense of humor.
Circe might have been laughing but she was well aware of her environment. Shadows were lurking in the dark alleys like predators on the prowl. These weren't ordinary beggars or thieves but people who were desperate to either be vampires or werewolves or at least envied their strength. The back alley serums promised strength and immortality but at a terrible cost. They sought advantages, but the serums twisted them. They became monsters addicted to serums. The serums promised power, but they delivered madness.
On her first night in this neighbourhood, Circe hadn't noticed these people before. That's because the direction where her house was was the better part of the neighbourhood and there were fewer shady characters than the direction towards the motel.
The shadows were restless and agitated but they stayed away for some reason not daring to approach. The man suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her back. Circe glanced down and saw a syringe lying there, its needle glinting like a serpent's fang.
"Oh, thanks," she said as the man let her go. They soon reached the motel, its sign flickering in the night. The paint was peeled and some of the windows were cracked. Inside, the receptionist, a wizened woman with silver hair, didn't even look up at them.
Circe handed the plastic bag over to the man while saying, "Hold this... I am going to get us a room," with a serious look on her face like she truly meant it.
"Wait...," he said stopping her. Circe smiled slightly before saying,
"Don't worry. I won't bite." She winked at him before turning to leave.
The man, "..."
She walked over to the front desk surrounded by a thick glass. "Twenty per hour, one fifty per night. Condoms are in the vending machine... throw them away in the bin. Don't leave them on the bed," said the old woman.
Circe chuckled softly while taking out her wallet. Others would regret sleeping here but she had slept in even worse conditions before thus the lady's speech didn't deter her at all. "Two rooms please," she said and the woman finally looked up. She glanced at the paying machine and Circe tapped her card.
"Room twenty three and twenty four second level," she rasped, sliding a key through the gap in the security glass.
"Let's go," she said and the two of them climbed the creaking central staircase.
When she reached the blue door she turned around and handed him a key. She nudged her head towards room twenty four next door. The man pursed his lips heaving a silent sigh of relief.
"You didn't think I was serious, did you? I was just messing with you. Go and take a rest. I will see you tomorrow," she said and in a low hoarse voice he whispered,
"Thank you."
Circe watched him unlock the door next door. She waved at him and unlocked the door to her room. The door groaned open, revealing a single bed, moth-eaten curtains, and a mirror that reflected fractured images.
Circe didn't think much of the room. She took out the water and pills, drank them then sank onto the bed with a sigh. She had to find out who the hell brought here soon otherwise she would lose her mind.
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