Fiella must’ve seen the discomfort on my face. She slowly pulled her hand from mine, and my palm felt cold. Empty.
“You know, you really should’ve taken one of the thirst tonics from Kizzi. I know how much of a pain in the ass it is to be thirsty. Vampire to vampire, the side effects are totally worth it, no matter how wacky they are. Kizzi’s tonics are the best in the realm,” she rambled. She must’ve been sensing the tension as much as I was.
I rolled my eyes. “Hells no. I’ve had my fair share of strangeness in the past few months. I can’t afford any more surprises.” That was an understatement.
If she was offended by my directness, she didn’t let it show. She shrugged, stepping back. “Well, alrighty then, Mister Stranger. Suit yourself. But your growling stomach is starting to get on my nerves so go ahead and get yourself something to eat, I’ll be fine here for the rest of the day.”
“It’s Redd,” I grumbled. “We’ve been over this.”
“I likestrangerbetter. It’s mysterious,” she chirped, humor creeping into her voice.
For some reason, heat began creeping up my neck and into my cheeks.Am I feverish? I must be.
“If my growling stomach is such an inconvenience to you, then I’ll get out of your blue hair.” I grumbled. I was secretly relieved–I had forgotten to bring myself anything to eat today.
She merely hummed in response and turned to start sorting piles.
As I gathered my things, Fiella called over her shoulder. “See you tomorrow, I guess! Or whenever!”
I left the shop and headed towards the diner. I passed the same stone mailbox as before, and I idly glanced in its direction,my hands shoved deep in my cloak pockets as I walked along the cobblestone path.
I couldn’t help but notice that the mailbox had a different sign on it this time, the paper a crisp white instead of a faded beige. My curiosity getting the best of me, I decided to take a closer look.
Sure enough, the sign was different.
This is for you. Yes, you.
I picked the sign up and flipped it over, only to notice a message on the back as well.
I mean it. You!
I glanced over my shoulder, looking for whatever prankster had left this sign. I didn’t see any folk looking suspicious. There was a werewolf couple strolling hand in hand, a few humans meandering while laughing, and even a few orcs having a picnic with some faerie littles.
Grumbling under my breath about how ridiculous this was, I stuck my hand into the crumbling stone box. I had already earned enough bad luck; I couldn’t afford to earn any more by ignoring the fates–even if this whole situation seemed fake and ridiculous.
To my utter surprise, my searching fingers found a folded piece of paper. Thishadto be a trick.
I pocketed the paper, deciding I’d rather read it in the comfort of my own cottage than be spied on by tricksters, and continued my way to the diner.
The food at the diner was never disappointing. I’d even say, it might have been some of the best food I had ever eaten.The special tonight was a delicious beef and rice stew with freshly baked rolls on the side–everything steaming hot.
If I had to be in a room full of other people, I always preferred for food to be present. The scents of meats and spices helped drown out the smell of warm skin, of pumping hearts, of blood churning through veins. Instead, the nutmeg, chili, and sourdough were a soothing balm to my senses.
As I enjoyed my meal, I couldn’t stop thinking about the letter that was burning a hole in my pocket. Or about the strange morning I had. Or about my family back home.
I slowly chewed on a bite of tender beef, thankful that the stew was gentle on my sore fangs. I reminded myself once again to search for some thirst tonic around town, to see if anyone but Kizzi could help me ease my miserable thirst.
When I finally made it back to my rental cottage on the edge of town, I let myself inside and immediately yanked out the letter, determined to unravel the mystery once and for all.
What I found was… peculiar. It was some sort of letter. The paper was more crumpled than folded, soaked in spilled ink, and covered in scrawling script that I had to squint to make out.
I took a deep breath, smoothed my hair back from my face, plopped onto the overstuffed couch, and read.
Dear Mysterious Entity in the Mailbox,
Hello, I answered! I’m half convinced that this letter will just rot away in the mailbox, but just in case someone finds it, I sincerely hope you enjoy this glimpse at my thoughts, because I am not in a position to mess with the fates.
It’s your lucky day I guess!!! But not mine.
