I blink. “My what?”
“Your aura. It’s all over the place. I’ve never seen anything so fucked up.”
Oh great. Just great. Now Felix thinks I have a messed up aura. Whatever that means.
I don’t know if Felix genuinely believes in all this spiritual stuff or if it’s part of his aesthetic. He talks about crystals and tarot cards and energy fields with the same casual tone most people use to discuss the weather.
Usually, I find it amusing. Today, it’s making my stomach twist into knots.
“I’m fine,” I say.
“You’re really not.” Felix crosses his arms and leans against the counter. “Seriously, Adam. What’s going on? Did something happen?”
I open my mouth to tell him that nothing has happened. To brush it off and change the subject.
But the words get stuck in my throat.
Because something did happen. Something completely insane. And I have no idea how to process it.
“I think I’m going crazy,” I blurt out.
Felix raises one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Yeah? How crazy are we talking? Like, forgot to pay a bill crazy, or hearing voices crazy?”
“More like hallucinating shadow creatures crazy.”
The words are out before I can stop them. I immediately regret it. Felix is going to think I’m completely unhinged. He is going to report me to the manager. I’m going to lose my job.
But instead, Felix just nods thoughtfully.
“Shadow creatures,” he repeats. “Interesting. What did they look like?”
I stare at him. Is he seriously not freaking out right now?
“Tall. Made of shadows. Glowing red eyes.”
“Did it speak to you?”
“Yeah. It said its name was Hex and that it wanted me to invite it in.”
Felix hums. He taps one black fingernail against his purple lips.
“And you think you’re hallucinating?”
“Well, yeah. Obviously. Shadow creatures aren’t real.”
Felix gives me a look. The kind of look that suggests I’m being incredibly naive.
“Adam,” he says slowly. “You know I’m a witch, right?”
I blink. “You’re a what?”
“A witch. I’ve told you this. Multiple times.”
Oh. I thought that was a joke. Or part of the goth thing.
“I thought you were joking,” I say weakly.
Felix sighs. “Why does everyone think I’m joking? I’m literally wearing pentagram earrings right now.”
