by Gemma Jace
The whistle blew as it started its slow descent down the side of the mountain, pulling Luna out of her trance. She blinked, and with that one movement, the feeling of wonder turned to a feeling of fear. That nagging feeling had come back as quickly as it had gone. What would people think about her? She could only imagine the most negative things happening to her, like people calling her names or attacking her for being different. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, willing herself not to give into the inward hysteria that caused her dizzy spells.
River stood from his seat and pulled the book from Luna’s bag. He plopped back down and opened it to the cure page. He scanned through the page with an index finger, mouthing the words.
“Yes... I know I’ve seen most of these in a small holistic apothecary in town. We can buy what we can there and get the sea water and cockle shells when we get to Coastal City.” He paused for a moment, furrowing his brow, “I’m not so sure about the noble hair part, though.”
Listening to River come up with his plan cleared her mind of the negative thoughts swirling around in her head.
“I’m not sure either.”
He shrugged, “Oh well. We’ll figure that part out later.”
“Yeah.”
River stared at her for a while, realizing something was going on with her. “Are you worried?”
She nodded, “A little.”
“Well, don’t be. The layover in Castleberry is four hours. We’ll go to the apothecary first, then we can get something to eat. We’ll have a good time.” He flashed her a smile, and she instantly felt better.
She smiled back. “Ok. I’m ready,” She stood and pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil from her bag. “We should write down what we need so we won’t have to show the book.” She jotted down the ingredients that the apothecary sold, folded it, and stuffed it in her back pocket.
Walking down the cobblestone street in the town square, people strolled in and out of the stores with bags and boxes. The bell rang noon from the steeple of a beautiful white church as they trotted by, stopping in front of the brick building beside it. River pulled the door open, ringing the tiny bell hanging above, and stepped aside, allowing Luna to walk in before him.
The place was more like a pharmacy than a holistic apothecary, with all of its jars full of pills and tinctures with medically spelled names on them.
“Can I help you?” a boy with light caramel-colored skin and round wire glasses asked from behind a tall wooden counter. He looked no older than she was, much too young to be working at a place like this one. He wore a brown tweed newsboy hat with a tan short sleeve button-up shirt and khaki pants.
“Yes.” Luna took out the paper from her pocket and handed it to the boy. “We would like to buy these ingredients please.”
The boy pushed his glasses up and surveyed the paper.
“We stopped selling these things a while ago. My father took over the business when my grandfather passed and turned the apothecary into a medical pharmacy.” He handed the paper back to Luna.
Luna took the paper from the boy. She folded it and put it back into her pocket.
“Is there another store that sells these things in town?” River asked.
“No. We were the only one. Most people consider those types of things old time outdated medicines. No one really buys them anymore, so no one bothers to collect and stock them.”
“Oh, I see,” Luna said, her voice low and thin. “Thanks.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll keep looking. Maybe the next town over has what we need,” River said.
“The yew bush only grows here, so you probably won’t find the seeds anywhere else,” the boy said.
“Seeds?” Luna frowned. There was nothing about seeds on the paper she showed him.
“Well, I shouldn’t say seed. The slip is actually the berry that surrounds the seed,” he said as he pushed his glasses up with his finger.
“Can you tell us where it grows?” River asked.
“I can show you. I was just about to leave anyway.” He reached under the counter and pulled out a small empty glass jar with a cork and handed it to Luna.
She took the jar and asked, “What’s this?”
“You’ll need something to store them in.” He walked from behind the counter and stretched out his hand to Luna. “Hi, my name is Rusty.” His green eyes sparkled through the shimmer of his glasses as he smiled.
“I’m Luna,” she responded as she shook his hand, “and this is my best friend, River.”
Rusty shook River’s hand before yelling over his shoulder. “Dad, I’m leaving.” He let go of River’s hand and took a tiny jar of tan-colored cream off a shelf and handed it to Luna. “This will help heal those scratches on your face.”
Luna reached up and touched her cheek. She had all but forgotten about her wounds. She took the cream, looking down. “Thank you.”
River took the empty jar and the cream from her and put them in the bag. “Lead the way.”
Rusty grabbed a brown leather satchel from a coat rack in the corner near the door. He slung it over his head and adjusted the straps across his chest so it rested on his hip. He opened the door and gestured, “After you.”
They walked to a wooded area at the edge of town along the base of the castle hill. Rusty led the way through a narrow path to a tall oak tree surrounded by green bushes with small round bright red berries speckled throughout.
“There they are.” Rusty reached up and picked a leaf from the oak tree. “We’ll pick the berries and put them on here so I can remove the seeds for you.”
“Why remove the seeds?” Luna asked.
“Because the seeds are very poisonous. In fact, everything except the berry is poisonous on this plant. You’ll get horribly sick and die if you ingest any other part.
Rusty began picking the berries, putting them on the leaf. River and Luna looked at each other, wide-eyed, and then finally snapped out of their shock and joined him. Once they picked enough berries, Rusty put them down on a tree stump and took a pair of tweezers out of his satchel and began picking the single black seed out of the middle of the opening at the bottom of the berries. Luna put her bag down, took the jar out, and dropped the seedless berries in one by one until it was full.
“This should be more than enough. Thank you so much for helping us,” Luna said.
“You’re more than welcome. I always try to help when I can.” He put the tweezers back into his satchel.
Luna put the jar back into her bag, took out one of the oranges, and gave it to Rusty. “It’s not a lot, but it’s all I have to give to say thanks. It came from our citrus grove back home. I picked it myself.”
“Thank you,” he said smiling. “How about I buy you guys a donut... sort of like a welcome to Castleberry treat. I go to the donut shop next door to the pharmacy everyday around this time anyway.”
Luna was grateful for the offer. Her stomach had been growling ever since they stepped off the train. She and River happily agreed, and they left the woods.
The donut shop smelled of baked bread and honey glaze. Rusty explained to them that the owner painted the walls bubble gum pink because his daughter told him that pink was her lucky color. All the pictures on the walls were of brightly colored iced donuts, the same as the ones in the case in front of them. They all ordered an oblong pink iced donut filled with cherry cream. The owner told them it was the donut of the day and gave them a free glass of iced tea to go with it.
They sat down at one of the three round white tables in the shop. The donut was still warm when Luna took her first bite. Pink cherry cream oozed out and down her hand. The tiny chunks of cherries were sweet and tart. It had to be one of the best things she had ever tasted.
“May I see your list again?” Rusty asked Luna, pushing up his glasses with the back of his hand, so as not to get cream on them.
“Yeah sure.” Luna reached into her pocket with her clean hand and took out the paper. She slid it across the table.
Rusty wiped his hands on a pink cloth napkin before reaching into his satchel and taking out a pencil. He opened the paper and began writing. “I’m writing down each town you can find these things. I’m not sure if you’re on your way back to Green Brook or not, but up the line in these towns is the only place you’ll find what you’re looking for.” He handed the paper back to Luna.
He knew they were from Green Brook. How could he not? Her face told him without them even mentioning a word about where they were from. Every stranger knew her story from just one glance.
“Thanks,” Luna replied looking away.
“We’re on our way to Coastal City,” River said.
“Well, more than likely, you’ll have to go out and collect these ingredients yourself. Like I said before, no one really sells this stuff anymore. The train has a layover in both of the towns I’ve written, so you should have enough time to get it.”
“You’re a big help. We really appreciate it,” River said. “Where did you get that satchel?”
The two boys chatted for a while. What about the one ingredient they didn’t have an answer for yet? A lock of noble hair. What could that mean? She should ask Rusty. He would know what that really meant. It was probably a flower or something.
“Hey Rusty, there’s one ingredient I didn’t put on the paper because we didn’t think your store would have it.”
“What’s the name of it?”
“It’s something called lock of noble hair. Do you know what it is?”
“Like a rabbit?”
“No, like hair.” She tugged on a curl hanging by her ear.
He furrowed his brow, tilting his head a little as he stared at her for a moment. “What exactly are you guys trying to make?”
She wasn’t sure if she should tell him. It was bad enough that she was a cursed girl running around town looking for strange ingredients, let alone telling someone that she is trying to mix up a potion she found in an ancient witch book. They would probably get run out of town with pitchforks and sticks. No, she wouldn’t tell him what they were planning. She would make something up.
“We’re going to make a cure for Luna’s curse. She found it in a book,” River blurted out before Luna had a chance to say anything.
She glared at him, wishing her look could have slapped him silly.
“Hmm..., that’s interesting,” Rusty said, turning his attention to River. He pushed his glasses up again. “I think I know what kind of book you’re talking about. My grandfather used to tell me about his grandmother, who was a wiccan. He said she had a book with those types of ingredients in it. He said that’s the reason he opened the apothecary, so that wiccans had a place to get what they needed.”
“Did they shop there?” Luna asked.
“Maybe. I’m sure they wouldn’t just come out and say they were wiccans and they needed ingredients to make a potion.”
“No, I suppose they wouldn’t.” Luna recalled Grandma Tilly telling her how the wiccans had to go into hiding.
“Anyway, to answer your question, I believe it means just what it says. You need to get a lock of hair from a nobleman, and lucky for you, I know just where to find such a person.”
“You do? Where?” Luna questioned as she sat up straight in her chair.
Rusty turned and pointed out of the window towards the castle on the hill overlooking the town. “Count Sedrick Castleberry.”
“The town is named after a Count Castleberry that lives in a castle where only yew berries grow. How cool is that?” River said.
“I must admit, it’s pretty cool,” Rusty answered, and he and River high-fived each other.
“It’s not that cool,” Luna said, shaking her head.
“I deliver medication to the castle a couple times a month. I can take him his medication there today and you guys can come with me. I’ll tell him you two are visiting friends and you wanted to see the castle. Once we’re in, we can find a brush or something and get the hair out.”
“That’s a good plan. Besides, I really do want to see the castle,” River said.
Luna worried about going to the castle. She wasn’t sure if they would allow her in with her condition. But she was willing to endure any humiliation to get what she needed, as long as she could be cured by the time she got on the boat to the Eastern Islands.
“Wait here. I’ll run next door and get his meds,” Rusty hopped up and scurried out the door.
AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, the sprawling castle looked three times as big as it did from below. Rusty told them how Count Igor Castleberry built the castle a hundred years ago when he founded the town. There was a gravel turnabout in the front of the castle, centered with a white stone dolphin fountain gushing water from its mouth. Swirling metal vines perched with copper sparrows adorned the arched double chestnut wooden front door. Rusty pulled on a black chain hanging to one side, releasing a whistle sound, much like the sound of the train horn.
The door opened. Luna’s jaw dropped as she stared at the elderly woman dressed in all black. She had white patches on both of her cheeks, forehead, and around her mouth... a cursed woman working at the castle.
“Hello Rusty,” the woman greeted him, smiling warmly before turning her attention to Luna. “Ah, yes, come in my dear. You couldn’t have shown up at a better time. One of our girls just quit. The guests will be here soon.” She grabbed Luna by the arm and pulled her inside the door.
River’s and Rusty’s eyes widened as Luna was being yanked past them.
“Mrs. Ash, we just came to drop off Count Castleberry’s medication,” Rusty said.
“Yes, come in and take it to Marco in the kitchen,” Mrs. Ash said as she continued to pull on Luna’s arm. “Now, let’s take a look at you.” She scanned Luna up and down. “Very pretty, and you’re already wearing black. Very good.” She turned and called out, “Sharie!”
A tiny young girl wearing a black dress tiptoed across the black and white checkered marble tile floor. She had cursed skin and light brown hair pinned up in a bun on top of her head. “Yes, Mrs. Ash,” she inquired, barely above a whisper.
“Take... I’m sorry darling, what is your name.”
Luna looked over at Rusty. He nodded his head and waved his hand to her. She looked to River, but all he had for her was a shrug. She looked back to the waiting woman.
“My name is Luna.”
“Take Luna with you to finish getting the guest rooms ready, then come down and help serve.” Mrs. Ash scurried down the hall, shouting orders to everyone she passed.
“Yes, Ma’am.” Sharie turned to Luna, “Come with me.”
She took off her bookbag and went over to her cohorts. She handed the bag to River, while glaring at Rusty. “What’s happening?” she whispered.
“Just go with it. It will be easier for you to gain access to the Count’s room like this,” Rusty said.
“Was this the real plan all along?” Luna was ready to give him a good tongue lashing, depending on his answer.
“I wish I thought of such a good plan. This happened authentically all on its own.” He smiled, seemingly pleased at how things were unfolding.
“You’ll have to find it quickly, Luna. We have to get back to the train. You have only an hour. If you haven’t found it by then, we’ll have to think of something else,” River said.
“Why can’t we just stick to the original plan?” she asked.
“Too many people in the castle right now. We won’t be able to sneak around unnoticed,” Rusty answered. He took a small tin box out of his satchel and handed it to her. “Put the locks in here. We’ll meet you out front in one hour.”
Luna took the tin and stuffed it in her pocket. She rolled her eyes and followed Sharie up the massive mahogany staircase.
Luna followed Sharie through the expansive checkered hallway of the second floor. Both sides adorned high reaching stone arches leading to white chamber doors behind them. Crystal chandeliers from high above danced prisms of light on painted mur
als of ebony angels flying on the ceiling. She had never seen anything so beautiful. Two cursed girls walked out of one of the rooms, carrying towels and sheets over their arms.
“Are all the servants here cursed?” Luna asked, beginning to see a pattern in the short time she had been in the castle.
“Yes. The Count only hires the cursed to be servants, as do most wealthy people.” She gave Luna a quizzical gaze. “Isn’t that the reason you’ve come here... to work?”
“Um... yes. I just meant I thought most cursed people were from Green Brook. I don’t recognize anyone here.”
“The cursed here come from all over. People from Green Brook rarely leave their town, so they rarely end up here.”
Luna thought all of the cursed made their way to Green Brook. Every year, the town would get at least three or four cursed looking to make a life there. Now she knew that wasn’t true at all. There were cursed looking to live in a place like this.
The room was spacious and bright. There was a tall four post bed in the middle of the room with deep purple velvet bedding and pillows. The long wispy silk curtains were the same deep purple color as the bedding. The shiny cream marble floor was half-covered with a purple and green paisley rug. The same ornate chandeliers in the hallway hung from the high vaulted ceiling. That one room was bigger than her entire cottage back in Green Brook.
Sharie opened the drapes and shook them a little. She then took a cloth out of her front dress pocket and quickly dusted off the silver dresser. She fluffed up the pillows on the bed, then sat down on it.
“We’re done with this room,” she said.
“That’s all we need to do? That didn’t even take five minutes.”
“I cleaned this room earlier today.”
“Why didn’t you tell Mrs. Ash you had finished?”
“Because, if you tell her you’ve already done something she tells you to do, she’ll go check behind you and find something wrong and make you do the whole thing over again. I learned my lesson about that a long time ago.”