Hosting a book club was tricky. The little witch had to keep Barnabas occupied with a good mystery in his corner. But he always became curious when strangers arrived, for in his mystical eye, they could often be angels in disguise or maybe even demons.
When newcomers arrived at the shop, Barnabas sniffed the air. He was not subtle, for he was a four-foot-tall bat. Yes, you heard right, a four-foot-tall bat called a flying fox with a five-foot wingspan. He was not exactly an incognito companion or a traditional familiar for a little witch.
Though Barnabas lacked the ability to echolocate, he had a keen sense of eyesight and long life. He also had an admiration for artful fruit arrangements. With his awesome vision, he could sometimes see ghosts and even into the future. But he was hit or miss with his predictions. He thought it best to just keep them to himself. His main weakness was his size. His clumsiness was his bane, and sometimes the misunderstandings that would ensue. Additionally, his other weaknesses were a constant hunger for fruit, as well as rabies. He was named after the vampire Barnabas in the old soap opera Dark Shadows despite being an obligate frugivore.
EllaStrella was setting up chairs in a half circle in the bookstore. The bookstore was a very brown retail space, with brown oak shelves and freestanding bookshelves between the narrow walls, which stood on the beige carpeting. The chairs the little witch was arranging were once gray now turned a dull greis. The only color was the book jackets. The only window was the display window with gold foil lettering facing the street, “Lilac and Smoke” was the name of the tiny nook, where a few new-ish titles were displayed. The store was very narrow, spanning the length of the building but taking up little width.
A storm was coming in. A few drizzles were hitting the window sideways. The wind was really kicked up into the storefront awnings. A few regulars were trickling in. The little witch feared that it would be a small group because of the weather. The piano teacher, whose book selection they read for book club, finally came in last.
Rita with red hair and layers of lovely glass beads sat to the side, she was the tap and jazz teacher at her very own dance studio in the basement of the Methodist Church next door. Sam was a new mom and a new wife who also taught kindergarten and was also awaiting word on foster parent status. Dana was the piano teacher and she was annoyed at the rain putting the frizz into her hair, “Mi molesto!” she exclaimed as she entered the shop.
The little witch was taking a bit of a coffee break at the register that was sat atop a glass case with signed first editions. Her stool and fan at her feet were her usual niceties. She was dressed in some older styles acid washed dark gray jeans and a loose-fitting band tee.
Barnabas started to stir but he kept his nose in his book, he was reading Hounds of the Baskervilles for the third time, and he was aware of the club meeting. But he did seem to wander a bit closer to take a perch from his usual spot in metaphysics to mysteries in order to eavesdrop easier.
Dana had selected a book about Complex trauma, and the other two ladies were greatly interested because they were both teachers and survivors of different aspects of childhood abuse. They were discussing their abuse histories when the little witch and Barnabas both decided it wasn’t their place to be listening.
The little witch and Barnabas met in Biographies and looked up the Time Magazine Picture Book of the Beatles. Not long after, the Piano Teacher came to find the little witch and Barnabas swooning over a very young George Harrison. She was aghast!
Dana went to the front of the bookstore screaming! Batman was in the shop! And pulling along the other two ladies with her, with no time to explain and with no delay they were gone into the rain.
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