Here's some more. I always feel like there should be a director shouting "Scene!" when I finish one of these. I'm at just over 2500 words now. I'm hoping to get at least another 1000 before bed tonight.


October 27th, 2007

"Hey Lauren, look at this one!" Candice called from where she was poking through a stack of books. "Maybe we can post some of these around the room, you know, 'real' spells? Wouldn't that be cool?"

Lauren blew her hair from her face, knowing from past experience that if she used her hands to do it she'd inevitably smear dust all over her sweaty face. She looked over at her friend and shrugged as she got up from the desk she'd been seated at as she dug through old books looking for spooky Halloween stories, "I don't know, maybe. Do you think anyone would look at them if we did?"

"I don't know, maybe?" Candice ran fingers through her mop of curly red hair making Lauren wince though she knew her friend didn't really care if she was dusty. She had always adored digging through the rare and limited editions in the shop. She flipped through the book and then grimace, "Or maybe not, these are in some weird goobly gook of a language."

"Is it? Let me see that." Lauren reached out and took the book from Candice and peered at it before chuckling, "It's not gobbly gook, you goof. It's in Latin. See this one here is titled, um...let me think," Lauren said, searching her mind for her half forgotten latin from college, "Loosely translated, um...to find a lover, I think. It's been awhile."

"Really?!" Candice grabbed the book and looked at the spidery handwriting on the page, "Cool! We should totally translate some of these and post them on the walls. Do you think they work?"

Lauren laughed and shook her head, "You mean I should translate some of them. And of course they don't work, it's not like magic is real." She met Candice's eyes and raised an eyebrow as her friend looked away, "Oh, come on, Candice! You believe in that shit, do you?"

"Not really," Canice said a bit sheepishly, "But it wouldn't hurt to try it anyway, would it? I mean, it's been an awful long time since I had a date."

"That, my dear, is because you keep chasing after the unavailble girls." Lauren said, a teasing smile on her face, "I mean how long did you chase after me, knowing full well about Jason?"

Candice snorted and shook her hair back from her face, amusement dancing in her eyes, "I still maintain that I'd be so much better for you than him. I mean, he's got BOY cooties, right?"

"I happen to like his cooties, thank you very much," Lauren said primly, "But I'll keep you in mind if I ever become single again, knock on wood!"

"Promises, promises!" Candice grinned and then looked back down at the book that Lauren was holding, "Seriously though, it wouldn't hurt to translate a few of those, would it? Because I'm running out of ideas for this stupid Halloween party."

"I suppose I could try. I still have my Latin reference books, I think." Lauren said, "Though you're going to owe me after making me spend all evening with my nose buried in a book again, Jason still hasn't forgiven me for the stack of old sheet music portfolios you 'hinted' that I could go through and catalog!"

Grinning, Candice put her hands on the middle of her back and stretched. Lauren was always surprised that the plump redhead spent so much time single. With her cute, pixish features and the mischevious sparkle that always danced in her eyes Lauren would have thought that the girls would be chasing her constantly. Especially given that she had a body that Lauren would have cheerfully have killed for when she was still a teenager instead of her own lanky, petite frame. "You loved it, you know you love grubbing about in all this stuff, it's why you work for me," Candice said impishly.

Lauren shrugged and closed the book, setting it down on the desk behind her, "Maybe. Or maybe I'm just angling for a raise." she chuckled, "So why are we having this party? You haven't told me. You don't seem the sort to make a fuss over a silly holiday like Halloween."

"Maybe I just want to see you running around in a french maid outfit?" Candice quipped, brushing her fingers through the front of her hair again, leaving another smear of grey dust, "No. One of our best customers, John Coyotl asked if he could use the space for his party. He said he likes the atmosphere and since he's paying me generously for it, I figured why not? The store would be closed then anyway. Don't worry, you'll get a bonus for working tomorrow night. Double if you think about that french maid outfit..."

Lauren laughed softly, "Not in your wildest dreams, Candy. John? which one is he?"

"Oh, you know, the one with the gorgeous golden eyes and tawny hair that almost matches them? I've bugged him for years on where he gets those contacts but he swears they're his real eyes." Candice rolled her own hazel eyes, "I mean, we all people eyes don't come in that color, right?"

"Oh! You mean the one that is always walking into things! I never caught his name since he never talks to me." Lauren said, wiping dust off on her pants, "I half wondered if he was mute or something."

"Nah, I think he just has a crush on you. Which is just a pity because he's pretty enough that even I would think about jumping his bones if he expressed an interest but you have Jason, I guess." Candice said, her voice a bit cold at the name of Lauren's boyfriend. Lauren had never quite managed to figure out why Candice disliked him and Candy would never give her a straight answer much to her regret. She always wished that her boyfriend and her best friend would get along but she'd become sort of resign that it was never to be.

Lauren shrugged and turned away, starting to stack some of the books on the desk, "Yeah, right. Nobody ever has a crush on me. So what kind of name is Coyotl anyway?"

"Indian I think. And you're totally hot, Lauren. I'd kill to have your hair, it's just so interesting." said Candice enviously.

Lauren blew her hair from her face again, white streaked with rich brown and auburn streaks blowing away from her nose as she rolled her eyes, "Right and have everyone under the sun ask where you got your dye job done all the time. It's great. Anyway, most women would kill to be a natural red head.

"Not after they got asked for the billionth time if the carpet matched the drapes! People know shit about proper manners anymore," Candice grumbled and then looked at the clock, "Hey, didn't you say you were meeting Jason tonight?"

"Why, what time is it?" Lauren looked up, her eyes widening as she took in time, "Oh shoot, it's already six, I'm going to be so fucking late. He'll kill me."

Candice waved at her with the back of her hand, "Go, shoo! I'll finish up here. See you tomorrow, bright and early?"

Hurriedly digging her purse out from under the desk Lauren nodded, "Yep. After I'm grovelling anyway. Don't stay here too late, Candy." Lauren turned and hurried towards the door.

"Lauren!" came a cry from behind her, making Lauren freeze with her hand on the door leading to the main shop, "Don't forget this." Candice held out the book they had been looking at, "You'll have time to do three or four, right?"

"Yeah, sure." Lauren said, reaching out and taking the book, "I'll do my best, though I still think it's a silly idea. And I am NOT translating the find a lover one."

Candice raised an eyebrow, "Spoilsport! Go! Have a good evening and I'll see you tomorrow."

Lauren nodded and waved over her shoulder as she headed off for home, the bell on the shops front door tinkling merrily as she pushed her way into the deepening gloom.