BEAUTIFUL MONSTER

85 - Mosy Silverblaster

I don't get why some people are still confused. But if you are, ask me a question here – not about how the book will end.

By the way, guys, you should search YouTube for Shrek is Love, Shrek is Life. It's honestly beautiful and you're missing out on a wonderful artwork. It's great to watch with the family, too. :)

St. Old was a street of identical terraced houses with trimmed front lawns, frilly curtains hanging in the windows and flimsy gates that were firmly shut. It was like we stepped into an ad for Toshibas –as every house boasted of the model outside their front step– except that the cars had crushed rear-lights, markings on the paint and didn't look like they could manage more than a few miles. "Is anyone else getting the vibe that we're being watched?" I asked just as I noticed the pale-haired kid staring at us from across the road. He was in his bedroom and he was eerily motionless. My hand faltered when he didn't wave back at me.

"I didn't think England has occult shops, I thought they only existed in movies. What sort of creep are we meeting?" I stared at the shop before us. It was like a dash of red against a canvas of grey; it certainly stood out in the street – but fitted right into the weird ambience. The shop was painted a bruised purple and dust lined the windows. Heathen Times was the sort of shop your friend would dare you to go into because they secretly hated you and wanted you to die. There was a pack of cards in the display and the bell tinkled above us as we walked in. The room was cloaked in darkness and I was immediately drawn to the skull head sitting on velvet on a table. I picked it up, it was smooth and kinda – I pressed down on the skull and it dented. Hastily, I placed it down and directed my attention elsewhere.

There were candles of all sizes and all colours, looking like they'd crumble if I picked them up. Plastic jewellery were on hand mannequins and honestly, I could get better rings from the toy machines were you put in 10p and get a plastic red ball. "Hey, Orion," I called lowly, "Yu-Gi-Oh cards, wanna play?" I shuffled the pack of cards that bore striking resemblance to Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

He rifled through packs labelled as herbs, powders and incense and tossed me one. "I bet you they're spices."

Just as I was about to rip open the packet and prove his theory, a pastel-white hand with one-too-many rings reached out and snatched the packet from me.

"Don't be dicks. Humans believe that sort of shit."

I turned around to face Eliphas Cage, a scowl on his face. He was tall, about a forehead taller than me. He had startling grey eyes that sunk into his face and the bags under his gaze hinted that he could use a couple of century's worth of sleep. His shoulders were bony and his hands were long and nimble. He wore an old t-shirt that was faded and jeans that hung low on his hips. He had raven-black hair that was unevenly cut and hung in his eyes, almost obscuring his piercing stare.

Darius held out his hand to him. "Eliphas, sorry for dropping in so sudden."

"It's cool, man, I saw you on my crystal ball." He ignored Darius' handshake, his eyebrows pulled down as he rearranged the packet of herbs, shooting Orion and I a scathing look. "The arrogance of the pair of you...walking into my shop and touching my shit."

"You have a crystal ball?" I asked in interest.

"Yeah, and I also have a flying broomstick and my best friend is Harry fucking Potter," he curled his lip up at me in disbelief. "Are you always this thick?"

"It was just a –"

"Who touched my skull!?"

Orion and Darius looked at me immediately. "Wow, thanks," I said dryly.