Thistlebloom and the Secrets of Brewer's Botanicals

Chapter One

Lysander Thistlebloom, of number 304, Carnaby Street, was an ordinary man or so he thought. He was the last person you would expect to be involved in anything strange.

Lysander was the herb sorter of a shop called Brewers Botanicals. He was a small, lanky man with unkempt hair. Lysander had no wife unlike the other men of the small city he resided in. He was often ridiculed for this fact. He found himself living alone with a fat cat known as Butterball. He was perfectly content being alone.

Lysander had everything he wanted, but he also had a secret, and his greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. He didn’t think he could bear it if anyone found out about his past.

When Lysander was but a small boy, he had seen things. Things that shouldn’t exist. By the time he had reached seven his mother had disappeared. He had no idea what became of her. The first time he mentioned what he had seen to her she made him swear to keep it a secret. A promise Lysander had kept for thirteen years. Lysander had convinced himself over the years that all the creatures he had seen were a product of his imagination.

When Lysander woke up on that gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange things would soon be happening in his town.

At half past eight, Lysander picked up his briefcase, and gave Butterball a soft tap on the head. The cat purred softly and rubbed against his legs.

It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar — a hummingbird with the head of a fox. For a second, Lysander didn’t realize what he had seen — then he jerked his head around to look again. There was in fact a creature that should not exist. Not again. Lysander blinked and stared at the creature. It stared back. As Lysander drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the creature in his mirror. Lysander gave himself a little shake and put the creature out of his mind. As he drove toward town, he thought of nothing except the herbs he would be sorting today.

But on the edge of town, herbs were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the morning traffic, he couldn’t help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of creatures about.

Lysander couldn’t bear the thought of these creatures popping up again. It’s your imagination. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on one of these creatures. It was a wolf, but its body was glowing a light green much like a firefly. Lysander was enraged to see that the creatures he had long suppressed were now coming back. But then it struck Lysander that this was probably the effect of some herb —that would make perfect sense seeing as he spent all day sorting herbs that Mrs. Dumpfry created in her garden…yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Lysander arrived in the parking lot.

The rectangular shop sign swung from the highest eave in front of the shop, bearing the words ‘Brewers Botanicals’ carved by Mrs. Dumpfry’s late husband. Virgil was a burly man with a large mustache and much like Mrs. Dumpfry he too was overweight.

Alongside Brewers Botanicals, a line of charming shops stood shoulder to shoulder on the cobbled street. Whimsical Antiques, Café Belle Époque offered freshly brewed coffee, and The Tailored Trinket provided crafted jewelry. Miller’s Book Nook had a cozy interior, and Rustic Remedies Apothecary offered herbal remedies.

Lysander pulled back the door to Brewers Botanicals and was greeted by the sour smell of Mrs. Dumpfry’s favorite herb. Zephyr Blossom. On its glass jar, there was one word ‘Clarify’ Mrs. Dumpfry told her customers that it would help provide mental clarity.

Lysander often wondered if this was true. It wasn’t until recently that he discovered Mrs. Dumpfry’s secret and the power her herbs held.

Dozens of tiny bottles lined the shelves, each containing unique herbs and spices. There was Bliss Berry for euphoria, Giggle Root for laughter, Zephyr Petal for serenity, and many more. She had managed to fill every nook with a bottle.