Reading the Dice: Voyages Edition

Story 6: Thrift Store

Dice roll: raven, octopus, sunset, waves, submarine, cauldron, flask, map, puzzle piece

The room is dark; everyone around me is silent. Outside the window, the first rays of sunlight begin to needle their way through the darkness, splashing color against the slowly brightening sky. Once the outside world is bright, the door opens, admitting people in collared shirts and khaki pants, plastic rectangles pinned to their shoulders.

Someone walks by with a broom, humming as he goes. Overhead, music begins to play. The lights grow brighter as they warm, the slight buzzing created by their running drowned out by the music and the footsteps of people. They rearrange things, pick things up off the floor, and stand at the front, punching buttons on machines.

Then, at a certain time, more people come into the store, and there's the sounds of people talking and kids pleading.

A man walks by, a plastic red basket hanging on his arm. Inside the basket is a kid's chemistry set, the picture on the box is of a child wearing goggles, holding a vial behind a stand holding several vials and flasks all containing liquids of different colors. Nestled in the basket beside the chemistry set is a book. The plain green fabric cover is darkened by a large black raven, words in tarnished and faded silver mention someone named Poe.

The people come and go in ebbs and flows, different times of the day being busier, others, far more quiet.

A woman with two small children walks by, her cart stuffed with clothes, toys, and games. A stuffed octopus stares at me with glassy black eyes. The puzzle box beside it is appropriately an ocean scene--the sun setting over the waves, the wave tips glinting with gold, while below the surface lurks a submarine, its lights red and green around its copper body.

A little later, a couple walk by, arm in arm, talking excitedly about a trip. Her hands are full of books about various places: Rome, Italy, France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Greece... The titles are lost behind her sleeve. He's pulling wheeled luggage, a large atlas tucked under his arm. She's teasing him about him now having an excuse to not stop and ask for directions--he has a map now.

People continue to walk by, looking at the shelves, eyeing the trinkets and doodads. Several of my neighbors are taken, the people leaving with glee on their faces.

It seems most people's treasure hunts here are successful. Hardly anyone leaves empty-handed.

The sun is setting outside when another woman comes down the aisle, eyes darting around as she examines the wares. She stops beside me and looks me over critically, her eyes taking in my full, round shape and dark exterior. She runs her hands along my top and peers down into me, then proclaims I'm perfect. Grabbing both of my handles, she pulls me from the shelf and manages to waddle-walk to the front, where she hands over money to people at the machines. When offered assistance, she smiles, chuckles, and says she's fine and then takes me out to her car.

 Bending low, she grasps me tightly and hefts me into her trunk. As she closes the lids, she smiles and remarks at what a wonderful find I am. Such a perfect cauldron, just what she was looking for! The trunk closes with a thud, locking me in darkness, and the car moves, bringing me to my new home.