Beats and Breaths-Lifelines

Chapter 6

"Darlins! Darlins! Darlins!"

She insisted on making them tea and biscuits as they sat, squashed, around her small table.

The siblings stayed away from the table legs, which were pointed and had tiger paws.

The inside of the Rose Witch's house was much more of an eyesore than the outside. Small, squat bottles, pebbles, and rat poop were scattered around on the grungy tile floor. Two wooden counters and a stove were pushed carelessly to the side, looking like they hadn't been used in years. A washtub filled with muddy-they hoped it was just muddy-water sat stagnant on a rickety table next to them. An old litter box filled with dirt was set haphazardly on one of the counters. There was no sink.

Small glasses of hot, pink tea sat steaming in front of them, but neither of the siblings touched them. They emitted a smell of rose.

The biscuits were rock-hard and covered in blue fuzz.

The Witch had donned a crooked black hat, and her clip-on floppy dog ears had been replaced by large, pointy ones sticking through holes in the hat.

Shan looked at her brother warily.

"Well...Rose Witch..." Frederik started cautiously.

"Darlins!" She interrupted, thumbing her dress hem, "Call me Rose."

"Well, then, Rose-"

"How formal!" Rose giggled softly.

Shan looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Then she scooted away from her and closer to her brother.

Frederik didn't seem anxious to start again.

After a moment of awkward silence, he got to the point.

"We need your help."

Rose laughed like that was the funniest thing she had ever heard in her life. Her hat fell from her head and landed on the floor as a toad.

Shan looked at it in alarm.

"Well, of course, Darlins! Why else would you be here? Oh, don't mind Jonh, child, he won't hurt you."

"T-the Snuffer has come to town, and we need y-your help."

"Oh! I know all about the Snuffer, Darlins! He and I go waaaaay back."

Rose pursed her lips, and added, "I'm surprised you don't know more about him."

"W-what do you mea-"

"No issue! You'll be needing a Rosepud, I suppose?"

"A what?"

"A Rosepud. My very own creation." Rose pulled a small pink pod out of her pocket and held it forward in florish.

Shan studied it, but Frederik realized that it was one of the plant pods he'd seen growing outside in the field.

He reached forward eagerly to take it, but then held back; hand hovering over it.

"How much will it cost?"

"Oh! Nothing at all! Anything for my little Darlins!" She said, sweetly coating her words with syrup. Rose grabbed one of the biscuits, and covered it in her own sugar.

Shan looked wary. "How does it work?"

"Well! I take your breath, Darlin, and store it in here." She said, her mouth full of biscuit. Spittle landed on Shan's hand, and she wiped it on her coat.

"Then, when you want it back, I give it back! Simple."

"Yes, but how?"

"Well!" She guffawed, "That's the magic of it, I suppose, and Witches don't be giving away their secrets!"

"We can really have it for free?" Shan leaned forward eagerly, "Will the Snuffer still know? Can we really have our Lifelines back after?"

Rose nodded slowly.

Frederik now looked wary.

"Nothing is free."

"This is!" Shan squealed happily, "Oh Frederik, we can live!"

"What are the side-effects, then?"

"Well." Rose looked at Shan, "the side-effects of partial Lifeline deprivation are fainting, chills, and swollen glands."

"But!" She said cheerily, "The only side effect of total deprivation is death, Darlins!"

Both siblings stared at her in shock.

Rose laughed at their faces, and said, "Oh, well if only you go too long. This will just be until the Snuffer leaves, then you'll be fine! And your life is safe then." She added.

They both laughed uneasily, their cheery pretenses a bit deflated.

"So you want 2, yes?"

Shan nodded hesitantly.

"I'll be keeping them here, safe. When the Snuffer leaves, you can get them back. So, would you like to get started, Darlins?"

"Ye..Yes." Frederik's voice cracked.

Looking delighted, Rose rose and turned her back to them, rummaging in her cabinet.