By Fleur Lind
Here’s the latest contribution from the Rose City Writers – a short story from FLEUR LIND
Agnes was having great difficulty containing her excitement as she made the finishing touches to her new potion. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, she had overheard many times from people in her neighbourhood, and from further field, that pockets were not deep enough. She had heard this lament many times when she was out and about on her broomstick while staying out of view in the cloud cover.
To say she had ‘overheard’ wasn’t entirely accurate, as her senses were sharper than a new tack. It was a ‘witch’ thing; it was all part of the package; handed down through the generations.
She was born with a particular set of skills. Her nose did not just twitch, it could pick up a smell, be it bad or rancid or the most beautiful fragrance, a mile off. Her hearing was the same with distant and far away sound. She had heard that Super Heroes has these powers too. Sometimes it was a blessing, other times it was a curse – no pun intended.
Agnes gave her new potion one last, lucky stir.
“That should do it!” she grinned.
Back on her broomstick, with her potion in her pocket, she set off to do some laps around the town. She listened out for the laments she had heard earlier. With her ears alert for incoming calls of help like a police CB radio without the static or crackles, she picked up signals and went to work.
As she heard calls from the town and country folk below on their farms, in their homes and out in the street, she could hear their need for her potion. With a flick of her wrist, she dipped the tip of her wand into the potion bottle and directed a droplet down through the clouds. As the droplet fell, Agnes spoke to the wind of her spell to activate the droplet. The wind carried her spell to a woman who was giving a heartfelt cry.
The woman who had tired eyes and lines from worry, wanted to get her disabled mother the perfect gift for Christmas. Suddenly, the woman’s hand started to itch. As soon as she scratched, a $20 note appeared in her palm. The itching stopped when the dollar value was complete to buy the present.
The woman was shocked but delighted to see the money miraculously appear from nowhere. How had this happened, she wondered, as she looked around for any clue for her windfall. And it was a windfall, orchestrated by Agnes.
Back on watch, swooping just above the trees and startling the local birdlife who squawked and fluffed their feathers territorially, Agnes scanned another very tired, stressed parent needing an urgent cash injection. They had a sick child who needed surgery. The look of confusion followed by sheer relief from the parent, filled Agnes with joy, her nose twitching with delight.
Just as Agnes had sat on a high branch to rest and observe, yet another needy story could be heard from far below. With plenty of potion remaining in the pot, she swooped lower to see a young man in need of car repairs. He intended to drive interstate to see family for Christmas, but his blown head-gasket had put the stops on his travel plans. Agnes grinned, dipped her wand in the pot, and had another quiet word to the wind. The wind sent a gentle warm breeze to the man below to accompany the droplet of potion. The young man thought all hopes of travel were dashed until his hand started to itch. Not being one to have any reason to itch, he was confused as he scratched. His confusion quickly changed to absolute astonishment as the $20 notes piled in his palm. As the pile grew, his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. He had no idea how or where this generous handout had come from, but he was happy to accept and book in his car for repair.
Over the course of the day, Agnes did her absolute best to spread the Joy of Christmas far and wide to those in need. From the towns to the farms where the farmers needed a hand. With her delicate blend of herbs, spices, hair of rabbit’s foot, a four-leaf clover, and some secret, tried and true ingredients, her potion had never been about greed.
With the potion’s ‘shelf life’ of just 24 hours, she hoped her ‘Itchy Palm’ Potion would make a substantial difference in reducing struggle and widening smiles.
Agnes was quite sure that everyone she had administered her Itchy Palms Potion to, had enjoyed scratching!
