ONE

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13Th Dante Avenue had been let for a while. Still it was a topic of discussion for the town folk over beer and pies. Converted into a cozy if somewhat traditional looking tea shop with potted plants on window sills and wild marigold nodding in abandon at the doorstep apart from innuendos of romance one would not expect any topic worth of interest. However the rumors that circulated the town was anything but romantic or charming in nature.

The town folk of Misty Valley were a superstitious gang and 13th was an unlucky number. On the top of that - the place had been going through one misfortune after the other for many decades. Ever since it had been put up - if the old woman at the cafe across the street is to be believed. None of the owners stick around for more than four seasons until of cause the current occupier had arrived seemingly from nowhere.

It stroke the curiosities of the town folk to find that one fine day the rusting locks had been taken out and the floors were scrubbed pale. The tiny patch of lawn weeded and missing tiles replaced on the roof. The windows were no longer boarded up but open to air the place. For a week then on developments went on adding touches of modernity to the structure abandoned in an era before. Their excitement remained at its pinnecal until the work was concluded and a tea shop was put up. Even the habitual betters threw a dime on how long the business would last - considering the age of the owner, who was much too young by their estimation - the best bet had been three months.

They took her at the face value as a whimsical young adult with rebellious spirit from teens still ranging through and hard earned money from parents flowing without a care. The girl at 13th Dante Avenue was not there to stay. They shook their heads at what a waste of money and prospect but did not even call the shop by its given name - Nirvana.

As predicted, Nirvana was not filled with customers. In fact not many had seen anyone walking inside the traditional little tea shop other than its owner herself. But strangely it stood three years now to the date it had been put up Nirvana was never closed or moved from 13th Dante Avenue. Moreover, not a thing changed since that first day. The lawn was still tidy, the glass panels gleaming and the fresh scent of brewing herbs always tinting the air.

13th Dante Avenue of Nirvana as it was better known by then, was discussed by the town folk for its sheer mystery nowadays. Nobody was in speaking terms with the owner and nobody knew how the business always bloomed without a single customer visible. Of cause there were hushed whispers of dark dealings - but even the nosiest of gossips did not come across one spec of dirt on either the business or the business woman.

After six months of trying they gave up attempting to drew her into conversation. Apart from “six dozen eggs’ or “thank you” not much ever came out of her mouth. Then of cause her hours social contact were rather odd to suit her traditional neighbors. Most of the time they did not notice her until she herself wanted them to. And when they did they would watch her with mouth gaped wonder.

That had been the reason why Rose was against the idea to begin with. However, two weeks with the wandering confused soul should have taught her enough she thought with a exhale that created sparkling flakes of frost of the glass of the front door. With her gloves in the pocket and hat in hand she frowned at Nina trying to put her point across once more.

“This is absolute unnecessary interruption to my perfectly manicured work schedule - I hope you are aware?” She asked dryly, still frowning at the snowflake melting into the August heat.

“Crystal -” Nina bobbed her head. Her hair was pink today a lone palm tree in the middle fastened by a blue hair tie. Looking at her made her head ache. Rose realized as she took in her appearance. Never in three thousand years did she learn why spirits had the ability to do that to their outlook. The more confused they were the more verity there was. “Now will you open the door or just glaring at it would do the trick?”

“You look like an over - aged Barbie Doll,” she made a curt remark, giving Nina the impression of scanning her from head to toes. “Plus - do you really need reminding that you could actually walk through it?”

“Cheer leader -” Nina said seriously. “The look I was aiming at was a cheerleader. And I don’t need reminding of that little fact little miss Agent.”

Rose scowled, agitated at being called little anything before muttering darkly to herself.

“She could forget everything but not damn Cricket!” She pushed the door open and stepped out, putting her hat on as she walked.

“Of cause it’s the world cup!” Nina cut in cheekily. “I remember I’ve always been an avid fan!”

“Very helpful,” Rose mumbled before starting to walk on briskly, stuffing her hands on her pockets.

“The problem is you don’t own a TV set!” Nina snapped back at her before her attention was stolen by something else.

The heat rushed to welcome them in waves. There was a stirring of rain in the atmosphere. Rose glanced up at the sky just in time to witness a rolling purple cloud splitting into two with a branched white lightening.

“Perfect!” She muttered as she noted Nina was hanging outside a shop window watching the live telecast of the quarter finals in a over large flat screen for sale. There was already a bunch of enthusiasts gathered around, free advice and commentary flowing in a jumbled stream.

Rose thanked the hat that made her invisible to the unassuming eyes of the humans. She would not be caught dead in a place of this sort. She threw another disgusted glance at the soul in her keeping for the time being and wondered what the devil was playing at. Whatever it was - she imagined the old man was having fun at her expense.

It was supposed to be a reprieving afternoon. She had one of those every five years. Only the blasted soul - Nina - she mentally corrected herself would not stay quite for a millisecond! She had been haunting the two storied building looking for a TV set that had never been there since she caught a fragment of speech out in the street that today was supposedly a very crucial match of the season. Rose frowned it was all the fault of that wheezed old poet - passing through leaving the door open. But Rose desperately needed her quite time once every half decade.  

She watched the scene for a moment analyzing how absorbed Nina was with her match, before deciding her next move. Rose was aware of cause that as her keeper she was supposed to watch over Nina - but Nina was a matter of days, weeks or even months. She was not going to wait another five years to relax the tension in her shoulders.

On the other hand she couldn’t possibly die again - can she? Rolling her eyes at just how pleasant that prospect would be Rose walked back towards her shop leaving Nina to enjoy her quarter final in peace.

She had no qualms - Nina knew her way home. Once she realizes that she has been abandoned - which of cause Rose had warned she would do - Nina would wander back to the shop. Rose had only agreed to walk her out while she herself went for her next assignment - she had said. Nina could not have walked out on her own - such was the magic of souls in waiting.

Taking a gulp of soothing aromatic air Rose entered her empty shop. Outside the sky darkened a little more and a faint rumble of thunder rattled the glass. Candles and a bath…! She thought offhandedly, she would enjoy that. Then perhaps a strong cup of chrysanthemum tea. Mentally checking her stock inventory to ascertain if she could have a cup - Rose took the stairs up, undoing the clasp of her cloak as she did.

As she set the water running and lit one of those aromatic therapy candles from some fifty year old batch the rain was splattering against the windows. The match might be very cut throat - Rose thought to herself. Otherwise Nina would have rushed back inside forgetting yet again that the rain no longer drenched her. Thanking the sport that she had no favorable reflections towards otherwise just for that small mercy Rose sank into her warm bath. Ah - the quite, stillness of forever! She was beginning to enjoy that now.

Bam! Dock! Thump!

Three thousand plus years old’s did not jump out of their tubs just because someone was wracking their front door. Rose opened one of her heavy eyelids and fantasized strangling a confused soul for a moment.

Bam!

She shook her wet hair out of her eyes and sighed. Strangling will have to wait. Instead she pulled her robe and cast one longing glance at the inviting comfort of her hot bath before going to answer the door.

The rain fell at its earnest now, drumming at the roof and windows, drowning out all the other sounds in the background. At any other time Rose would have been worried about her wooden panels getting damaged by the rain - or for her potted plants marigolds or even her dry herb stock. Instead of cause now she was cursing the intruder how had perfectly snatched her peace of mind for next five years.

She pulled at the handle, half complaint hanging on her tongue and tumbled back inside sagged by the weight that suddenly landed on her. Of cause the man might have been leaning against the door she had just wrenched open, but that did not give him and excuse to land on her!

Pinned to the ground by what felt like a ton of muscles the logic took time to penetrate her haze. The man was unconscious and his breath tickled the crook of her neck. An unpleasant awareness trickled up her spine - the man was breathing - alive!

Of cause a heart thudded against her palm sandwiched between their bodies and she could sense the life flowing in his veins.

“Oh holy tea!” Nina’s voice and a gust of rainy breeze pulled at her conscious. Rose jerked and pushed the man away from her. He rolled on to the floor and lay there, motionless and pale in the flashing light of lightening. Nina made a show of catching her breath, tip toeing inside. “For a moment I thought you were up to something wicked.”

“And you just had to share that thought -” Rose shook her head at her.

“So is this a new shipment?” Nina sounded mildly curious as she bent to check the dead man on their front door better. The wind shut the door with a loud snap and she jumped backwards. “H - he is -!”

“Perfectly alive I know.” Rose said blankly as she scowled at the patch of dark red that spread along the midsection of his shirt rather rapidly. “For how long I’m not sure!”

“But - is it normal to get dead bodies at your doorstep?” Nina probed further, noticing the confusion that simmered just beneath the calm mask of Rose’s face.

“No.” Rose said shortly. A lightening lit up her pale face. “In fact he is the first live man to walk through that door ever since I’ve activated the seal around this place.”

“And what does that mean exactly?”

“Trouble.” Rose said ominously. “Wherever life goes - so does trouble.”

**

Lets take it slow and see where this would go. In the meantime, vote and let me know what you liked / disliked about this chapter in the comments.
Thank you for reading!