That horrible magician from the festival has somehow found us and won’t go away. He’s just awful and gives me the creeps every time I get anywhere near him. Sal doesn’t seem to mind, in fact, they know each other! Sal says they don’t know each other that well but they do seem to get along as if they’re old friends. I wish he would just leave and it could be Sal and me again. He looks at me the same way he did the flower right before he killed it. He’s so creepy!!!
Sal and I had stopped for dinner at a little pub. He said he was tried of eating rabbit (which was all we ate on the road because it was all we could catch) and that he wanted a real meal. I have to admit it sounded nice, although now I regret that decision.
It had been such a lovely night. The place was packed so Sal and I squeezed into two open spots at the bar. It was so cramped that our arms and legs touched. But it was nice, we laughed as we tried to eat being so close together. When we had finished he turned to me and asked if I had given any thought to what I would do when I wasn’t cursed anymore. I told him I had. That the only thing I had really dreamed about was being able to sleep in. He said that if I wanted, he’d like to show me the world but not at this whirled wind pace. He said that we could go to the coast and enjoy lazy days on the beach. I told him that I would love that, it sounded like a dream. He reached up and touched my cheek. He ran his thumb over my chin and I swear he was going to kiss me again…. And then that horrid man showed up.
There he was standing behind us, all happy and surprised to see Sal. He found a stool and pulled it up right there between us. Can you believe that?! He introduced himself to me as Henrick and shook my hand. I’m telling you I NEVER want him to touch me again. That simple handshake made my skin crawl. Something about him was just not right. His lips were too thin, his fingers too long, his voice too quiet, his stare too intense. Sal and Henrick started talking and I really couldn’t hear what either was saying, so like that I was out of the conversation.
I was relieved when Sal finally got up to leave but then Henrick said he would join us for a bit. He didn’t ask and Sal didn’t argue so what was I suppose to say. And just like that Henrick has invaded my life.