The Night The Clock Hit 12:07 10 Episode 9

"Dear let your old Granny sit down and relax for a while. I've been traveling for 3 days straight, I'm very tired." She says with a tired voice. Now that she mentioned it, her eyes were drooping, her voice a little hoa.r.s.e, her breathing was abnormal, and her legs look like they'd give out at any given moment.

I frown. "I'll run you a bath, just go and have a sit. I'll be right back okay?"

"Okay sweetie, thank you, you treat your old Granny so well."

I get to the door frame but turn around as I just remembered something, "No problem, is there anything else you need before I head to the bathroom to run your bath water?"

"I don't think so hun, but you can sprinkle a little Hyssop Root into the bath water for me please?" Granny smiled weakly at me.

"Sure thing". Even though I'm not a pract.i.tioner, I was well informed and learned many things about it by my family. I was a little suspect of why they were teaching me but I've learned that it is because I can be at help with the small shop Granny owns. Granny owns a flower shop in the city but for voodoo pract.i.tioners it's a voodoo shop; a shop that sells potions, charms, voodoo dolls, and every other item needed in the religion.

She also offers her services and knowledge for a price. For example, a female who was fairly new to the religion paid Gran a large sum of money to help her win over a bachelor who has chosen another female instead of her. But, it's not always so nice and innocent as that scenario. Some customer's requests are more deadly. Another voodoo pract.i.tioner once bought Granny's service to make a potion to kill her neighbor and neighbor's dog because the dog p.o.o.ped on her lawn multiple times. In my opinion, that's a bit too much. I'm not sure if Granny agreed to the lady's request but that does not sound like something she would do.

There's a long straight hallway from my room to the bathroom. The hallway is only lit by a few candles hanging from the side of the wall. It's very quiet, as if time has stopped and everything remained still. The only sound audible is the sound of the candles flickering as I walk pa.s.s them. It's a familiar feeling. This is my favorite time of the night.

I finally get to the bathroom, turn on the light to my left and turn the k.n.o.bs to make the water hot to my Granny's liking. In the bathroom, there's a tall shelf next to the sink which holds rows of potions and herbs that are used for baths; they are all labeled in alphabetical order. Some are used to remove curses and hexes, some are used to maintain beauty and youth, some to make the person of your choice to fall in love with you, and some are gain energy and keep energized.

"Hyssop Root Hyssop Root where's the Hyssop Root", I say as I'm scanning the large and small mason jars for the herb Granny requested. Hyssop Root is a herb that you can used in baths or put into a pouch in which you carry around to deflect any hexes or curses used against you. It also energizes the user.

"Oh here it is!", I sprinkle a little Hyssop Root into the bath water that is almost done filling up. I poke my head out of the door and yell down the hallway, "Gran your bath water is done!"

No answer

"Gran?!", I say in a louder tone.

Still no answer

I walk down the dimmed long hallway approaching my room with a little caution. I look around the room and she is nowhere to be found. "Gran?", I look behind my bed, she's not there. I check beside my computer desk, she's not there. I look towards the window from earlier. Would she have went out again in her state? She needs rest. I start to get worried.

Maybe Gran went to Aunt Viv and Aunt Lola. I go towards there bedrooms and slowly crack open their doors; they are both fast asleep. I close Aunt Lola's door and then Aunt Viv's door which let out a slight creak sound which startles me.

"Who's there?!", Aunt Viv jolts up out of her sleep and says in a stern, sleepy voice.

I hesitate before cracking open the door again and peek into the door, "Sorry Aunt Viv, I was ju-"

"Lanie! Why are you still awake?! Go to sleep! You have a morning shift tomorrow at Marjoram, don't you know?" Her voice now in a much louder tone than before. It echoed to the hallway and sent shivers down my spine. Aunt Vivian's voice could scare even the most bravest person on earth and send them to their knees.

"I...I know, I'm just looking for-" ,I struggle to make the words come out of my mouth.

Aunt Vivian's eyebrows arch and her mouth twitch making me want to just crawl in a hole in fetal position. She lets out a sigh and lowered her voice a little, "Mulanie, close my door and go to sleep."

"Yes ma'am, goodnight Aunt Vivian." I say and slowly closes her door shut. After the door closes, I slip back into my room, my heart racing, I sit back down in front of my computer. My room is rather dark and that's how I like it.

Then the thought of what happened earlier crosses my mind and I realized that an hour pa.s.sed since I was on the game last. I'm not in the mood to get back on but I debate whether I should get back on and say goodnight to everyone or not. I usually do so I get back on. The screen is black since it timed out so I push the s.p.a.ce b.u.t.ton and the screen glows up bright, hurting my eyes as they try to adjust to the brightness.