Page 108 of The Neighborhood Witch

He leaned over the barrel. His hands moved along the metal hoop that lined both ends. He positioned his hands along the backside. His grip was tight. He inhaled deeply, then held his breath, clenching his teeth. He let out a primal scream, compelling the barrel to move.

He leaned backward, and the barrel rolled with him. The reddish, purple liquid poured out of the hole, splashing against his black leather jacket. He braced the barrel against his body, his right forearm holding it in place. He took the glass and filled it to the top. He rotated the barrel back to its previous position and returned the stopper. He rushed upstairs, careful not to spill any of the contents.

He hurried to Alice and knelt by her side. The wine sloshed back and forth in the glass. A few drops slipped over the edge, ran down Hugo’s hands, and splashed against the dark wood floor. He set the glass down on the coffee table. He repositioned Alice once again. He grabbed the glass, parted Alice’s lips, and held the glass above her.

He paused. He inspected the wine whirling around inside the glass.

“I feel silly,” Alice’s voice came back to him.

“That’s okay,” he remembered reassuring her. “We can be silly together.”

The wine spun from the movement of his hand as it traveled from the basement to above Alice’s head.

“Spit into the cauldron,” Alice had commanded. He remembered never taking his eyes off of her emerald greens as he spit into the black cauldron.

“What was that?” he asked Alice.

“A very special potion,” Alice replied. He remembered the seductive expression on her face. The impish smile. Her sultry eyes. The purposely misplaced strands of purple hair. A secret that only the two of them knew.

Her words came back to him. “The Lovers’ Kiss.” She winked.

“What does it do?”

“No one knows. Its secrets are lost to time. Few have attempted it. Many have died to acquire it. Wouldn’t it be great to find out together?”

Together.

He took a drink, nearly half. He poured the rest into her mouth. The liquid splashed against her lips. Small drops dripped down the side of her cheek as it rushed over the edge of the glass. He closed her gaping mouth.

Hugo set the empty glass down. He picked up her body, hoping it would help in any way possible. His hands intertwined with her purple hair as he braced the back of her head. He waited for what felt like an eternity. He set her back down on the couch.

Hugo spun around and sat on the hardwood floor.His knees pulled up to his chest. He spotted the familiar black, onyx ring he had placed on the coffee table earlier in the evening. He snapped it up. He held it in his right hand and examined the dark shine. Hugo positioned it over his left ring finger, allowing it to hover not even an inch away. He thought of putting it back on. Going back to his life of pain and misery and torment, torturing himself with things he could no longer change.

He held the ring in his fingers. His left ring finger moved closer. His eyes watered. He sniffled to hold back the tears. He pulled the ring away, collapsing his fingers around it. He placed his closed fist to his forehead and closed his eyes. A solitary tear fell down his face. He grabbed Alice’s hand. He hoped. He prayed.

Chapter 29

The Couple That Brews Together

The rhythmic beats of the heart monitor filled the room. It was dark. Only the soft glow of an overhead light above Elizabeth’s bed illuminated the area. An oxygen tube was placed in her nose. Wires connected to heart monitor leads crisscrossed her body before disappearing under her hospital gown.

She wore a purple knit hat on her head; her vibrant auburn hair was a distant memory. Her face was sunken and skeletal. Her breath grew shallower with every passing moment. Hugo held Elizabeth’s frail hand resting on the soft, knit blanket that covered her failing body.

He leaned back in the hospital chair. The uncomfortable vinyl padding pressed against his back. His face and eyes were red. He bit his lower lip so he could feel something. He lingered on the flowers and balloons sent by the Raskins. Their brightly colored images were a stark contrast to the barren hospital walls. They were something to help brighten her mood, if even for a fleeting moment.

A nurse entered the room. Hugo glanced toward her, but quickly returned to Elizabeth. He paid no attention as she made her routineexamination of the equipment. Hugo didn’t care. There was nothing she could do that would change the outcome.

The nurse broke the silence, “Does she need last rites?”

Hugo slowly took his eyes off Elizabeth and onto the nurse sitting in a swivel chair. “I’m sorry. What did you say?” Hugo asked, not hearing her original question.

“Does she need anyone to perform last rites or anything?” the nurse asked again.

“Yeah, umm, no,” Hugo struggled for the answer. “The… umm… the Priest stopped by earlier.”

“Good,” the nurse replied as she rose from the workstation. “She can hear you. If you talk to her, she should be able to hear you.”

Hugo nodded his head and in a low voice said, “Thank you. I’ve been talking to her.”

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