Going To Market

Rueben laid in sheets of colors that wrapped around her deep, golden skin. Her button nose cringed at her dream while her full lip, that was always in a pout, gasped at the scent that floated around her. A deep musky scent of honey, worn-out leather and freshly dug ground erupted her senses, along with the feeling of pure pleasure. Rue experienced a deep feeling of utter bliss, not lustful and wanting. Suddenly, another scent came floating around her. This wasn't rugged, virile, this was feminine, gentle with the scent of peppermint, citrus, and tobacco. It curtained around her like a blanket, caressing her neck, moving between her thighs and cupping her jawline.

Abruptly, the atmosphere changed around her, and a sense of touch began to appear physically. A warmth settled against her flesh and a growl echoed in her subconscious. Rueben's almond eyes were forced open, and they glowed in blue and orange until they settled into a hazel.

The scent lingered in the air, which forced Rueben up onto her bed. She turned to her one-bedroom cabin to see the house fully awake and at hard work. The dishes were being cleaned; the floors moped and breakfast laid ready for her to eat, but she couldn't. Not with this ridiculous scent floating around her room. She jumped to her feet as the crystal ball began to glow and blink as the familiar voice clouded Rueben's mind.

"This is how we are starting our day," a voice that sounds like a distant song. "Smudging" in that condescending attitude.

Rueben ignored the glass ball and moved to her sage and cedar smudge stick. She lit the bundle of herbs and started circling the room. "I can't start my day with this shit in the air" she moved through the small cabin which was filled with herbs, spices, and crystals.

It was much like any old cabin, with aged wood walls and cold stone floors. A mixing table sat in the middle of the open-plan kitchenette, a bay window and a few hay couches sat under a great circle window. And drier flowers hung from the ceiling and four corner beds sat on the farther wall with a bathroom shielded but Japanese room dividers.

"It's not going to work," the sphere said on Rueben's office table. "Smudging gets rid of negative energies, not passionate desires," they moaned the last time as Rueben rolled her eyes.

She let out a loud 'ha' "this is just to get rid of the smell" she announced before running to the bed and began to bounce up and down, waving her arms around "it's time to renew my blocking spell, I should do that now," she said frantically before rushing to her mixing table.

It cluttered the table with stuff, crystals, herbs, spices, and many other items. Rueben searched through the clutter, frustrated with her past self for making a mess. She found her jars of tea leaves only to find she was out of peppermint, lemon balm and hibiscus tea leaves. She looked at Crystal before rushing towards them with two jars in each hand.

"Where are my tea leaves?" she asked them, but they didn't respond, she rolled her eyes

"Just to make some more" they blinked as Rueben shook her head.

Moving to the little garden that sat on the outside of her kitchen window. She looked through the bush, but they weren't ready, "I am going to have to go into town and buy some processed shit," she complained as she swiped her hand across her body. The fresh feeling of being washed and clothed was exhilarating for her skin. She moved to the hooks next to the door where her sling tote bag and wide rim hat sat, "prepare some cleansing water while I am out" she tipped her hat before running for the forest.

Rueben walked through the talls trees until she came to the main road to the small fishing village of Paternoster. A place where everyone knew everyone, all under a lighthouse that stood in the distant. Rueben watched the colorful boats that sat on the shore with the white hut - like houses that stood behind them, and she closed her eyes to take in the salty air.

The fish village was filled with tourists, villagers and more. Mermaids sat on glistering rocks, brushing their hair while vampires sat under colorful umbrellas lining the shore and werewolves ran into the water flashing them, which only made Rueben smile. She began her walk on land where greenhouse tunnel where various people bought and sold goods. It was a farmer's market with different stalls of flowers, spices, foods, homemade goods and antique furniture. Her eyes filtered through the different naturals until she spotted the merchant in their tent; they rolled their eyes as she made her way towards them.

Before Rueben took a step towards the fleeing merchant. She bumped into the side of someone's chest, which caused them to turn to face each other and the stranger to grab her waist before Rueben could fall over. Rueben froze at the familiar scent of peppermint, citrus and tobacco, her eyes dilated and the dreams came flooding back. Of chains around her wrist, gasps on her tongue and the cold feeling of piercing on her skin. Rueben shook off the dreams away and tried to concentrate, but she couldn't with her hand going up and down her back.

Rue pulled away looked up into the face of the stranger but her vision was blurred by spores, sun glares and twinkling stars. Which made the stranger's face unrecognizable until she spoke.

"Sorry I wasn't looking where I was going" a husky yet smooth voice moved through Ruebens body like chills.