Snake Charmer's Curse

Chapter 4: Gift

"I must say, that is fascinating," Aspis continued their discussion as they sauntered deeper into the alley. Faith struggled to focus on the conversation as her fears were running away with her.

"It might come to you as a surprise, but I deem what you told me a magnificent gift," he expressed, somewhat enchanted.

Faith stopped and looked at Aspis, surprised. "A gift?" she asked sceptically.

"Now you may not believe me, but by the sounds of it, what you experienced is called the spirit guide's warning. Apparently, there are a handful of tribes who are blessed with an animal guardian spirit," Aspis explained casually as he readjusted her arm in his and continued to walk.

"Is the spirit like a demon who obeys or does its master's bidding?"

"No, my dear. What you are referring to is called a familiar, conjured by a witch or wizard. A spirit guide—according to lore—is a mystical animal that comes in different shapes and forms. They are one with their human counterparts from birth. They appear to their masters in dreams or the waking world, depending on the strength of the person's magical capabilities and the bond shared with their guardian."

"Huh, I never heard of that," Faith murmured, somewhat distracted.

"Maybe see if you try to talk to it and form a relationship. The warnings could become more detailed and not just a bite out of desperation..." Aspis stopped from delving deeper into the topic when he noticed Faith's unsettled expression. "Sorry, am I making you feel uncomfortable, my dear?"

"Oh no, not at all. I find this very interesting. I just don't know how I'd feel about having an entity trapped in my dreams that is a snake. I believe in the supernatural, but doubt that is what I have," Faith laughed nervously, as she visibly shivered at the thought.

"I see, so is that why you fear them so, because of your dreams and the negativity associated with them?"

"Not entirely, I have a general fear of any reptile except for chameleons, oddly enough," she shrugged as she looked on ahead. They were now deep within the alley. She estimated they were about halfway as she observed the exit in the distance, praying to get out of there quickly.

Aspis's face lit up. "They are pleasant and beautiful little creatures. Have you heard of the rainboa?"

"No, I have not. Is it a type of snake?"

"Yes, an extraordinary creature, believed to be extinct. It is a large snake similar in size to the titanoboa, but not as fat. What makes it truly remarkable is that it has the ability to change the colour of its scales like a chameleon. It blends in with its surroundings, almost becoming completely invisible. It's believed to be so flawless, resulting in the rainboa's famed illusiveness."

"That is amazing! I've never heard of such a snake before," Faith said, truly intrigued.

"What makes them more unique is their temperament. It is said they are very gentle, never known to attack or bite first unless provoked. If it has a liking to you, it is known to coil around you and hold you, like an exaggerated cuddle, if you will," Aspis hummed as he affectionately squeezed Faith's captured arm.

"I never knew a snake was capable of any affection," Faith responded truthfully.

"Ha ha ha!" Aspis guffawed, making the woman jump. "Probably not all snakes, but you'd be surprised, my dear. This world is full of the unthinkable. Anything is possible! For all you know, there could be a mystical creature close by, stalking us from the shadows." Faith's heart started drumming in the cavity of her chest; she had no idea how to respond to his unnerving words.

"Ah, there it is!" Aspis exclaimed and pointed before him, just as they stepped into the sunlight. Faith marvelled at the large art store with wide-open orbs.

"Impressed, are we? What is nice, is when going back, you can take that road down yonder. With just a few easy turns, you will end up at your workplace."

Faith released a sigh of relief as she continued to stare at the building before her. She felt ashamed for thinking the worst of Aspis. "It is beautiful, thank you for showing me the way."

"Only a pleasure, my dear. It is quite large and overwhelming. May I be bold as to ask if I could please steal some more of your time? Just so that you could show me what I would need for watercolour painting," Aspis asked, somewhat embarrassed.

Faith smiled, then looked at her phone and replied, "I have quite a bit of time left; I'd love to help where I can since you were kind enough to escort me here."

Aspis smiled gratefully and let Faith enter the building first as he released her arm. Although it was the first time she had been to the store, she instinctively knew where to find the paint section.

"Oh lovely!" Faith exclaimed excitedly as she saw the vast variety of art supplies. "To be honest, I am not too familiar with which brand of watercolour is the best, but I do recognize this as an all-around good product," she said, pointing to a watercolour paint set, then continued, "Or, since you are a beginner, why not first start off with these cheaper ones? Get a feel for the medium, mess, play, and practice. Once you are comfortable, then you can get a more professional paint set."

She quickly took out her phone and searched for a list of good paint brands, which she showed to Aspis, who was now very close to her. She then searched for affordable options that were well-rated and then gave him her phone to have a better look.

His hand grazed over her fingers; at the moment contact was made, he felt the most beautiful sensation that almost made him jolt. However, he held his composure as he listened intently to the woman. It surprised him, for it was the second time now, and even with gloves on, he was able to experience this rare endearing phenomenon.

"Depending on what your budget is and what you want to accomplish, these are what's available. I would also suggest getting three sketch pads: two that are cheap and that you can practice with, and a better quality pad for when you are ready to start painting the real deal. Oh yes, and paintbrushes! These sable brushes are perfect for watercolours, due to the amount of water they can hold."

"Thank you, dear Faith," said Aspis as he gingerly returned her phone, then continued, "Let me not take up more of your time, but I would very much like to see you again and have more discussions regarding art and folklore."

"Of course, I look forward to it, Aspis. Once again, thank you for showing me the way to this place and for the smoothie. It was a pleasure meeting you," she beamed.

"Only a pleasure, my dear. Until next time, farewell," said the man and made his way to the cashier.

Faith continued with her mission and selected a few oil paint colours, pencils, anise seed oil, and thinners. She spent about fifteen minutes making sure she had everything she needed before making her way to the cashier. The woman smiled and said to her, "Hi ma'am, no worries; they have been paid for, as well as this is for you." She then took out a large bag with multiple art supplies.

"Oh no, this must be a mistake! I did not order any of this!" exclaimed Faith with wide eyes at the large bag.

"No ma'am, it's no mistake; this is a gift from the gentleman who came with you earlier," the cashier explained, then continued to shove the bag towards the shocked woman.

"I can't accept this! Please, I need you to return the money to that man," Faith begged.

The cashier laughed, "Something tells me you are not from around here. If it makes you feel better, you are not the first person Mr. Garter has bought gifts for."

"Gifts? But why? I did not do anything to deserve this. We only met like thirty minutes ago!"

The woman chuckled some more at Faith's honest reaction, then continued, "He is a man who keeps to himself, but now and then he will meet someone who piques his interest and then does things like this. Please take it; you could create something for him as a thank-you present in return. I am sure he would appreciate it."

Faith thought for a bit, still unsure. "This still does not feel right. I don't like to just take things from people, but I think I might just do that. But, please let me pay for the items I selected," she begged.

The woman laughed, looked at the items, and then shook her head. "I will let you take it for free and not charge Mr. Garter," she assured, amused.

"Please..."

"Hush now and take it; you can paint something for me as well," the woman proposed with a wink.

Faith sighed in defeat as she sheepishly took the items. "Thank you so much; you are too kind, but just to let you know, I feel so bad for taking this."

The cashier laughed, then pointed to a large canvas and continued, "Please take that and surprise me with whatever you think will look good in this store."

"I'm not great, but will try my best to paint you something beautiful," Faith promised as she awkwardly took the canvas.

"I look forward to it; have a lovely day, ma'am," the woman beamed.

"Thank you, and you too," Faith greeted, then left.

"You did well, Mavis; thank you," Aspis hummed as he crept out from his hiding place.

"You're welcome, Mr. Garter."

"Please let me know the cost of the items she took," the jovial man asked while taking out his wallet.

"No need; she chose the cheapest products available, so I won't suffer any losses. Besides, I made her a promise to not charge you," Mavis said reassuringly.

"I must say, I adored her reaction," he sang as the memory replayed in his mind.

"She seems like a good heart, but don't make it a habit; she might get the wrong idea," Mavis warned.

"Oh, I can't make any promises," Aspis hummed tenaciously.