"HE WILL BE MINE..." Athena half-whispered to herself as she embarked on the third floor of the decrepit building in Galway, Ireland. A colleague recommended this eerie place to her as a way to solve her huge problem about Franco-the half-Mexican and half-Irish man she immediately got attracted to in a wild beer party hosted by one of her big bosses.
A top supervisor in their winery company, Athena has always had the knack for gaining the trust of her superiors. For one thing, she was an excellent wine taster and could distinguish right on hand if the wine was genuine or tainted.
The building quite surprised her because it was quite hidden from a normal aerial view and had a scent that made her reminisce her bullied days as a geeky girl with crooked teeth in her middle school.
Athena has undergone several retainer processes so as to have that perfect set of white teeth.
"SO HOW CAN YOU HELP ME?" Athena asked the frail middle aged lady on the dark counter. Everything about the place was creepy in the sense that Athena was experiencing severe heat and cold at the same time.
"First, I want you to sit down and listen carefully," the queer looking lady advised her mildly.
Athena followed her order and waited for her next instruction.
Miss Milicenth, as she was called by her customers, put out a clean sheet of beige stationery and handed it out to Athena. "Here, take it."
Athena received the token and examined its hard content. There were Greek letters spelled out on the statio."What is this?".
Then Miss Milicenth got a pinkish bottle ladened with a soft heart pendant that looked like a logo."This magic potion has been used by many customers in the past and it never failed their expectations. You can have any man you want wrapped around your fingers."
Athena leaped to her feet. "Oh I can't wait to have him!".
"Let him taste a portion of the liquid in whatever camouflage you can and before you serve him the potion, you have to recite the verses on the paper thrice a night before. Light three pink candles as you recite the incantation.
And so Athena dutifully did as she was told. She invited Franco for a weekend getaway with her colleagues. And since Franco was a big fan of red wines himself, he went to Athena's patio. Little did he know that the plate of red velvet cake he consumed was far from normal.
After all Athena's guests left, Franco felt unnaturally drowsy and fell on the brown couch. Athena offered to soothe his forehead. And as he tended him, he KISSED HER very deeply!
Athena backed off. But she was a bit titillated.
Franco kissed her one more time and again and again until they both savored the night with warmth, passion and declarations of love.
Several months later after Athena got her WISH, she hastily returned to the worn out building and confronted Miss Milicenth.
She was wiping her heavy sweat with her scarf.
"UNDO THE POTION!", Athena cried out. She looked so desperate.
Miss Milicenth LAUGHED to the brim. And it made Athena convulse in her presence.
"You got your man! Why complain?". The strange woman mocked.
"HE NEVER LEFT ME!" Athena attested. "At first, it was so sweet and thoughtful of him to follow me around like a puppy. And after such time, he became so CLINGY and wouldn't leave me alone."
"He became obsessed with you?".
"Yes precisely.It was revulsing. And it turned me off unnecessary."
'Well, that was the supposed effect of the potion, So he could be yours entirely and forever."
"FOREVER..." Athena was petrified."NO! I will return the potion to you."
Miss Milicenth true colors showed. "YOU MADE A DEAL WITH THE DARK UNDERWORLD, don't you know?".
"Know what?".
"Remember I did not ask you for a payment or any kind of price for the potion. I gave it to you FOR FREE."
"Because it was a kind gesture of yours I presume."
Miss Milicenth laughter darkened. "It wasn't really free my dear. In exchange for the deal, YOUR SOUL WILL BE TAKEN."
"My soul? Taken by whom?".
"By the dark power that resides in the potion."
Athena screamed in horror and faded from view. She was gone like a vapor.
Miss Milicenth gathered the ashes of Athena spread on the tiled floor and she deposited the fresh looking ashes into her new bottle of potion. In about an hour, she will have a new gullible customer.