Theo gulped once again, maybe he could spend a whole day gulping because he was too scared to talk. Alice rolled her eyes, "Take it easy, I only told you that I am a Demon".
"Only, you said?!" shrieked Theo. He started screaming and stomping around the room. "You told me that you are a Demon. DEMON! DEVIL, NOT A LIBERTY STATUE!"
Alice frowned, "Of course I am not a Liberty Statue. I am not pale green and holding an ice cream cone like that crazy woman. What does this have to do with the Liberty Statue? Hey listen, I am only here to do business, okay? Ordinary people couldn"t get into my shop if they don"t really need me. Even if they really needed me, I could refuse to serve them. But I choose to listen to you, so you should be grateful".
"Grateful?!" Theo blurted out. "How should I be grateful when I was hooked by a demon?!"
Alice pouted, "Hey, I am here to help, you see!"
Theo took a step backward, eased his shaking and sat back. Theo gulped, "Really, really need you, what does that mean?"
Alice shrugged. "You are hopeless, and "He" hasn"t helped you yet", she pointed up, Alice smiled. "You said a prayer, didn"t you? I heard your calling".
Theo gulped. He fully understood now, what Alice wants. "Am I going to die after I tell you my wishes?" he asked.
Alice shook her head, "I told you, I don"t want to kill you. But you are right, there will be something that I will take from you. I"ll take your life… No, wait, I won"t kill you. Your desperate prayer called me and opened the way to my shop. When you walked pa.s.s the alley, without you knowing, you"ve made an agreement with me. The bigger the things that you wish, the stronger the bond gets between me and you. That means, the stronger my grip on your life, I can have your life much longer. But if you tricking me now, and buy something petty", Alice smiled, "You"ll come back to me. It is a certainty. And at the time, it will be much more expensive to pay for your wish. So, you better be honest to me and tell me your wish".
"Hey, what is it that you mean I made an agreement without knowing? It"s not fair! I need to know all the agreement that I made! So, the agreement is canceled!"
Alice sticking her tongue out, "I am a demon. I"ll do what I like. If you want fairness, you do business with G.o.d".
Theo frowned, "Do you know your sheep song? You said that I won"t get my main wish today because you"ve asked the sheep to not eat me?"
Alice wagged her hand, "Forget my saying. Maybe you can get it today, who knows. C"mon, c"mon, tell me what your wish is."
But of course Theo could not answer her. He does not know what does he wants. He got into the alley because of the rabbit, Reginald, asked Theo to follow him. He didn"t understand that he must buy something. Even more, it was not a fair exchange. Theo should pay for something he wants, by giving his live to Alice. This is not trading. This is blackmail.
"I don"t have money", Theo said, hoping to be released.
"You are not paying with money", replied Alice swiftly "I"ll decide your payment".
Theo sighed hopelessly. He wanted to go home, but he did not know what to say to this crazy girl. He did not want to exchange his life just like that, and he did not know what kind of prayer he had said to call the demon like this. Let alone, he is still very shocked…
Alice raised an eyebrow. "Alright," suddenly she said. She stood and walked to a big cabinet. Alice pushed the ladder, climbed up and took a little bottle containing some golden liquid.
"Here, this is for you", Alice thrown the bottle to Theo.
Theo lifted the bottle in front of his eyes. The golden fluid inside was radiating like street lights. It looks like there is a melting asterisk inside the bottle. And the golden fluid, somehow, made Theo feel a bit happier.
Alice smiled when she saw that Theo"s eyes glazed, looking into the bottle. "It"s free, don"t you worry. It contains some very special liquid. If you drink it, one wish will come true, but only a small wish. And you remember, I only give something for free, once. You can say it is an acquaintance gift". Alice ran to her desk, pulled a drawer and took out something. It was another hand bell, but this one has a white ribbon on it. She handed it out to Theo. "Take this bell with you. Ring it when you"ve used this golden liquid".
Alice walked backwards slowly, made a distance with the puzzled Theo, who stunned at the bottle and the white ribbon"s bell in his hand. Alice raised her hand, flicked her finger and the door was open. Theo held his breath.
Alice took the tip of her skirt and bowed. Behind her, the sunshine shone into the shop, looked like the morning sunray. But, stretched against the light direction, there was black giant shadow, shaped like big arms stretching along the wall. Alice"s bowing shadow, looked like a dark grip ready to rip out Theo"s soul and put it in the collection cabinet.
Alice raised her face. Her beautiful grey eyes, now turned golden with a wicked glaze. She smiled.
"See you on your next visit to our shop"
Theo woke up the next morning, not remembering how did he get back on his bed at home. His head was flashing about all the things that happened the day before. The secret way in a narrow alley, Reginald the talking rabbit, and… Alice.
At first Theo thought he was only dreaming, but he was wearing pajamas, he was sure Alice sent him home. He never sleeps on a pajamas with the b.u.t.ton a.s.sembled correctly. It seems it was not a trouble for the girl to send Theo back home. The Demon Girl, the shop owner who can make any wishes come true.
Theo jumped out of his bed, he found the clothes that he wore yesterday, they were neatly stacked up on the laundry basket. It was another prove that he was not back on his own. Then he found the last two things he wanted to find, a little bottle filled with golden liquid and a hand bell with a white ribbon on it.
His heart pounded fast, Theo let out a deep breath, sighing loudly feeling sad and scared. So, it was true, he did met a demon. Was he not praying too much? He does admit that he is too lazy to pray. But he met a demon, and made a promise to buy something from her.. he thought, it was way too outrageous.
He stared at the golden fluid bottle once again. Alice said that thing is going to make him succeed to do something. Doing what? It seems like he doesn"t have any important things to accomplish today.
Theo shrugged, put the bottle into his backpack and went to the bathroom, getting ready for school.