normal is overrated

[DIANA EVELYN AMBROSE]

Sometimes she wished she could wake up and tell someone she was having a "good day" because "good day" was code for "normal". Normal was apparently not in her cards however because between her coven, Ricky's...questionable behavior and the tourist population, it was predetermined that her day would never be "good" in the normal sense. Today, or rather tonight found her sitting on the stool behind the counter reading a first edition of an Agatha Christie novel that she had found next door. She was poised like an anti-social bird of prey, quick grey eyes scanning the page before pale fingers turned the page.

An outsider looking in might ponder her position on the stool, perched so gracefully in clothes that were far too odd for a young woman of her supposed age. Legs encased in wide legged, black slacks ending in ankle high Victorian button boots. A white oxford with an obnoxiously ruffled collar was tucked into them and accented with a deep forest green vest. Due to the heat of the day her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, adding an odd sense of casual elegance. At her throat, just above the ruffles was a large, opal brooch. She'd bought the item after it was sent to her by a client. As she had touched it she had not only seen the rather mundane history of the piece but also herself wearing it several times. Determining that she was destined to have the piece she had offered a tidy sum for the item and purchased it. It was now one of her favorite pieces of jewelry.

It made her sad sometimes when she thought about parting with it because after touching the opal one day she knew that someone would come in for it. It would be their wand. That was the problem sometimes with her ability, she knew it would happen one day but she wasn't sure when. It happened often. Things sometimes came out all at once, other times in fits and starts. Still, she enjoyed it while she could and wore it all the time. She'd been asked to sell it, donate it and, for one very unlucky thug, "give it up". She'd have to find another brooch to wear at her throat when this one went away.

She continued to read with an unchangeable expression, one of the things that was truly horrific about one's powers was knowing the endings of books occasionally unless precautions are taken. She heard the doorbell ring as someone entered and refused to look up. "Welcome to The Crypt, don't touch anything, if you need anything ask me for help." she drawled. Not exactly the best way to greet customers but apparently it was expected when you owned a place called The Crypt. No one had yelled at her for awhile about it at least.

[CAMERON JEANE LEXINGTON]

So to say the least this little town of mercy was odd. It was hard to get used to in some respects and Cameron didn't exactly get it all. Why this no-person place for the setting of a book let alone a movie. Sure there were a lot of tourists, crazy rabid fan girls in Cameron's opinion. One of them did catch him and wig out knowing he was pegged for the lead in the movie. Of course Cameron dubbed on a gracious smile signed a few things and snapped a picture or two before jamming his knit cap further down his head. He also kept his head down so as not to be notices as much with hand in pockets as he walked. Did his future hold a lot of the massive stardom? Parts of him wanted it and other parts weren't so sure. There were times where he just wanted to be on his own and not be noticed or seen, just blend in. It was an almost odd duality in him, yet the fight for stardom always seemed to win out because parts of Cameron wanted to live forever and becoming a star ensured that. He didn't want to be a forgotten nobody which he kids movie was aiming him for. They remembered the kid not him and that was not what he wanted, that was not immortality that was just a painful memory that would eventually be forgotten. Kids movies always wound up forgotten, or the actors did at least.

Thoughts seemed to bounce around Cameron's head as his feet seemed to lead the way to no where in particular around the town. It was odd how night life seemed more active than day life, which was fine considering Cameron was till on California time. There wasn't a huge difference but it was enough, and he liked the night better, the sun was not always comfortable with it's heat and all. It was just unfortunate that there was that curfew, Cameron didn't quite understand that one really, how did business that only opened late in the evening ever survive with such short business hours? Also who only ran business in the evenings. Apparently the crazy people of Mercy, and if he was to get to know the town he might as well stop in one of the shops and his first shop of choice due to it's just being there was The Crypt. It looked like an antique store of sorts. Not that there was anything Cameron was looking to buy. Really what would a store like that have for him?

Upon entering the store Cameron was surprised to be addressed in some way, though it wasn't how he would expect to be greeted. Don't touch anything? Did he just enter a museum rather than a store. "Really? How do you expect to sell me something if I can't pick it up and look at it?" He couldn't help but challenge the young woman. It was hard to peg her age but she wasn't that old at least not from what he could tell. Not trying to hide poor products by being the only one who handles them till after purchase? All sales final or something?" So Cameron was being a bit rude but it was just a matter of a joke at the same time he really didn't mean it. He just had to challenge things because it was bizarre rule 'don't touch anything'. If he was in a museum fine but this was a shop people picked up and touched things all the time.

[DIANA EVELYN AMBROSE]

[/color] she said without looking up from her book. "Also, as a general rule I don't trust people with my merchandise. Surprisingly I do great business despite my odd rule. Most people can appreciate the need to look with their eyes and not their hands." at this point she slowly lowered her book and pinned him with an icy glare. She studied him for a moment, ah, so he was finally here. Slipping off her stool she took herself leisurely over to a cabinet where was housed some smaller items she kept locked up waiting for their owners to come and claim them. Out from a pocket within her vest she withdrew an old key. She paused then, waited for a moment and then withdrew a man's pocket watch from the outside pocket of her vest and examined the time. Ah yes it was time wasn't it?

She inserted the key into the lock and turned it briskly withdrawing a cigarette case and a lighter. "Come to the counter." she ordered as she shut and locked the cabinet again, tucking the key back into the inside pocket. She went back behind the counter and laid out the cigarette case and the lighter. She had seen him coming into her store when she had bought the case and the lighter. They were a set from a time after she was born, the year that Ricky had come to be in her care. When she had bought them she had almost sold them several times until one day she touched it and saw the man before her. Since then she had kept it locked away with other choice pieces, things that irritated or confused her, things that scared her and what they might become…things that were waiting to be picked up. The crazy thing about destiny, about the future was that it was constantly changing. Things that had futures suddenly did not, or they had changed. It got tiresome trying to sort it all out in her head. She operated under the function of doing the best she could and being responsible not only to her business but her customers as well.

“I think you might like these.” She started briskly in a tone that was not meant to be argued with. “This is another reason I don’t allow people to touch anything…” here she assumed the part of spooky shop owner. “Because I know exactly what the customer needs before they even ask me.” She smirked at him in a superior way as she sat with her back straight examining him again. He looked like a veritable bum in the outfit he was wearing. For the life of her she couldn’t understand the young set these days all they did was confuse her. Sometimes she wished she could touch them and figure them out. [/ul]

[CAMERON JEANE LEXINGTON]

This woman was certainly anal to say the least. "I'm not going to break anything, and if I do I'll pay for it." Cameron gave a shrug and was very tempted like a child to just move around the store going Touch, touch, touch, touch, putting his hands on anything and everything. It would ensure his eviction from the premises. Despite his childish instincts he resisted the urge to provoke this woman because one he wasn't quite that immature and two she didn't quite seem like someone he truly wanted to mess with.

When the woman commanded him to come to the counter Cameron gave her an 'are you crazy' look because honestly what in the world would possess him to want to come to the counter? But he obliged as the woman stated that he might like something of hers. He doubted it. She was probably trying to push a slow moving object or something on him but he moved toward the counter despite himself dominated by a daunting curiosity that just seemed to draw him to the glass.

It was odd but the instant he saw what she had he was intrigued. A cigarette case. It reminded him of an old movie he saw when he was a kid. He practically idolized the actor and it was what made him want to be an actor. Said actor in the movie carried around a cigarette case. In a way it was why Cameron picked up smoking to be just like the actor though there were more reasons than simply just that, rebellion, peer-pressure, and the simple fact that they made a person look older. How much had he wanted to abandon those childhood years that were marked by that horrific film though it seemed almost to be a family classic Cameron hated it. It was a mark against him and his future desires.

Forcing a frown on his face Cameron glanced away from the case and lighter to look at something else. "Not quite as interested as you might think," he lied forcing his eyes to peer at other objects in the glass case. "Besides how do I know you are selling me something that works? I can't touch it can I now?" he added with a cheeky tone a simpering smile on his face as he looked the girl in the face.