NIGHTS OF HALLOW

After eating breakfast, the siblings parted ways and headed to their different places of work. Perdita hummed a song to herself as she walked to the market.

On the way, she received so many looks. Bowing and greeting everyone she came across and sometimes smiling at the older men and women, she walked past the ogling gazes of the young men. Even the elders couldn’t keep their eyes to themselves. It was as if Perdita had become beautiful more than she was. Her green eyes sparkled with light and her white skin shone under the morning sun.

The ladies were not left out in the staring feast going on. The jealous ones envied the beauty of Perdita and they felt their heart prick at the attention she was receiving.

Perdita on the other hand was oblivious to what was going on. She was used to the attention she got, so it didn’t bother her if people stared at her from morning to evening. She was just happy today. Maybe it was the wind of the festive season that was blowing that blew her problems away. Anything it was, she was happy and her heart felt lighter because she and Marco had resolved their issues.

Entering the market, she received more looks from the villagers among whom was Mrs. Perkin who rushed to greet her.

”Perdita!” Mrs. Perkin shouted from where she was before running to meet the startled lady.

”Mrs. Perkin!” Perdita bowed in greeting to the older woman.

”Aye, child. How are you doing? Isn’t today lovely?” Mrs. Perkin quizzed in her overly excited voice.

Perdita offered the woman a kind smile ”I’m doing great, Mrs. Perkin. And yes, today is so lovely” Perdita’s words sounded like honey in the ears of Mrs. Perkin. She enthusiastically beamed with all smiles.

”Of course, it is! I knew you would agree with me on that”

Perdita kept the smile on her face and wondered if this woman had nothing to do this morning. And wasn’t she behaving as if nothing happened at all? Did she forget the humiliation she received yesterday from the villagers and also those she called her friends? And now, she had gone back to gossip with them. What a ridiculous woman. Or should she call her stupid?

And also, has she forgotten her husband is still missing? Perdita questioned in her mind while looking at the woman who had been rapidly moving her lips as incoherent words left her mouth which she didn’t pay attention to.

Suddenly Mrs. Perkin grabbed Perdita’s hand startling her more. ”I want to tell you how grateful I am for helping me yesterday. If not for you, I...I d...didn’t know what would have become of me. I...I could have died in that cell. That place was so dirty and stinking. I couldn’t stand the strong stench that was wafting from those brown irons. And...and the almost dead bodies I saw. O...”

”Yes, yes, Mrs. Perkin. You’re free now.” Perdita interrupted the woman before she could go on listing everything she saw in the cell she was put into. It seemed she was more concerned about the environment she was in than thinking of how to leave that place. Thought Perdita to herself.

”Yes, I am free! How happy I am!” Mrs. Perkin exclaimed in joy before her face fell ”It is now my h...husband” Her voice broke in the end. She brought out her old white handkerchief that had brown patches everywhere to wipe her face and also blow her nose.

”Of course, it will be about your stupid husband” Perdita mumbled under her breath which the older woman did not hear.

”What did you say?” Mrs. Perkin stopped blowing her nose and looked at Perdita with questioning eyes.

”Ahm...” Perdita coughed ”I was saying your husband might have gotten lost somewhere, Mrs. Perkin. Don’t worry too much. He will come back” But not any time soon. Perdita added in her mind.

”Are you sure? Maybe I should look for him!” Mrs. Perkin grabbed Perdita’s hand again. The mucus in hand she blew from her nose smeared on Perdita’s hand.

Oh God! Can this get any better?! Perdita screamed in her mind while subtly trying to remove her hand from Mrs. Perkin’s grip.

”I think you should start now and look for him, Mrs. Perkin” Perdita urged the older woman so she would leave her alone. Why was she discussing her husband with her? Asked Perdita to herself. It made her wonder what she will do if she got to know that she was responsible for her missing husband.

Of course, she knew what would happen. Mrs. Perkin will not only be holding her hand now but her neck demanding where she kept her husband which she herself didn’t even know.

”Yes, I will. But I need someone to help me. Will you help me?” Mrs. Perkin questioned with hope in her eyes. She believed since Perdita helped her, she would agree to her request. She was her benefactor now. What Mrs. Perkin didn’t know was, she was asking the kidnapper about the kidnapped.

”Oh no, Mrs. Perkin. I have my stall to attend to. And speaking of which, I’m late to start baking. If you could excuse me” Perdita hurriedly said wanting to escape. Why would she go looking for something she knew how it got lost?

”That’s true,” Mrs. Perkin said and held a disappointed look. ”Maybe we can go look for him in the evening! I need to leave you to work. See you then” Mrs. Perkin said and immediately walked away to look for her husband.

”M...Mrs. Perkin!” Perdita called but the woman was long gone to hear her name. Oh my God! What was she going to do? Perdita cried in her head.

Seconds turned to minutes and minutes to hours and before everyone knew it, it was already evening. The weather and temperature were also rapidly dropping as the clouds began to darken.

A gentle breeze began to blow all over the kingdom as it prepared for the snow that would fall anything time soon.

”Mrs. Perkin, I don’t think we will find your husband here” Perdita spoke to the woman who was busy walking around the forest saying she was looking for her husband. For Christ’s sake! Who looks for someone by walking in circles?!

”You think so? Mrs. Perkin was quick to stand beside Perdita when she heard what she said.

The chirping of the birds and the sound of the small animals running around the forest filled the forest as the wind accompanied them with its sizzling sound.

”Yes! In fact, I feel this forest is looking eerie. I heard vampires...” Perdita paused and looked around the forest as if something will appear from somewhere and attack them. At the same time, an owl howled in the distance. Its howls echoed across the forest.

Perdita continued to say ”...I heard vampires come here often. I also heard how they ki...” She couldn’t finish her words and she saw the woman running out of the forest.

”That was fast,” Perdita said to herself with a laugh. She had failed to escape the woman who was quick to appear at her stall this evening. Why not create fear in her? It would be entertaining! There’s no harm in having fun. Is there?