The Shallot

Observe the house, it reveals the occupants.

Three walls were lined with shelves. The east wall held jars of teas and herbs, the door went to an enclosed garden of mint and shade tolerant plants, a table, a chair and a fountain. It wrapped around to the front of The Shallot like a sheath of onion. On the south side of the veranda: sun and more sun, a screened in porch with hooks for whatever needed to dry, in one corner a string of hot peppers; orange, yellow and red cherry tomatoes were drying under screens. A door went back into the hut: an oak table sitting to one side, four folding tables and more chairs stored along the west wall.

Czeszniak came in through the north, grabbed a chair. Knyflok followed soon after, went to the electric kettle, filled it up with water from a jug, plugged it in. "I'll have to fill jugs again for tomorrow."

Bawang came in the west door. "It's cooling down outside. Time to catch a breeze and air this place out." She went to the east door and propped it open too.

"Looks like the hummingbird's been at the feeder."

"Hot water's on."

Lark trudged in the west door with a pail of greens. "Not much to pick but I cleaned out the purslane. Bunny will want some to dribble with bacon grease." She went to a shelf. "I need some coffee."

"Tea would be better," Thoom said as she carried in a tray of tomatoes and a couple of peppers. "Old Sniffer wants a colorful, flavorful fragrant mixture he said. Now to find my basil."

"Which one will you choose," Kynyflok asked.

"Well a mixture of royal purple, sweet and cinnamon should do." She went out into her herb garden. "Time to bring by some more food for our hummer too? Who wants to chop?"

"I will," said Knyflok.

Czeszniak just sat there as solid as stone. "What's the matter?" Bawang said as she brought him a cup. "Better fess up or Thoom will be mixing up herbs for a potion while Brett measures a coffin."

At that, Czeszniak laughed a weak laugh. "No we wouldn't want to bother Thoom or give any hope to Brett that he's got something to do."

After a few moments, Thoom got up and went over to Czeszniak, gently touched one finger to his wrist and one to his temple.

"Oh... it won't be a bother."

"What's wrong?"

"It's that time of the month."

Bawang spilled her tea and Knyflok nearly cut himself.

"That. time. of. the. month." Lark said making each word perfectly clear.

"Yep."

Thoom looked at Lark and shrugged. "He has a normal temp and a pulse. I swear he's still breathing."

Ajo and Shoom rang out in laughter as they danced through the north door. "We're here, they sang gayly."

When no one responded, Ajo and Shoom looked around at the solemn faces. "Who died?"

"Czeszniak did." Bawang pointed out.

"No. I'm just... It's that time of the month."

"Oh," said Ajo, "well that can be cured. Did you ask Lark?"

Now all eyes turned on Ajo. "What?"

"They don't know," Czeszniak answered.

"We've hung around for almost a century." Bawang had deepened her voice. "What. don't. we. know."

Shoom looked puzzled. "You've been here only months," she said to Ajo.

Czeszniak cut her off. "Ajo knows because he asked. You don't know because I didn't know how to tell you, and around here it's so hard to keep a secret unless nobody knows or suspects."

"I'm sorry." Ajo frowned.

"No, it's time that they know, wouldn't have told you if I didn't want them to know. It's silly you see..." he began as Lily barged in the north door.

"Came for the purslane you picked for Bunny. Boy you all look like somebody died." When no one said a word. "Who died?"

"Czeszniak." Knyflok and Lark answered at the same time.

"Oh, he looks fine to me; color's off just a smidgen. Well, Thoom can handle that. If I don't get this pail to Bunny, I'll be dead." And off Lily went.

"You were saying..." Knyflok started as the kettle whistled and Lark grabbed a mitt. Just then a gust of wind slammed the doors shut. We saw a flash.

"Just what we need," stated Lark as everyone went to to close windows and doors.

"Now... So I was saying... " —another flash of lightning and a thunder clap — ...fourteen."

"What was that again?"

"I'm afraid of the number 14."

"What do you mean?"

"That's a phobia we've never heard from a vamp."

"Yeah. Why do you think I've kept it to myself. I have fangs! Afraid of a number? It made no sense for years until Ajo asked me some questions. You know we know each other so well for so long we never ask questions. We just assume."

Thoom nodded her head. Knyflok too.

"We know we know or so we think," Czeszniak continued. "Well on the 14th I just have a few bad moments. When Ajo asked me about the bad times in my life, I had to think. Oddly many of the answers included the number 14. Ajo even had to point that out it out to me. At least now I have clue why."

"So tomorrow we need to be concerned?"

"Hell, no." Czeszniak almost laughed. "I'm not due for another tragedy on the 14th for another few years. I just have to remember that tomorrow is all."

Another clap of thunder and it began to pour.

"Good for the garden," Thoom exclaimed, "means I don't have to water the herbs."

"So what are we planning for the New Moon," Czeszniak asked.

"Well..." began Bawang.

By midnight the rain had stopped and everyone walked home by starlight.

"We should get a skylight for the old Shallot," Shoom said.

"They leak," Lark replied.

"No worse than what blew in the west door," Bawang bantered.

"They let in light and we could work better on starlit nights without candles," Knyflok said.

"Trying to save money." Lark sighed.

There never was much money, just enough to keep the place from becoming a burden.

"I have a better idea," Ajo said. "Just add a greenhouse onto the west wall. We can sit out there and it provides a double door to block the wind."

Knyflok and Bawang nodded and Thoom concurred. Czeszniak murmured, "sometimes it takes someone who doesn't know us to come up with a solution around here."

~1088 words