Monkshood Tea

Chloe is sitting in Danny's Coffee Shop, watching CNN with the sound off and listening to Screamin' Jay Hawkins sing "I Put A Spell On You." It relaxes her.



"I want it played at my wedding," she says, squinting, when Denise makes a face and asks "What sort of twisted shit is that?"



CNN is reporting on an escaped female serial killer, at large for several months now. They show Chloe's picture.

"Gawd. I look like an Olsen twin."



Some kid comes in, with his thumbs in his belt loops and looking around as if he sees invisible hordes of paparazzi.

He once appeared on "American Idol."

"Lord above," says God the waitress, putting her fingers to her forehead and closing her eyes. "I hate when I get his table."



Chloe says, "Rest your dogs, baby. I've got this one."

God opens her eyes and looks over. "You've never waited a table in your life."

Chloe gives God one of those big-eyed, curl-lipped bite-me looks and and goes, "Well now I am."

God smiles and does a little head shake.

Chloe gets up.



Idol Boy gives her the once over. "Hi gorgeous. What you got that's any good?"

She gives him a smile that would turn a lemon diabetic, and purrs,

"Try the monkshood tea." She leans forward, lips parted, head tilted, eyes hooded. She even winks.

The little asshole orders it.



God's arms are folded and she is trying hard not to laugh when Chloe passes her and starts rooting around in her bag. She spreads some stuff out on the table.

"We don't carry anything called monkshood tea," chirps God.

"We do now," says Chloe, without looking up.

"What's in it?"

Larkspur seeds.

Holly berries.

Hogweed sap.

Dumbcane.

Nightshade.



Chloe brings Idol Boy his tea, then plasters a starstruck look across her face and watches.

He is in mid-boast when his expression changes and so does Chloe's.

His to confusion.

Hers to intense curiosity.



The Succubus puts down her book and calls over from her spot in the corner,

"A bag of Ghirardellis says he falls left when he goes."

Chloe murmurs, "You're on."

Her head tilts left as Idol Boy lists further and further to the right. Then he falls to the floor amid much flopping and flailing.

Chloe says smugly, "Pay up, woman."



Danny himself comes in the front door and sees the ex-celebrity dead as hell in his coffee shop.

"What are you girls doing?" He sounds as if he has been chain smoking for forty years. He has.

"Playinggggg," sing song Chloe and the Succubus like little girls.



No one else in the place has even noticed

They are all regulars.

None of them order the monkshood tea.

They know that when you come to Danny's

You order coffee.



CNN is reporting a rise in its popularity.

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