All the tears that she had shed seemed to have congealed into the multi-faceted crystal in her hand. Anya looked at the witch and asked, "So, this will change my luck?"
The witch was unsuccessfully trying to remove an errant grey strand that was swinging between her sallow cheeks. She proceeded to solve the problem by getting a pair of scissors and cutting the offensive hair.
Anya swallowed.
"Erm, are you okay?"
"Yes, yes. My hair will grow back soon. Now, remember the payment."
Anya nodded.
"It is not as easy as you think. When I tell people that my payment for a month's good luck is them laughing at my jokes, most don't take it seriously. Hahaha." The witch put a hand in front of her mouth and tittered.
Anya felt a tug in her hand where the crystal lay, and she started laughing.
"Good, good. Although you need to be more natural when my grandchildren are around. Remember to come by tomorrow at 4 for Molly's tea party. Now, have a tea-rrific day."
Anya stepped out and wondered if the price she was paying for some good luck was too steep. Then she groaned inward as she realised that bad puns were contagious.
Yesterday had been the worst day she had had in her thirty years of existence. It started with her cat being lost in the morning, then finding that her car had abandoned all pretence of locomotion and had booked a ticket to the junkyard. As she was frantically looking for her cat, she came across her math teacher. As her bad luck would have it, the math teacher wanted to engage her in conversation and scold her about unfinished homework from twenty years ago. As she escaped the math teacher's clutches, she ran smack dab into her ex-boyfriend, who was happily swinging hands with her ex-best friend. As she sidestepped the couple, she promptly ran into a tree, and when she turned around, rubbing her forehead, a drone decided to literally add insult to injury. This was followed by a caustic tirade by the drone's 5-year-old owner.
She sat down on the nearest bench with her forehead in her hands and heard "psst."
Anya did not raise her head.
"Psst. I'm not selling you anything or being shady. Well, I am actually, but you'll like it."
Anya buried her entire head in her arms.
Ah, I'm explaining myself badly. You see, I sell good luck. I think you could do with some."
Anya finally raised her head.
"Great, thank you for being the cherry on top of the mudslide cake that was my day. All I needed was a ponzi scheme."
"No, no, no. I won't take your money. I will give you one month's good luck in exchange for, er, laughing at my jokes."
Anya jumped and started running, only to be run over by a kid on a bike.
She was helped up by the witch, who said.
Really, child, what do you have to lose?"
So, that is how Anya ended up at the witch's house with a beautiful, shiny crystal.
With the crystal clenched firmly in her hand, the first thing Anya did was look for her cat. She felt a sense of purpose as she walked towards the local park. There, perched on the first bench, was her cat.
As she was leaving the park, she came across her math teacher again, but the latter seemed to be squinting and looking for her spectacles. Anya moved forward and grinned at the crystal as she observed the five-year-old boy receiving a severe reprimand from his mother.
A voice behind her said. " I am so glad that little weasel is getting punished."
Anya turned around to see a handsome man smiling at her. They got into conversation, and as they walked towards the park gate, Anya clutched the crystal and promised herself to practise fake laughter and never let that crystal go.
