Across town, the mall had shut for the night, the only people left were a couple of disinterested security guards lounging around infront of their bank of neglected monitors.
It wasn't a particularly interesting mall, or at least not very interesting to Jon or Karyn. The unusual shops, Stargazey Comics, Tagalog Records and all the other independent stores, had long since failed in the face of bigger glitzier and inevitably, blander competition. ' The mall had become a hunting ground for the shallow and unimaginative, but tonight all that was set to change.
Tonight the mall became a little more interesting. The security guards didn't notice - they were too busy talking girls and football, but at 11 minutes past 11 precisely the mall changed forever. Duvalliers hattery (keep aHead of the game!) and Barkers the Bakers (best steak pies in town!) suddenly seemed to shuffle in opposite directions leaving a gap between them that seemed to stretch backwards forever, but at the same time, there seemed to be something indefineably huge and shadowy lurking there.'
With a shuddering groan ' whatever it was seemed to twist partialy into focus, one moment there was nothingness, the next an indistinct, yet recognisable, old fashioned shopfront swelled to fill the gap and settled itself creakily, before sharpening completely into reality with something reminiscent of an exhalation of musty breath.
The shop had a Dickensian apearance, two large windows framed the doorway, each consisting of many hand sized panes of thick glass. In patches, the thick black paint had cracked and flaked away, revealing the multicoloured edges of years of redecoration and the ancient grey wood construction of the shop front beneath.
Although it was dark within the shop itself, the windows seemed crammed with the oddest assortment of goods imaginable. Cheap bead necklaces were hung around the marble bust of a woman with what appeared to be branches instead of hair, while a vastly more expensive diamond encrusted crown perched crookedly on top of it's head.
A tall stack of books seemed to be jumbled together haphazardly, dusty ancient leather bound volumes were mixed in with childrens annuals and housekeeping journals. ' No rhyme or reason seemed to govern the display - everywhere the eye looked there was something piled atop something else, the cheap and tatty sat easily alongside the astronomically expensive...here, a scarily lifelike plastic shop dummy dressed in a gown that would have made a princess jealous, there, an intricately carved wooden dollhouse, like a miniturized slice of 1950's suburbia, all white painted wood and picket fence. ' In the gloom behind the jumble of merchandise, vague shapes hinted at an even larger assortment of miscellany.'
Above the door the name of the shop shone in fresh golden swirling letters.'
From several realities away, Loda's Majorum of Mysteries had scented the many coloured aromas of fresh, wild and extraordinarily powerful magics being used in this town, and been drawn inexorably through the dimensional veils to this time and place and add it to it's vast collection.
Deep within the shop, between a display of fine porcelain masks and an ancient oak wardrobe lay the shop counter. Suspended in the air above it, a brightly coloured peacock feather quill was scratching away at a sheet of yellow paper in the same swirling handwriting that decorated the sign outside.
*Loda's Majorum of Mysteries!
Greetings magic user! You are cordially invited to the grand opening of Loda's Majorum of Mysteries, the magical worlds premier retailer of enchanted paraphernalia! ' Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!
Best prices both asked and given!
This flyer entitles the bearer to 10% discount.*
With a final flourish, the quill executed a lazy somersault in the air and settled ' into a small animal skull shaped vase next to an honesty box. ' The newly enscribed paper seemed to shudder on the desk as if a strong breeze was blowing through the dusty old shop and then it lifted into the air folded in on on itself and was gone.
