Prompt 4: Potion Brewing Session

The streets just as empty as it always is as they walk past, the difference is however, that it’s the first time Binx is walking past it alone. They’re normally not allowed to the shops alone, they’re old enough that they should be, but their dad is now immune to the puppy eyes and knows what they’re like trying to everything and anything that takes their fancy.
However, Jack’s too busy today, having to cover a shift at the haunt or something (Binx’s eyes roll) he’s always as the haunt. It would be different if Binx was allowed to go, they’d love to be part of the act, but apparently, they are too young for that and it would be considered child labour and illegal. Binx doesn’t understand why that would be. Even if they wanted to be there?

Wondering down into the street, Binx tries to keep their eyes forwards, as to not get distracted by the other stores, they promised dad. Then their eyes wonder. That interesting looking little shop, bottles and potions line the walls and window, just a little peak into the window couldn’t be too bad, could it?
They skip over to the window to look inside, it seems almost abandoned, with bubbling vials of different colours on the table as well as what looks like some sort of coloured goop. Ghost tries the door, and it swings open with a light chime, followed by the creak of old wood shifting. The building is surprisingly nice and rather cosy as they actually enter, it smells nice, almost sweet but with a slight catch of burnt wood in the back. Binx did think someone would come running when hearing the door chime, they have noted there is at least two workers here, but here’s Binx in the room and there’s still no sign of anyone else.
Their curiosity gets the better of them and they head towards the counter, where the half-made potions are sat, simmering along and the ingredients sat on pieces of parchment along the side. They can’t help but dip the tip of their pinky finger in some of the goop, it’s a teal colour and feels just a bit like gel food dye, the finger goes in their mouth. Blegh, tastes a bit like gel food dye. As they remove their finger from their mouth they sigh, of course it stained. Ghosts tail wags slightly as they just then stand, there for a minute,
“Hello?? Is anyone here, I want to look at your potions?” They call out, and there’s nothing in response par from a slight gust of air. Maybe they’re out? But surly if they were out, they’d lock up their shop?

Binx shifts on their feet and turns to leave before then freezing. Maybe they could try to make their own potion, it couldn’t be that hard to do, could it? Then they can leave the amount they think it should be behind and they can surprise dad with another potion, he so loves his current one and how that works with his job!
Yeah.
They turn back around and head back over to the counter, there’s still no sign of anyone and if someone does turn up well, they’re sure they could explain their way out of it.
Binx bounces up at the counter, looking over all the ingredients and what they could be for, as well as what their dad could possibly like. He can already do some pretty funky smoke, thingy (If Binx is honest they don’t really know how it works, other then it look pretty epic if you ask them) so, what would go well with that. Ooooh, maybe something like lightning, their tail starts wagging happily until they panic and pause it as some of the glass bottles behind them rattle. They don’t want to break anything, they don’t even know what that could do, so back to the task at hand.
What ingredients could symbolise lightening? Binx does know they want to make it teal, remind him of them, but how to move that gel food dye stuff into the bottle without staining all of Binx’s hand. That reminds them, they pull their thumb out of their sleeves and shove them up, they’d cry if they ruined the jumper. Looking closer at the table, they then spot a little metal spoon, that seems to be the most sensible implement to use. No idea how much, if this is anything like baking a cake, less is more, so Binx scoops up a tiny bit of the teal gel and spoons it into the vile that seems to be the potion start. Does it need a shake? Hmm, maybe stir it with the spoon. Binx carefully reinserts the spoon, like just adding it may make it explode, and gives it a slow but steady stir, their eyes widen as they watch the colour change and shift to be spread out equally among the liquid. While they stir, Binx lets their thoughts wonder back to the ingredients, now which one of those could mean lightening, or is it just going to be the best idea to guess?
Just as Binx decides on what ingredient to choose, they guess they hit the side of the vial too much or too hard and it shatters. With a shriek they flee backwards, only stopping themself just before they hit the wall of potions behind them. They glance around slightly panicked, but there’s still no sign of the shop owners>
“Oh dear, I’m sorry, I uhhh…” Binx’s hand dives into their bag and rummages around for their wallet, pulling it out they grab a note and plonk it on one of the dry bits of table. They can’t see anything to clear up, so they guess they’re just going to have to leave the mess here.
“I’m so sorry, if you can hear me.” They call out sheepishly and then scamper out of the store. The chime going off again as they leave, Binx then remembers their wallet is still in their hand and as they go to put it back in their bag they feel something cold and clearly glass. Lifting it up slightly Binx is shocked to see a potion, they squint at the label on it, it’s a teal lightening potion, just like they wanted. Confused they glance back at the store, just how they left it, still no sign of other people in there. Binx slides their things back into their bag.
Uh?
Maybe this is a mystery to unravel some other time.