Despite Mary’s best attempt at politely slipping away, Judith still insisted on showing her the way. Eyes widening with shock, she recoiled. Her frantic hands flailed like they were trying to deflect the whole idea. “Oh, uhm, erm... I...” Yet she simply couldn’t find the words to gently reject the kindness. So without further protests the odd duo returned to the rainy streets. It felt like the sky itself was crying.

For the whole walk, the ghoulish woman tried to figure out an excuse to hurry away. She dreaded to think what the motherly mage would say when she found out the ugly truth... Unfortunately she ran out of time. All too soon they arrived to a grim sight. The shabby apartment building looked like something out of a horror story, seemingly abandoned and on the verge of collapsing. Rain dripped inside from the holes in the ceiling. Wind howled through the broken windows. Angry rats scurried across the floor. The entire time there was this unsettling feeling of being watched... But the rent was very cheap.

As soon as the two mages parted ways, the spooky specter hurried into her tiny apartment and locked the door behind her. A crimson blush burned on her cheeks. Visiting such a nice home had made the massive gap between them painfully clear. Would she even dare to show her face in the guild anymore? She doubted it... With a hollow sigh, she left the small care package to the only table in her home and collapsed into bed. Socializing was exhausting... Even when it was someone so kind... Closing her eyes, she drifted into dreamless sleep.

The next morning, Mary found another gift. Sort of. The three bowls were a mystery. Still, following the instructions was the least she could do to repay the kind gesture. She started with the one labeled simply ‘Anders’. A single spoonful brought back a rush of memories. And saltiness. Lots and lots of salt. It tasted a whole lot like her usual cooking. After finishing the bowl, her tongue even had that numb tingle that usually followed her meals. It felt very familiar. While the first bowl had left her full, she still tried tasting the two others. In the end... she just couldn’t tell the difference. Everything tasted like salt by now... W-what would she even tell the seasoned chef?

For the next few days, the nervous wreck desperately avoided the guild building and the kind old woman. Shame and fear burned in her soul. Fortunately, she would get over it... Eventually. Perhaps the positive influence had some effect after all. The wise, old woman and the skittish specter would run into each other again. But that’s a story for another time.

{Exit}