“Even in a world with arcane arts and what people consider to be “magic”, with some thinking its powerful enough to erase all our woes, we still have to bear the burdens of finances”
A young witch sits at her desk, staring at a spread of papers with an accounting book next to her. The line in the book has dropped significantly in the last couple days. A couple pages back, it was so high that the line was nearly off the page. But then patents were released for more powerful engines; they could operate machinery at a more efficient means. It puts a pinch on the working class, they work more while receiving less.
“You know why that is, right Bella?”
The witch looks up to the man sitting in the corner. He is staring at the outside, still with his arms crossed. The streets are starting to dim and the newly installed lamps are going to turn on and keep the city bright. Bella sets her pen on the desk, sits up, and walks next to him.
“Of course I know. Since they have better engines, they are trying their hand at pharmaceuticals. People are trusting things that people cram into a capsule, rather than a potion that is proven to work.”
“I was gonna say they have weak stomachs. These new ‘pills’ can be taken with water, without dampening its effects. Can’t do that with a potion, without altering its effects or making it taste rancid.”
Bella rolls her eyes at the man and looks outside as the streetlamps begin to flicker on. The light shines onto the road, which is now deserted. Its yellow glow reaches the street in defined circles, only for the next lamp to meet where one circle ends. From here, it looks like a chain reaction; just like they used to light up the streets. It only took one spark for the entire roads to burst with light, enough to see everything but enough to sleep with. But the mages, witches, and warlocks have all been pushed. The metalheads have taken their place. Very few stores that offer magic still stand.
“I think you should go home now, Marcus. No one else is coming tonight, and if they do. I can handle it myself.”
Marcus looks at Bella and rubs his chin.
“You sure about that Bella? I can stay here and keep you company if you want. Clock out early and chew the fat with you.”
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Bella shakes her head
“No. You should go back home to your mom. She would want to see you home and safe. Spend time with her.”
“But-”
Bella cuts her sub-ordinate off. She looks him dead in the eye, her blue eyes piercing through the darkness
“I can afford to send you home Marcus. Please. I will be fine by myself.”
Marcus concedes and grabs his coat from the chair he sits on. He stands up and moves to the time clock, the only form of machinery that Bella allows in her store, mostly because it's required to operate a business here. He threads his time card into the machine, pulls the lever, and leaves it in the sleeve in front of the clock. He turns to Bella, one last time.
“Do you think we’ll be able to come back from this? Is the pressure too much for us?”
“My ancestors survived a spell that annihilated the continent. Financial woes will not be the end of me or my practice for arcane arts”
Bella pats Marcus' shoulder and opens the door for him. He affixes his hat to his head and walks out the door. Bella closes the door behind him and looks to the interior of her shop. The shelves of glass bottles and lists of potions with their side effects look so desolate. The giant vat in the center has tarnished and is beginning to get corroded spots on its side. Bella sighs, she didn’t get a chance to set it up once today. There was no point, no need to make new stock. She looks at the door once more, seeing if Marcus has left the main road. The roads seem empty, except for the occasional trolley going down the center of the road. Bella grabs the sign hanging in the window and flips it to say “Closed”.
As she retreats to her house upstairs, Bella feels a tinge of regret having closed her shop early. She knows this is just a way to justify that things can get better. The optimist in her head tells her that if she works hard, she can make a life for her in this city. She could make it work, but she knows she can’t. The deck is stacked against her. It's a miracle she wasn’t kicked out already.
She opens the door to her bedroom and takes another look outside her window as she changes to her night clothes. She looks beyond the city to the sky. She remembered when she could see the stars and the stars could shine back to her. Each star would look beautiful in their own way and could guide someone on their path. The pollution of the machinery has crowded out the sky and it looks like just an empty void. In this city, there is nothing in the sky that can give you a path to happiness.
