There are a thousand monsters humans have forgotten. Beasts that once tore into the night, leaving rivulets of blood. Ethereal spirits shimmered like moonlight above ponds and lakes. Monsters that love being forgotten.
Outside the shop, insects buzzed around the street lights. A crush of humans bustled outside the restaurants and shops, many in cheap costumes.
"Is this normal? I thought Australia hated Halloween! I always go and celebrate in New Orleans," Azoom remarked, glancing around.
"It's been like this for the past couple of decades! The younger generations got sick of missing out on bags of lollies," Henrietta said as a witch brushed past her.
Sometimes nosy humans would wonder how Cranky Sam's managed to stay in business. Other shops had vanished and died over the decades. Their stores were now currency exchange places. Bookshops now sold bubble tea. Of course, most people didn't know that Li Han also owned three of the fancy houses down the street and the abandoned church. Humans also didn't know the majority of Li Han's business dealt with grey market fairy items.
"You know he didn't actually tell me why he's immortal," Azoom remarked as Henrietta began to walk down the path toward the church. "He wouldn't have told you the truth. Daddy always lies to strangers," Henrietta said as she reached the church's rusty iron gates.
"He's never even been to England, let alone London."
"So, will you tell me then?" Azoom asked playfully, and Henrietta studied the Jinn for a brief second. It was uncanny how much his appearance tricked her brain. Despite the blue skin, white hair, and long claws, her eyes kept telling her that she was looking at a handsome teenage boy. A boy who could have starred in a comedy movie with makeover montages and a big dance finale. "No," she replied crisply, deliberately looking away.
"Let's hurry up, I need my exam done! I have plans." The reason behind Li Han's immortality was rather simple. When her mother abandoned Henrietta, she had enough common sense to appoint Li Han as her guardian. As long as Henrietta lived, Li Han would live as well.
"It would be quicker if I, well, you know… whooshed us away," Azoom said, waving an arm toward a sand-filled flower bed.
"No, it won't! Most of my family live in the same neighborhood, and my cousin lives up there," Henrietta said, gesturing to a giant tree creaking above the church. The Moreton Bay fig tree had taken over the entire church's garden like an eldritch octopus god. Its tentacle roots choked the earth, while its shadowy branches drowned any grass or flowers that tried to grow.
Over a century ago, Aunt Grian came to visit from Ireland and dropped a seed in between the branches of a wattle tree outside the church. Auntie Grian looked almost exactly like Henrietta's mother, the only difference being her hair was as white as the winter moon.
"It will sprout roots that will descend and strangle the weaker tree to survive! Like a true warrior. Isn't the darkness beautiful?" Aunt Grian had said to little Henrietta, who had been trying to play with her wax doll in the garden and merely shrugged with boredom. Aunt Grian, Goddess of winter and death, had always had a morbid sense of humor.
"I can think of no better home for my son, your future husband," she whispered, and Henrietta raised an eyebrow. Henrietta at that point was sixty human years old but still had the mind and body of a six-year-old.
"I'm not marrying anyone, I'm going to be a tooth fairy enforcer when I grow up," Henrietta said.
"A tooth fairy enforcer? Really?" Her aunt scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I like climbing things and I like playing with human children at the park," Henrietta replied, and her aunt rolled her eyes. "All fairy queens need a consort, my dear," she merely replied.
The tree now creaked in the night, a beast swaying against the stars. Henrietta stroked the tree trunk fondly and then knocked on it five times: two short raps and three long ones. "I'm not coming down! You destroyed my drone!" Daithi's voice roared, causing the tree branches to shake. "You destroyed his drone? Why would you kill a male honey bee? They leave you alone if you leave them alone," Azoom said, shaking his head with disapproval. "I would never kill a bee! I keep bees in my backyard! He's talking about his stupid toy plane that he used to spy on me," Henrietta snapped. "You shouldn't spy on ladies, young man!" Azoom called up to the tree with equal disapproval.