The Ink Shall Never Fade - Part 1
She paid an unexpected price
Sarah woke to the sound of her phone’s annoying alarm. Another day, another dollar. She was starting to regret moving to Portland for a job that didn’t seem to be working out. Oh well, maybe she could give it a few more months and see if things improved.
Looking into the bathroom mirror, she stuck her tongue out at her reflection. As she ran her hands through her tangled curls, she noticed her latest tattoo was already fading.
Fuck. What was up with ink these days? It didn’t seem to last as long as her old ones had.
Sighing, she made a mental note to call and schedule a touch-up appointment on her drive to work. She trudged downstairs to make coffee and grab some breakfast before heading into the office.
“Hey, sleepyhead!” A cheerful voice rang out from a nearby desk.
“Good fucking morning to you, too, Susie,” Sarah grumbled as she dropped into her chair. Susie was a morning person, which was exceedingly annoying. But she was the best thing about this job. Having a good friend helped the days pass more quickly.
“Who pissed in your coffee today?”
“Oh, it’s nothing big. I’m just annoyed. I’m tired of spending money on a tattoo that fucking fades before you know it. I need a touch-up, but my guy is booked for weeks.”
Susie turned away and returned to her computer keyboard. “Oh, yeah, that sucks. I get it.”
“Hey, who is your artist? Your shit always looks so fresh!”
“Huh?” Susie seemed distracted.
“I said, who is your artist?”
“Ummm, she’s really weird. You wouldn’t like her style.”
“I’m really weird, so now I’m even more interested. Come here, let me take a closer look.”
Reluctantly, Susie wheeled her chair closer to Sarah’s desk and extended her arm. An intricate multicolored tattoo wound from her wrist to her elbow, disappearing under the edge of her shirt sleeve. The design kind of made Sarah’s eyes hurt. It was complex, and the colors seemed to shimmer and shift under the lights.
“Okay, that’s fucking cool. I’ve never seen colors like that. Now you have to share her name!”
Susie narrowed her eyes and stared at her briefly before deciding. “Okay, just remember you asked. It’s not my fault if you’re unhappy with how it turns out.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m a big girl. I won’t blame you. Give!”
“There’s no give. She’s not listed, and she’s very hard to find. I’ll have to take you to her place. I need to see her anyway. Saturday?”
“Fine, weirdo. Have it your way. Yeah, let’s go on Saturday. Pick me up and bring me a coffee.”
Susie rolled her eyes before wheeling back to her computer. Sarah smiled and returned to her screen. Fresh ink always made her happy; she’d be thrilled if her colors looked half as bright as what she had just seen.
The following day, they were on the road bright and early with steaming cups of coffee in hand. Susie drove out of the city into the northeastern wilderness of foggy forests. A small county road twisted along the banks of a rushing river.
Why in the hell would a tattoo artist live this far outside of any city or town? It would be hard to make a living out here. But, if Susie was willing to drive this far, she must be good. And maybe other people made the same trek.
Eventually, they turned down an almost invisible dirt road that snaked into the dark forest. After a few twists and turns, Susie pulled to a stop near a small mossy cottage tucked underneath the dripping branches. The windows softly glowed in the unnatural darkness of the dense growth. This was way cooler and spookier than Sarah could have hoped. She was glad she had pressed Susie to share.
She turned to Sarah. “Wait here for a minute. I have to talk to her first. She doesn’t like strangers, okay?”
Sarah frowned. “Geesh. How much of a hermit is she? Fine. Go ahead.”
Susie left the car and walked to the cottage’s front porch. Knocking on the door, she glanced back at Sarah to ensure she stayed in the car. The door cracked open, and Susie leaned forward to talk with the occupant. Then, she slid inside, and the door closed.
Minutes went by, and Sarah was becoming increasingly annoyed. Why was this taking so long? Finally, the door opened, and Susie emerged to wave her over. Sarah got out and walked to the cottage, nervously peering around the dark forest. This place was damn creepy. The tattoo had better be worth it…
Entering the cottage, she was relieved to see it was cozier inside. A warm fire crackled in a small fireplace, and lanterns and candles made the room glow. A tiny figure huddled in one corner of the room in an upholstered chair. The table before her held an array of the usual supplies plus a few miniature jars, pots, and cups of who-knows-what. Strangely, Susie was seated next to the hooded woman, looking nervous. One bird-like claw was wrapped around her tattooed forearm.
Okay then… No wonder she had been reluctant to share her artist. This was beyond strange.
“Sit, sit.” The old woman croaked in a quiet, dark voice.
Sarah was starting to doubt her decision, but she wanted the work done, and they had driven for hours to be there. Sighing, she moved across the room and sat down, placing her arm on the table.
“Here? This?” The crone traced Sarah’s forearm with a tiny, cold claw.
Sarah shivered. “Yes, this one has already faded. Can you freshen it up?”
“Yes, yes. Always fresh. My work never fades. It will never leave you.”
Okay, that was creepy AF. “Great. Let’s do it then.”
The hooded face turned to Susie. “This you want? This one? You sure?”
Susie hesitated, then nodded. She looked pale and nervous.
What the fuck did it have to do with Susie? A look of irritation washed across Sarah’s face, and she made a huffing sound.
The hood whipped around in her direction. “You sure? You want this, too? Say it. Tell me you want this.”
Sarah squinted at Susie in confusion, then faced the old lady. “Yes, I want this. That’s why I’m here.”
“Good. It is done. Here, drink. Drink it all.”
She handed Sarah one of the tiny cups from the table. She cautiously took it and sniffed. It had a strange herbal scent. Not unpleasant, but not like anything she’d smelled before.
“What is it?”
The crone laughed. “Tea. Just tea to calm your nerves.”
Sarah gave Susie a questioning look, but she nodded to say it was okay. Fine… She sipped the tea. Not bad. It was kind of tingling and warm as it slid down her throat. A pleasant flush washed over her body. Calming, indeed. She finished the drink and enjoyed the euphoric feeling.
“Now we begin…”
The Ink Shall Never Fade - Part 2
Read Part 1 first… Sarah was startled awake as the car bounced over the numerous potholes in the rutted dirt road. The sun was sinking lower through the forest as an early evening mist crept in and around them. “What the fuck?! Where are we? What happened?”