The Hunt

            To protect my eyes from the sight of Aspen using the toilet, I scrounged up enough simoleons to build some walls, along with expanding one, for a proper washroom. I also purchased a window, making my shed less shed-like.

            It looked terrible, but functioned well enough, even serving dual purposes as a dining room.

            After the bathroom, I discovered I had just enough left over for a bed for Aspen.

            I kept her baby crib. I did not want to put all my bets on her, so hopefully I would be able to convince another simpleton to impregnate me.

            In the meantime, the house was filled with more than enough childish imagination with just Aspen. She’d always go on about the monsters living under her bed. Of course I knew it was silliness, although she wouldn’t believe me since I refused to get on my knees to look. It took her a few hours to sleep after supposedly seeing glowing red eyes and claws, but she vowed to vanquish it one day.

            Perhaps I told her too much about my job. She was fascinated whenever I came home from work with a spirit, and asked about my awards uncountable times.

            Saturday night, Aspen had stayed up far too late. She was snoring when I readied myself to go out Sunday morning.

            So I left her behind, looking forward to a day not spent with a needy child.

            I had plans to meet another man to conceive again. I started these by returning to the potion shop and asking about my secret weapon. They were out—what a shocker.

            Magic should have been easy enough for someone like me. After all, the witch that cursed me looked quite simple. I decided to teach myself alchemy.

            Despite being a fast learner, I could not figure out any relationship boosting elixirs. I did not have time to muddle around, and so I moved on to option B.

            I went to the salon, prepared to save money by styling my hair myself. I’d always felt extra confident after a makeover session, so perhaps that charm would work again in this life.

            Unfortunately, there was not much I could do to gain any attractiveness. I mussed up some bangs and tossed the rest around, hoping it could pass for grunge chic.

            Oh the horrors of being hideous!

            There was a bar across the street, which I reasoned to be just as good of a place to hunt for a man as any other.

            I was starving, and so I passed time by eating nachos. Male or female, no patrons came through. It was getting late; I decided to try some place else.

            Out the doors, I caught a strong whiff of juice. I discovered it to be coming off the bouncer, who, indeed, appeared to be swaying slightly as he stood guard. I pushed past the fact of how irresponsible he was as a worker, instead concentrating on his pretty hair and passable face. His muscular arms were a thing of beauty.

            Having nothing to lose, I decided to dust off one of my old tricks. It once proved to be infallible, but I highly doubted its success with me looking like a freak. With a giggle and a hair flick, I got his attention, and then lightly touched one of his biceps. Something in my chest jumped as his hard arm twitched. “Hey there,” I tried to say seductively. “I thought I should let you know that I’m Vienna DeMarco.”

            I prepared to be pushed off and insulted. The man shocked me by leaning forward instead. He chuckled and smiled. The sour smell of juice came at me. “I’m not sure who you are, but I’m Dequan Clifford,” he replied. Or had he said David Lassie? Curse, my inability to learn names!

            We flirted back and forth, and I could not believe it was happening! He might have been someone that I would pursue back in the city. Why on earth would he give this version of me the time of day?

            When he complimented me on my good looks, I realized just how very juiced he was. Oh well, at least it was something.

            I treated him to one of my very exclusive and extraordinary massages, hooking him, I hoped.

            Dequan (or Daniel or Darnell) moved past the obstacle of my appearance, allowing me to treat him to my famous kissing skills. While we made out in front of the tavern, I thought back to my movie, The Diary. The very well-known and sought after Rider Garrett had enjoyed our kissing scenes so much that he personally made sure I played opposite his next two roles.

            I wanted to show off my other talents that very night, but there was nothing close by to give us privacy. And he did not want to come back to my place since he was working. We exchanged phone numbers. I took a quick snapshot with him, just so that I could having something to remember him by if he decided not to have anything to do with me after he sobered.