Cowbell

Cowbell

Embrace, Milk, Love

Chapter 1 by struiner struiner

The fading embers of daylight gilded the ancient cobblestones of Heidelberg as Jennifer strolled arm-in-arm with me, her husband, John.

Jennifer's eyes sparkled with wonder, drinking in the sights and sounds.

"Isn't this just enchanting?" she murmured, turning to me with a radiant smile.

"It is, Jenny" I replied awestruck albeit slightly exhausted. We had been going in and out of stores for the larger part of the day, and I was starting to feel the toll. My legs needed rest, comfort, fuel in the form of a freshly poured beer.

As we meandered past a shop wedged between a bakery and bookstore, Sarah's curiosity was piqued by the weathered wooden sign hanging over the door, bearing the name "Herr Schmidt's Antiquitäten" in elegant script. The glass panes slightly clouded with age, through them we could catch glimpses of delicate porcelain figurines, tarnished silver trinkets and ancient looking curiosities from centuries past.

"Let's take a look inside," Jennifer suggested, her tone tinged with excitement.

I nodded, indulging my beloved's whims despite the screaming pain in my knees. We stepped through the door into the cozy interior. Dimly lit by fading lights, the stacked shelves practically groan under the weight of centuries-old treasures. The faint scent of old books and polished wood welcomes us with an old and familiar hug as we step inside. I take a deep breath and for a moment I forget the pain in my knees, the smell of oxidizing books taking me back to old adventures.

"Look at this!" She jumps from behind a well-oiled, but still dusty, metal suit, holding a necklace adorned with a tiny bronze cowbell.

"Hey, that looks genuine. Does it work?" I take it from her for closer inspection.

The tiny bronze bell-shaped ornament was obviously much older than the chain it was equipped with, it's surface coarse and dented, with a rugged looking ring connecting it to the chain. As I was holding it, I noticed the metal almost seemed to be softly humming, feeling malleable to the touch.

"Works for me, watch." She snatched the necklace from my fingers, putting it around her neck with a smirk.

Yet another souvenir?

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