Spice and Shadows
an excerpt

Even behind the smoked lenses it was clear that the woman was simply staring, as if unblinking, straight into Aimee’s eyes. She tilted her head a little as if trying to work something out. Aimee nodded back trying to be polite and then looked at the window, remembering with a mental kick to the butt that they were in a tunnel and there was no view to pretend to look at.
“Um, just so you know you can’t smoke on here,” Aimee said a little awkwardly, trying to break the silence or tension or whatever it was.
The woman’s smile broadened. “I’d like to see them stop me,” she said wryly, her voice husky and low.
“Well they have these random packs of ex con looking guys roaming the carriages and bailing you up with fines and intimidation techniques…” Aimee began to wish that she hadn’t said anything and as she dropped her eyes to try to kill the conversation her gaze fell on the woman’s hands.
She wasn’t holding a cigarette.
Startled Aimee looked back up at the woman who was flat out grinning now. When Aimee’s attention was completely on her the woman exhaled an elaborate plume that coiled around her head and then wafted towards the ceiling.
“How did you…”
“How did I…?” the woman prompted.