The New Alchemist Fiction - Thursday Sept 17th 9PM EDT
Petree tugged on the sash of his robe as he shook out the sleeves around his wrists. Picking up vials and setting them down again Petree sorted through the potions he had brewed earlier in the day. Trying not to feel nervous he rearranged his set up again. Focusing on the display to showcase his talent, a sudden case of doubt started to overwhelm him. "This will not be the same as last time. I can do this. I have worked hard and practiced my craft." Memories of his first attempt to prove that he was an amazing apprentice came back to him. Petree boasted to the other studying alchemists that he had found a sure fire way to increase crop harvest without having to increase the size of the farm. No one would believe that Petree had come up with this miracle idea that no one had tried before. In an effort to prove that he was brilliant, Petree had ventured out to Farmer Wyatt's farm and spread his concoction into the soil then retreated back to the tree line to wait for his proof. Petree remembered sitting to doze at the base of a tree and the sudden commotion that had awoken him. Sudden, rapid fire popping noises like hail on a cobble path erupted from the fields. Jumping to his feet and running back to the corn field Petree was shocked to find the field covered in a strange white blanket almost like snow. Farmer Wyatt stood on top of the hill looking down with a worried look on his face. Petree shook off the memory and concentrated once again on the vials in front of him. "This time WILL be different. I will not fail." Petree had been worried about the farmer and his field of white, hating the idea that he had made a costly error but was relieved when he entered the fair grounds to see that Farmer Wyatt had in fact set up a booth to sell his infamous “Popped Corn.” It seemed popular enough and indeed the farmer was almost sold out of his oddity. The announcer stepped up to the big stage to declare the end of the evening, signaling to Petree that it was time for his display as the closing act. Raising the first potion in his hand and looking out to the gathered crowd he mumbled “It’s show time.”