Mark's fingertips were already touching the plastic seal on the amber bottle's cap. He felt the ridges on the cap pressing against his skin as he began to apply pressure to twist it. A faint metallic scent began to waft through the air as the opening widened slightly. Mark narrowed his eyes, his focus entirely fixed on the bottle that Madam Anna was holding with a hand trembling violently.
"Mark!"
Beatrice's shrill voice shattered the silence of the pavilion's hallway. Mark jolted, his movement halting just before the seal completely broke. He turned and saw his mother rushing frantically from the direction of the house's main door. Beatrice looked utterly distraught.
Beatrice reached Mark, panting heavily. She clutched her chest, her eyes darting anxiously between Mark and the bottle in her hand.
