The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Four Pieces
by Elizabeth H. Smith

Gregor fashioned many trinkets over the years. His hands had become tools themselves. All kinds of people came to his little shop. They often always asked for very specific things. Sometimes, peculiar things. But he needed the coin, and so he crafted whatever they wanted.

One dreary Sunday, a hooded man entered the shop and asked for something that didn’t seem strange at first, but Gregor thought it odd the way he wanted it produced. The stranger requested a simple object, a four piece wooden puzzle in the shape of a heart. But he wanted each piece to be made on its own specific month, separate from one another over time, rather than receive the finished product all together.

He asked to have the first piece in April, the second in May, the third in June, and the final one in August. He paid extra for this arrangement. Gregor had no issue with eccentric requests, and it wasn’t his job to ask questions.

When the month of April came, Gregor had the first piece ready and waiting for this particular client. And he came on the first of the month to retrieve it. Gregor handed the man the first piece of the puzzle, he paid, and left without a word.

The next month he did the same. And then again in June.

It wasn’t until July, when there was no piece to be made, that Gregor thought of the man. He wouldn’t be back until August, and he wondered why there was one skipped in the four month period. Why skip July?

He didn’t think much of it.

When August came the man returned to purchase the final piece. He seemed eager to have it, his hands shaking as he pulled the money from his pockets. “Thank you,” he said to Gregor. “Thank you for this.”

“You’re welcome,” Gregor said.

The man laughed. “One for April, one for May, one for June, and one for August,” he said before he walked out the door. Before it closed behind him, he stopped for a moment, turned his head, and winked at Gregor.

***

As the chill of November came, Gregor put on a warm sweater to sit and watch TV. While he flipped through the channels a news story caught his attention.

The anchorwoman on screen had a flat, emotionless expression. “Today, four missing women have been found. Their bodies were recovered from Mirror Lake just this morning. The women have been reported missing over the past several months, but until now the disappearances hadn’t been linked. Local authorities think there may be a connection. Their identities have been confirmed as April McCarthy, May Walton, June Withers, and August Rivera. The police ask that if anyone has any information, please come forward.”

Gregor leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to wait for the weather forecast. What his clients wanted, was none of his business, and it wasn’t his job to ask questions.

.

Fiction © Copyright Elizabeth H. Smith
Image courtesy of Pixabay

More About Elizabeth H. Smith:
Elizabeth H. Smith is a storyteller who writes while trying to keep her cat, Luna off the keyboard. The musical group, Rasputina is her muse. She was born in the state of New York and would never feel at home anywhere else.

Through Clouded Eyes: A Zombie’s Point of View

Through Clouded Eyes: A Zombie’s Point of View: a collection of twelve stories told from the Zombie’s perspective.

They’re shambling toward you, feet dragging on the broken roadway. Arms outstretched, faces slack, they move as if they’re tracking your scent on the wind. You want to run, but you know there’s nowhere to hide.

Aware of their insatiable hunger, fear paralyzes you. These things were once human, people someone loved. Is there anything left inside them – some sliver of humanity that may save you from this nightmare? Your mind doesn’t want to accept the inevitable, a single thought consumes you: what are they thinking?

With your chance of escape dwindling, you snap out of it and run like hell knowing there is little to no hope; fate is coming for you. Soon you will see what they see Through Clouded Eyes…

Featuring stories from Maynard Blackoak, Calvin Demmer, Paul M. Feeney, Stacy Fileccia, Trevor Firetog, DH Hanni, Shannon Lawrence, Josh MacLeod, Zachary O’Shea, Neal Privett, Mark Steinwachs, and Alex Woolf

Available on Amazon!