Chapter One

The Candle Shop Girl stood at her booth positioned along a busy sidewalk filled with bustling vendors and obnoxious consumers. Dressed in grey with her dark curly hair swirling with the wind around her small features, her cheeks slightly pink from the cold air she looked like an angel to The Boy that stood across the way. He watched as she carefully removed the lid from a candle to let a customer smell the fragrance she had chosen for them. As the customer leaned in to sniff, a smile broke across her face and it warmed his heart. With a deep breath he held the crisp air in his lungs only to let it out in a slow melancholy manner. She would probably never notice him; he thought to himself and continued walking further along the street leaving The Candle Shop Girl in his wake.

The Butcher came brushing by The Boy in the opposite direction, quickly approaching the Candle Shop Girl. As she looked up to see him her face brightened. Fortunately, The Boy had his back to her and did not see this or else he would have ended up in a state of ultimate emotional despair.

“How are you doing today?” The Butcher inquired in a low secretive voice.

Leaning in close to him, her eyes a glow with excitement, “I’m good, how are you?”

“Business as usual.” The Butcher’s reply remained casual, unaffected by her flirtatious gaze. Consumed with self love he began to paint before her in various non-descript words the work he did for his customers imagining himself as some sort of Picasso like hero in the Butcher World of Fine Customer Service. When he was finished and she was in awe of him he left, leaving The Candle Shop Girl wishing he’d spent a bit more time with her.

Late that night The Candle Shop Girl was returning home from a dinner date and as she neared an alley way, a ghastly sound of human sacrifice could be heard echoing through the dark. Stopping for a moment before peering around the corner into the darkness of the alley, she held her breath hoping the sounds of ravaging were nothing more than just a rabid animal eating another but as she crept further along the side of the rustic brick building and her eyes adjusted to the lack of light she saw a horrible sight.