Today’s sentence: “What can I get you today?”

I was in the village of Upton just a little north of Downton when I came across the most curious little shop.

It was stuck between two pubs, the Curious Duck and the Inquisitive Goose.

The shop was called Myron’s Emporium of Dark and Ghastly Substances.

It was a shop that gave you the creeps just looking at it and made the hairs on the back of your neck rise when you went through the door.

Inside it was dark and musty. There were cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, the shop counters were dusty, and the shop was packed in the most haphazard way with objects bearing little connection to each other. Halloween costumes, witches attire, cauldrons of various sizes with various prices, a special on Love potions and in one corner what appeared to be a body dressed as a skeleton.

I was awakened from my observations by a voice behind me asking me “What can I get you today?”

The voice was one that sent a shiver through you. Immediately you felt not only under scrutiny but also in danger of attack.

I spun round to see the most unusual person I had ever seen. At first, I wasn’t sure if the deep voice that had spoken to me was male or female. There was a face looking at me as if sizing me up for something I wasn’t sure I wanted to think too much about.

“Oh just having a look. This is a most unusual shop I have to say,” I stammered.

“Unusual? Nothing unusual here, it’s just a normal shop for normal people, for that’s what we are around these parts normal people going about our daily lives. We seldom get visitors you know, so in the scheme of things, I think you might be the unusual one in here today. So, what can I get you today?”

I was having the most uncomfortable feeling as the person was edging closer to me, I could smell its breath, hot and pungent, like a good mouth cleaning couldn’t come a second too soon.

Then the most terrifying thing of all happened. He/she licked his lips. His/her tongue was long and brown, flicking the edges of its mouth with great skill and dropping large globs of saliva onto the floor.

I stepped back and discovered that by now I was up against the corner where the person dressed as a skeleton was standing. Suddenly arms surrounded me, I was pressed in against the skeleton and could feel my back against its ribcage.

“Master I have him. Shall I eat him now?”

“No Igor, he is mine,” replied the master looking more and more malevolent.

“Master you have all the fun, just allow me a second or two, you know I love to hear them scream,” said Igor.

“Maybe later,” said the master running his long talon-like finger down my face.

“You know we have a special on this week for the locals, human skin, they can’t get enough of it, gives them the zip they need to zap through the day. I’ll be quick; you’ll feel a slight prick, then well………

I awoke in a cold lather of perspiration. Around me, the park was full of people playing and picnicking. I realised I had fallen asleep and also realised I must look a sight after my nightmare.

Wanting to get myself back in some order I looked across the park and shuddered when I saw Myron’s Emporium of Dark and Ghastly Substances.

Beside me, on the park bench, I was suddenly aware of a person. Then a voice I recognised asked: “What can I get you today?”

Written for: https://thehauntedwordsmith.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/story-starter-challenge-april-12/