Une Boutique

Oh, it was such a lovely little mug shop. Full of hand painted and fanciful assortments of mugs and saucers and tea assortments. She slaved over them each day and painted them each night. Mixing watercolors with sweat and producing the cutest, most whimsical of mugs this side of Main Street. The women raved about her mugs. They worshiped the store in feathered frocks and velveteen hats and lace gloves. Such detail. Cute polka dots and witty stripes and lovely and soothing solid colors. Why, there wasn't a woman who didn't sit down to afternoon tea with one of her mugs. Even after she had closed up, gone home and got settled, made herself a cup of chamomile tea, it was in one of her own, hand made mugs.  

Of course, this wasn't satisfying. 

Her life was dull. Droll at best. Each morning she opened up shop at precisely eight am, conversed with Darla, who owned the lovely hat shop across the street, and then sat down to read the paper and nibble on a muffin as she waited for the afternoon business. It was all very, very dull. And unfulfilled. She was empty, like the inside of her hand painted, divinely wonderful mugs. She needed something exciting. 

So ever night she went out and filled her mug. Filled it with the warm sensation of fading light and virtue. Of that powerful demand and coveted wickedness that everyone lusts for. 

And this was wonderful. She felt at ease in her daily routine. It was enjoyable again. She said 'hello' to Darla's daughter, who had taken over the lovely hat shop. Read the paper and found it much more interesting. Conversed with the different customers and patrol men who would stop by from time to time, commenting on the faultlessness of her mugs. She even was inspired to do a new line of mugs. Red ones, with an organic dye. 

And then she would close up shop and return home, to snuggle up under her quilt with some tea, a good book, and dreams of planting maybe hydrangeas in her garden. Yes, this was all very routine and normal.

Of course, her routine suddenly changed when one of the officers found a human hand displayed prominently in one of her backroom mugs.