I have a little stall at a market where you can find goods that are otherwise quite hard to come by. Me? I sell bread. Yeah, just plain bread and pastries, but also drinks like sweet warm wine and hot chocolate when it’s cold out, or iced tea and lemon water in the summertime. Since I’m the only one offering refreshments, people flock to my stall if they feel the pinch of hunger or thirst. So all I have to do is stock up, and then I rake in the profits! That’s how you exploit a niche, kids.
I’m rather glad I get to stay away from all the action. I like watching the stories that take place here unfold without being a part of them. Especially since they’re pretty grisly most of the time. Just a week ago, I had a rather hair-raising experience involving a customer. He was a guy with an unshaven, pimply face and greasy hair. There were deep, dark bags below his bloodshot eyes. When he came to a halt in front of my stand, I was hit with a wall of stench. I put on a strained smile, even though my eyes were starting to burn.
Yes, I’m exaggerating, but it was still bad.
“I’d like an extra large cup of hot wine.” The look on his face reminded me of a kid holding out his hand for some candy. I like making a bit of small talk when I can, so I asked him if this was his first time at the market while pouring his drink.
“It is. I’m looking to buy a new… well, look. New skin, new hair, more muscle. I still want to be myself and recognizable and everything, just handsome.”
“That’s it? You do know that there’s a huge price charged on such things around here, right? And you won’t be paying with money,” I remarked. I know, I know, I shouldn’t meddle but a lot of folks come to the market completely clueless, thinking they’re about to enter some sick fantasy adventure and receive gifts from benevolent fairy godmothers.
“I’ve literally got no alternative!”
I handed him the cup and pocketed his cash before responding. “If you ask me, a shower and a healthy sleep pattern can go a long way.”
He huffed, turning to leave.
“Hey, wait!” I called out. “I just want you to consider some other options. If you’re, like, really unhappy, how about plastic surgery?”
“How is that your concern?”
“I think I gotta look out for my fellow humans,” I said frankly. “Not many of us around here, and most as who are is customers. Sometimes, they don’t know how things work around here. Most times, actually.”
The man drew a little closer once more. In a hushed voice, he asked, “So it’s true? The merchants are really all…?”
“Yeah.”
“They don’t look it,” he muttered.
“They choose not to. They want to make you feel at ease.”
“Holy shit.” He let out a nervous chuckle. “I’m getting kind of excited over here. And what’s your deal in all this? You say you’re not like them?”
“I’m not,” I confirmed. “And I ain’t got no deal in all this, I just sell drinks ‘n pastries.”
“Yeah, but—”
“Just drinks ‘n pastries,” I interrupted him, nodding my head.
“Well, alright. So, can you tell me where I can buy a new body?”
I sighed. Sure, I didn’t know all that much about his situation and I didn’t want to be insensitive by giving him any more hygiene advice. He wasn’t a kid anymore, surely he had to know what he was doing. I pointed at the stall beside mine. “She ain’t here yet, but the lady to my right deals in that. If you do actually think this is necessary.”
“Yes, I do! Jesus.”
“Hey now, not trying to talk you out of it,” I said soothingly. “Just don’t get screwed over.”
“Do I look like an idiot to you?”
I gave no answer. I don’t think he’d have wanted to hear it. I went to sit back and knit a little while waiting for more customers. It was a slow morning at the market and lots of folks were likely staying in due to the stinging cold. Freshly fallen snow was covering the ground and stall roofs. Most merchants had already taken to decorating their booths with candles, stockings and fairy lights. Every now and then, I’d take a look outside in search of the guy from earlier. He seemed to be browsing the other stands while waiting for the dealer I’d referred him to to arrive.
He perked up at the same time the familiar clatter of the neighboring stall being unlocked reached my ears. I crossed my arms, throwing him one last skeptical glance as he passed me by. Lord, how I hoped he knew what he was getting into.
I’m a notorious eavesdropper. I know it’s an asshole thing to be, but I can’t help myself. This job can be terribly boring when there aren’t a lot of customers around. I appreciate a bit of gossip. Stories about regrettable choices made by venders and buyers alike, merchants being fooled by savvy humans, what have you.
The stall next to mine belongs to a lady some decades my senior. She introduced herself to me as Audrina at one point, and that’s what she still goes by, but I doubt it’s her real name. She’s strikingly beautiful with her wheat-blonde hair and regal face, but there’s something rather disquieting about her, too—the way she smiles is reminiscent of a predator and she always speaks in the most honeyed of voices. Anyone who can look past the surface will feel at least a little threatened by her.
When she started talking to the greasy guy, I tried to make out what they were saying. I managed to pick up on bits of their conversation. The man’s name was Jeremy, and apparently, he was after this new look to impress a girl called Sky or Skylar or something. She’d rejected him on numerous occasions beforehand, but he didn’t intend on giving up. Audrina cooed at his story, telling him how cute that was, clearly stroking his ego. I wasn’t quite so convinced of the wholesomeness of his account, but then again, I wasn’t the one fixing to make a sale.
“I have just the thing for you, young lover,” she told him in that corny, smarmy tone of hers. “I’ll be happy to help.”
“Show me.” Jeremy sounded determined.
“Well, for one, this here’s a particularly fine, healthy skin. You’ll need no tanning to look good this winter. As you can see, it’s rather rosy and shiny. It’s got a positive glow to it.”
“Yeah, I see… but, um… how do I put this on? Do I just climb into it like a suit?”
“Oh no,” Audrina let out a silvery laugh, “the exchange is seamless. The second you’ve paid the price, it’ll replace your own skin in a matter of seconds. It’ll do so by itself, no help needed.”
“That sounds great,” he responded, sounding rather impressed. “What else have you got?”
“This here tuft of hair is a sample of what we can grow on that head of yours. If that’s not the color you had in mind, that’s absolutely no problem; I have a great variety in stock.”
They stayed on the topic of hair for a long time, eventually switching to discuss the matter of payment. That’s where I pricked up my ears again.
“Of course, I sell only quality goods, so I expect a fair exchange. Now, I know exactly what it is I need, the question is whether you’re willing to…”
They must have moved over a little for I couldn’t understand anything more than that. Frustrated, I considered sneaking around the back of her stall to spy on them, but right at that moment, customers were starting to trickle in.
Fast forward a week and I had all but forgotten about the skin-guy. It was a fine morning, though soured, or rather frozen up, by an increased amount of snowfall. Now, I’m generally a great fan of snow, but while I find one blanket of it delightful, several of them can rather quickly ruin my day. The drive to the market had been quite a challenge; I ended up being much later than usual due to the trouble the ice was giving my car. To my surprise, none other than Jeremy was waiting beside my stall. He was looking good—Audrina had outdone herself, but I was still pretty convinced this new appearance was nothing that couldn’t have been achieved by non-supernatural means.
“It’s you,” he greeted me breathlessly. “When’s Audrina coming back? Doesn’t matter, I need to talk to you!”
“Okay…”
He grabbed me by the shoulders. “I made a mistake… I shouldn’t have done this, like any of it, you were right! It didn’t work!”
“What do you mean?” I asked, a bit taken aback.
“Listen, I did this for a girl. I went to her two days ago to show her. She still doesn’t want me! I thought maybe she was just playing hard to get at first, so I waited for her to call or something, but she never even sent me a text…”
“‘s starting to sound like she doesn’t want you very much,” I remarked.
“I need something that sways her,” he pressed out. “She says I’m creepy! There has to be a spell or something here to change her mind, right? Where can I find something like that?”
This request frankly made my skin crawl. I shook loose of his grip, turning around to start opening up my booth. He kept blabbering to me but I refused to answer. Eventually, he grabbed me again, forcefully spinning me around.
“Get your hands off!” I snapped, equal parts shocked and furious.
“Just fucking talk to me, you bitch!”
My first crashed into his face before he could say another word. I landed a punch right on his nose. I’m not particularly strong, so it was definitely the element of surprise that sent him staggering backwards.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I shouted out. My whole body was trembling. The other merchants were already staring, but I didn’t care. None of them cared to offer assistance, of course.
“You don’t understand,” he whined. “You don’t get it! You have no idea what I had to do to pay for all this! If I don’t get Sky, it’ll all have been for nothing!”
“What will have been for nothing?” I asked sharply, feeling a queasy sense of dread creeping into my guts.
That’s when Jeremy started full-on wailing. “Audrina had me refill her stock!”
It took me a few seconds to realize what he meant. When I did, my blood ran cold. Harsh, merciless realization gripped me as I stared at the now cowering man, whimpering and holding his nose. For a moment, all I could do was stand and stare in horror at what the market had fostered in this creature.
“It doesn’t matter! I’ll do it again!” Jeremy cried out. “Come on, tell me where to get it! I don’t care what they ask of me, I’ll fucking do it, I swear!”
“I’ve no doubt you will,” I said, forcing a smile. “I know just the guy. I’ll send him a text and he’ll come over. He’s got what you need.”
“So I’ll have her?”
“Sure.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
I helped him to his feet, suppressing the urge to wipe my hands on my shirt after touching him. “You’re out of it. Let’s get you something to drink,” I suggested, steering him around the back of my booth where he simply plopped down in the snow, his back against the wall. I went inside, reaching for my phone to call an acquaintance of mine who promised to be there in a minute. Meanwhile, I fixed Jeremy his drink. He gratefully took the cup from my hands, downing it in two gulps without thinking twice.
It didn’t take long for the spasms to start. Jeremy began to cough, reaching up to clutch his throat as it started closing up. I shuddered. This was not a peaceful death. I didn’t avert my eyes either. It was sort of my responsibility to watch, wasn’t it? By the time Jeremy was frothing from the mouth, I heard a knock coming from the booth shutters.
“‘Round the back,” I called out.
A couple lithe footsteps later, my friend joined us on the other side, placing a hand on my shoulder in greeting. “My, you’re pale. Your weapon of choice really doesn’t fit your dislike for cruelty.”
“It pleases you, though, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, quite.” A soft chuckle. “Look at him go. How his legs are twitching… Rather resembles a dance, don’t you think?”
“Do I need to answer that?”
“Not really.”
I sighed. “You’ll take care of this, right?”
“Of course. Go back inside and rest assured.”
I shrugged off the gentle hand. “Imma go for a walk first. Call me if you need me.”
Lots of people go missing at the market.