Rotted & Wrapped

I looked over the top of the cash register and watched the woman as she walked through the front door. She was holding a plastic Ziploc bag that appeared to contain a wad of paper towels inside.


The woman shut the door and stopped in the middle of the shop. The bell jingled as it slammed behind her. She stood there for a moment and looked around. Her eyes glimmered with joy as she looked at the ceiling down to the floor. The walls were filled with everything from taxidermy stripper mice to cow fetuses preserved in pickle jars. The oddity shop was fairly new but word of its opening had spread fast.


The woman walked towards the desk where I was sitting. “Do you preserve animals on site,” she asked.


Confused, I looked at her and replied. “No, everything is obtained through auctions and donations. Is there something else I could help you with?"


She placed the bag on the table beside the cash register. "I'd like to preserve this as soon as possible. I’ll donate it and then buy it back.”


She slid the bag closer to me. "What is it?" I asked, feeling annoyed with the situation. The smell of rotting flesh filled the air as I opened the bag and unwrapped the paper towel. The corpse of one of those goldfish with giant bulging eyes looked back at me. Its eyes were lifeless, with a milky film laying on top. Its body looked like an orange pine cone that had been stepped on.


"That's my goldfish!"


I scooted the bag back towards her. Her eyes no longer gleaming with joy. She could tell by my expression that I was not entertained by her actions.


She picked up the bag and slowly made her way towards the door. Without hesitation, she threw the bag in the trash can in the corner. I watched as she made her way through the front door, not once looking back or saying a word.

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