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“Aw, Twoey, someday you’re gonna be beautiful.” Seymour gently pours some water at the base of the small potted plant. It never seems to affect the growth of Audrey II, but he does it anyway. “You’re gonna bloom and be a spectacle for everyone to see. We’ll make ‘em travel miles.” No kind of fertilizer or amount of sunshine ever seems to do anything either. Still, he takes care of the plant, as he does any other plant in Mushnik’s shop.
Audrey II finds it to be a gross waste of time because it is. Seymour had to know that. But maybe it was his way of coping and pretending that she was a normal plant. Still, she would have rather he skipped the futile watering and pruning, and skipped to the thing that actually made her grow.
“Now... for some food.” He picks up the shears on the counter and hesitates for a few moments, letting his gaze linger a little too long before lightly cutting into his right thumb, the only digit that isn’t wrapped in cloth bandages. “Ow…” He winces and squeezes his thumb above the plant until a few drops fall.
Audrey II hungrily snaps it up, stretching eagerly for more.
Seymour exhales heavily, while the blood continues to trickle. He props his head up with his elbow from his other arm, a far away expression. “She’s beautiful, Twoey, isn’t she?”
What is he talking about now? He never shut up. She just wants a few more drops… She extended her tongue, flicking her mouth desperately and reaching up as high as she could.
“She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. She’s sweet and kind and so lovely…” The blood stops falling and Audrey II’s lips curl into a scowl. Seymour doesn’t seem to notice as he sighs and grabs a bandaid from behind the counter.
“But she’d never go for me. She deserves a man who can give her everything she could ever dream of… and that’s not me.” He pulls up a chair and takes a seat next to the plant. “I’ll be stuck here forever in this flower shop selling roses by the dozen ‘til I’m old and gray. But maybe one day I’ll get outta here.” He knows the chance of that is slim to none, but the idea makes him smile.
~*~
“Feed me, Seymour! Feed me now!” Audrey II enjoys the dumb ook of stupor on his face as she bellows. “I can give you everything and anything you’ve ever wanted. But, y’know, you gotta go out there and do one tiny thing for me and then, kid, you’ll go flying! Straight to the top!”
For a moment, she isn't sure if he’d agree. The notion is almost ridiculous. But she realizes she overestimated the desires of humans as he shuffles his feet a little closer to her. “To the top?” he repeats softly. His arms, which were wrapped around his torso to stop his trembling, slowly uncurl and his eyes widen at the promise.
“To the top.” Her lips curl into a wicked grin revealing her spiny teeth.
But as quickly as the moment comes, it’s gone and he shrinks back, rubbing his face with his hands in anguish. “Audrey II, I don’t know if I should do this. He’s a creep and all, but he’s still a person. I don’t think--”
“So don’t,” she cuts him off and scowls. “That guy’s a punk. A tool. He belongs at the bottom of the Earth and you can send him there.”
“Twoey…” he starts.
“He’s rotten!” she growls. “He’s hurtin’ your poor Audrey. Oh, beautiful Audrey. She comes in to work bruised and beaten - She doesn’t love him anymore than you love the common cold, son. You’ll be doin’ her a favor. And when he’s out of the picture, she’ll be all yours.” The plant’s voice drops an octave with the last few words. “You’ll be her hero, her savior.”
The man stares uncertainly at his shoes, but eventually his head nods the slightest bit. “O-Okay.” His voice is shaky. “You’re right, Twoey. I’m sorry I ever doubted y-you.” He pauses before timidly glancing at the plant again. “But… how do I kill him?”
“It’s Skid Row, pal!” Audrey II yells and Seymour jumps backwards, nearly falling over himself. “Guns, knives, explosives. Get creative; It don’t matter! I’m sure you’ll figure out a way!”
“You’re right… You’re right…” He inhales deeply before forcing a smile. “I’m gonna do it! Audrey won’t ever have to deal with that creep ever again” With a newfound enthusiasm, he snatches his red baseball cap from the counter. The bell above the door jingles as he leaves.
Audrey II snickers. “Be back in time for dinner.”
~*~
Seymour’s back presses against the cold brick wall as Mr. Mushnik leers closer to him, eyes narrowed, graying mustache barely hiding his tight scowl.
“I- I don’t know what you’re talking about. Th-This is probably all just some kinda misunderstanding!” Seymour stammers, waving his hands defensively. His eyes are complete with panic.
“I tried to tell that to myself too until I found this! A dentist’s uniform!” Mr. Mushnik waves the tattered piece of cloth two inches from his face. “How do you explain this? We’re going straight to the police!”
“No, wait! Mr. Mushnik, I can explain, please!” He needs time to process all this. If they found him guilty of murdering Orin, his whole career would be over. He’d go to prison, lose the plant, and worse, lose Audrey. Audrey II had been right when she had promised him the love of Audrey. He had just kissed her behind the store moments ago, holding her in his arms. Her lips were soft and her dark blue eyes held a dazzling admiration for him that he had only dreamed about. It was all real. It had come true.
He needs her.
He refuses to surrender any of that now.
Audrey II slowly cranes her bud curiously, watching the display.
“It’s too late for that, Seymour! Now, you can explain down at the police station! Let’s go!” He yanks at his arm and Seymour rigidly stumbles forward.
His eyes dart around the shop looking for any kind of escape or distraction until they reluctantly rest on the giant plant. He gulps and he looks back at Mushnik with a resolved unease.
Audrey II cackles inwardly. She steadily and silently cranes her bud forward, a wet tongue tracing over her lips before opening her mouth.
“...Don’t you need today’s receipts so you can deposit them in the morning?” he asks weakly. He couldn’t give it up, not now, not after everything he’d been through, everything he’d come to work for.
Mushnik furrows his eyebrows quizzically. “What did you mean? Where did you put them?”
“...I… put them inside a’ her. Audrey II,” he replies, his mouth dry. “No one would ever think to check in there, right?” He tries to offer a small smile as a lame attempt at humor, though it only comes off as uncomfortable.
Mushnik rolls his eyes, muttering under his breath and turning around to face the plant.
And as Mushnik leans inside, she sinks her teeth into him, tossing her head back. Seymour cowers in a corner of the shop, eyes shut tight and hands slammed over his ears. He almost doesn’t hear the screams and the sickening crack of bone.
~*~
“Feed me, feed me, feed me!” she demands and slams her tendrils onto the tile, making the glass windows shake.
“Stop!” he yells.
“I need some food, Seymour! It’s been over a week since my last meal.”
“And that’s the last meal you’ll ever have. This was a mistake. Mr. Mushnik was nothing but kind to me. He took me in like his own.”
“You call that kind, kid?” Audrey II cackles. “He only wanted you for his own self gain. Face it, that guy was trash to you and we can find so many others just like that.”
He winces at her words, wringing his hands with frustration. “I’ll get you food,” he says. “Down at the butcher. They got the best sirloin.”
The plant’s lips twist in disgust. “I need foooooood!”
“This is it!” he yells back firmly. “It’s this or nothin’. I’m not killin’ people for you ever again.” His eyes are locked onto her bud with steely determination. “This is my final offer.”
“Fine.” Her lips curl. If this was how Seymour wanted to play it, she could too. She would show him who he was messing with, how much leverage she had over him. She could give as well as take away just as quickly.
~*~
Audrey II sneers as Seymour grabs his head with both of his hands, shrinking down onto the tiled floor onto his knees.
“You’ve taken everything from me,” he murmurs. “My life, my adoptive father… Audrey…” He chokes as a sob arises in his chest as her damaged bloodied body comes to mind as she begged him to feed her to the plant.
“Your life?!” The whole shop shakes and a few terracotta plant pots fall from shelves and break on the floor. “Your life was nothin’ before you met me. You were sleepin’ in the basement with no way to move up in the world. You would have died in that basement. You should be thankin’ me.”
“No, no, no! Not like this!” He shakes his head in denial.
“You’ve got money, fame, popularity. Sacrifices had to be made. Nothing comes without a price, huh, kid?”
“I didn’t want any of this. You’re wrong. I didn’t ask… for… for this!” He gestures wildly around him.
Audrey II scoffs. “How long is your little pity party gonna last? Where we’re goin’, there will be plenty a’ Audrey’s.”
He shouts in the middle of the empty florist shop, banging his fists onto the counter. “No! I don’t wanna hear this. You’re wrong! I shoulda never have listened to you!”
“Mr. Krelborn!” A man with a black suit and briefcase enters the shop. “Good afternoon! How are you doing today?” He shakes Seymour’s hand with an undaunting certainty and doesn’t wait for the reply as words shoot out of his mouth at an unyielding speed. “Have I got good news for you, boy. You see, the other day when I was in here, I took it upon myself to grab a small clipping of your Audrey II and I…”
Seymour can barely concentrate on the business man’s sales pitch, especially with Audrey II looming in the background, occasionally tilting her large bud or licking her lips. This man could very well be her next target.
“--Krelborn, we’ll have an Audrey II in every home by next year. It’ll be bigger than hula hoops. The boys predict it’ll be the biggest item on every holiday wishlist. And of course most of the proceeds will go directly into your pockets. You’ll be the richest man in the world in no time, Krelborn. Can relocate Mushnik & Son’s or maybe get your own place.” His eyes flicker around the room, looking distastefully at the mess of pots Audrey II had shook off the shelf earlier. “Get whatever you want, boy. Or whoever.” He winks and slaps him hard on the shoulder. “I’ll give you time to think about it, but I’ll be back tomorrow. See you, Krelborn.”
With that, the man is gone as quick as he entered leaving Seymour standing in shock.
“This was your plan all along? To put little Audrey II’s in every home across the globe? World domination…”
“No shit, Sherlock, and I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
He doesn’t know what comes over him at that moment. Maybe if he had a little bit of whatever it is he has now a few months ago, he wouldn’t have gotten into this mess. His fists clench and he glares at Audrey II with wild eyes. “Shut up!” he snarls angrily, and grabs the nearest pruning shears leaning against the wall. “I don’t wanna hear it! You’ll never get away with this! You’ve taken everything from me! You won’t get to do it to anyone else!”
With Audrey II cackling, her tendrils flying madly, Seymour charges at the plant before she lowers her mouth and crunches down on his bones and swallows him whole.