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The rain thundered down outside, smacking into the street with enough force that small pieces of water flew back up before promptly landing back down.
The wind howled and shoved. Moving the fast, thundering rain like shedded fur from a fox against the ocean winds.
To many, days like today were unpleasant, an interruption to daily life, and intrusion on the boring and everyday. Yet for one, days like today gave him the space to breath, for they gave him an excuse to not have to work through the night.
Standing behind the counter to his toy shop. The young Toymaker was silently stitching his newest doll together. A small teddy, beady eyes looked up at him as he sowed the leg together.
Thunder crackled outside, and the storm picked up in rage. Putting his sewing needle and string, he looked to the windows of his shop.
The darkened sky was releasing gallons upon gallons of water. Flashes of light pierced the sky.
He breathed deeply. A small, satisfied smile crossed his lips. He closed his eyes, remembering the days before his father left for war, where his mother didn’t weep herself to sleep, where his siblings didn’t question and ask where daddy was. He remembered the day she left them, her mind in such a distraught state that she just ran away, leaving him and his two siblings all alone
It wasn’t easy, he remembers Mrs. Fickle, always lending him a hand, a place to stay. Mr. Fickle and his love for his siblings, always playing with them more than he ever could. He-
His thoughts are interpreted as a jingle is heard of the shop fort opening. Opening his eyes, he could see a young lad, drenched and worse for wear, panting heavily.
“Excuse me, sorry. Do you have have a telephone I could use? I have to call my mother that our vehicle broke down.” He said in between breaths.
The man paused for a moment, studying the man, he was grey with yellow eyes, and a long black coat. Even with his fur drenched, it was plain to the man that it was fine fur, good fur…
Thinking, the only telephone he had was connected to the Marigold hotel. Knowing what would happen if this man discovers what was going on behind the hotels facade, he knew what to do.
“Yes! I do, I do, do! Got it just recently. Come along, follow me upstairs.” He said, gesturing to the grey man.
The both walked up one flight of stairs, passing the shop’s second floor apartment, and up to the third.
The third floor was littered with crates and boxes, each contains parts and fabrics for toys, as well as other things. Leading the grey man to the telephone, he presented it in a exaggerated fashion.
“Well here you are! Now please do not take to long, I do not like the public back here for long.” He said, calmly, too calmly.
The grey man looked a little unnerved by his sudden calmness, but ignored it. Dialling with the rotor, the man did not realize it was just for show, and no matter what he did he would never hear his mother again.
The Toymaker slipped away behind some crates, grabbing off the wall, behind two crates stack high, was his axe.
As the thunder rolled on outside, and the rain poured into every crack, the Toymaker walked up behind the grey man, a calm smile plastered on his lips.
The grey man was confused now, the only voice he could hear was of man he never heard before, yet it wouldn’t matter, as the Toymaker hoisted his axe above his head, and brought it down to the grey man’s back.
The grey man’s screams were drowned out by the thunder and rain, the axes thuds left silent by the lighting as the Toymaker hacked into the grey man’s back until his breathes left his body. Dropping the axe with a thud, the Toymaker picked up the telephone, speaking calmly to the marigold on the other side, saying all was alright and goodnight. Putting the stick and receiver down, the Toymaker went to work studying the body, touching the fur he smiled.
“Well, I must say my good sir, your fur, despite being drenched, could make amazing doll hair. Now, let’s take you to the back here, hehe.” He said, laughing slightly as he dragged the body the back where a table lay. All as the thunder and rain poured down on a abandoned car, never to see its owner again.