The man was dressed in a suit, and he had on sunglasses. He was tall, fit, and had a buzz-cut of black hair. He looked like he was in his late thirties. He led the path for Emma, and she followed behind as he opened the door.A little boy waited by the door, clutching a small nylon bag.The butcher’s shop smelled of salt and fresh blood. Thick meat hung from iron hooks along the wall; their surfaces were glossy under the dim yellow bulbs. Behind the counter, rows of wooden boards were lined with smaller cuts — ribs stacked neatly, minced meat pressed into trays, and a bowl of bones pushed to one side.A fan hummed lazily above, too slow to chase away the smell.The butcher, a broad man with a stained apron, looked up from his loud chopping. He wore a cap, and he had a strong gaze on his face — the kind that looked like he had never smiled a day in his life. It did look like it was meant to be scary because little kids were afraid of him, and even adults couldn’t mess up when he was ne
Last Updated : 2025-11-07 Read more