Madam's Muse

Chapter One - Roadkill

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

Cruella grabbed my collar and shoved me against my office cabinet. Her icy blue eyes pierced into mine, and seemed to twist their blades, enjoying the terror she inflicted on me. Her lip quivered with rage. It was a moment before her next sentence even registered with me.

"Are you insane?! WE did elk furs just LAST SEASON! We can't simply "bring them back" as if they're brand spanking new! Have you lost your mind?!"

Yes, my mind had been lost at the word "spanking", and I daren't have allowed myself to mentally elaborate lest the woman in front of me developed telepathy in the next five seconds. This is Cruella De Vil I'm talking about - the woman capable of literally anything she put her mind to. No secret can be kept from her. Not for long.

She let go of me. I adjusted my blazer and fluffed up my hair again. 

"Now, I have an assignment for you," she declared, rounding my desk and going to the door. 

"You will go to the Natural History Museum and you will seek out a new, rare, and exciting few species - four or five will do. You will procure samples of their fur, skin or pelt. I will review your selections and choose one. You will then use it to make me the finest garment that I could possibly imagine, or else you are FIRED from your position, do you understand me?"

I nodded. "Yes, Madam."

"Very well. You have one week." She whipped around, and with a slam of the door and a breeze that sent my remaining sketches to the floor, she was gone.

She's a hurricane. That's what I adore about her - she knows exactly what she wants. Admittedly, the elk fur had been a foolish move. I had been so ridiculously inspired by her own sketches from last season that I had gotten carried away completely. If only I could tell her how much she inspires me, without knowing I'll be scoffed at. But she really doesn't need anyone to tell her how great she is - which again, is what makes me admire her so...

Then, it sank in. One week?! I'd best get started! I grabbed my lambskin coat and threw it over myself as I scurried down the foyer steps of House of De Vil and out into the pouring November rain.

***

The glass in front of me started to fog up as I peered for a closer look at the coarse texture of the stuffed lion's mane.

Not really her thing. She prefers softer. The softest, even. I kept looking.

After what felt like only an hour, the final call before lockup. I looked at my watch - 10PM already? Good grief. I'd only taken sketches of three creatures. A dodo bird, though extinct, wouldn't be impossible as Madam wasn't above stealing or making use of the black market. Same for the Bengal tiger, but that had been part of the Spring/Summer '91 collection. As for the last sketch... elephant skin? What can I say, it was getting late and I was getting desperate. I now had six days to lay my hands on physical samples of these textures, plus one more.

It was at least ten minutes standing in the rain before I finally managed to hail a taxi. I paid using the House of De Vil card, of course. This was work-related, and besides, Cruella was never mean with money. She didn't want folks to think she was struggling or anything.

As the driver rolled up the drive to my house, I peered out the window to see a dash of red darting along the road beside us. Suddenly, one of the wheels bumped slightly.

"NO!"

The driver swerved - I think I scared him more than hitting the squirrel did. The car screeched to a halt, and as if by automation I leapt out. 

The tiny squirrel lay a little way back on the road, still visible in the taxi's rear lights.

I wasn't in my right mind.

I scrambled through my bag for a plastic Waitrose bag. Using my bare hands, I scooped the lifeless, mangled body inside it. The tail fell off onto the soaking tarmac, and as I clutched at it, I couldn't help but notice the texture... soft. The softest.

Bingo.

Her piercing eyes flashed back into my mind again. My body shivered, whether because of the torrents drenching me or because of her I'll never be quite sure.

Anything for Madam.