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Baked With Love

You stand in front of the bakery, the calm in the center of a roiling crowd. People walk past with pastries in their hands and discuss whatever trivial things cross their minds. You feel your stomach twist painfully, bile rising and coating your tongue. Covering your mouth, you fight the urge to gag.

You knew something they didn't. Something you learned last night that makes your skin crawl even now.

Your footsteps echoed off the brick walls and out into the silence of the night. With a cloak of shadows surrounding you and the sound of up-tempo music blasting into your ears, you didn't realize that you had walked all the way across town until you noticed Granny's Bakery. Vacant and hollowed out, the haunting building seemed o draw you towards its dark windows. 

You removed your headphones and paused your song as you approached the bakery. With a quick glance around at the lifeless streets, you turn back to the window as your heart raced. As you went to peer inside, the sudden crash sounded from the alley, followed by the sound of what you thought was a wounded dog.

Jerking back, you turned to the alley and worried at your lower lip. You tip-toed towards the entrance of the alley on shaking legs, knees weak and palms clammy as you peered around the corner.

Blood. Blood and flayed flesh. Blood and flayed flesh what looked like the skin of some animal hanging from the fingertips of a scrawny male figure. Blood and flayed flesh and the skin of some animal and a white leather collar splattered in more blood and a tag that read 'Maisie Lou'.

You gagged as you remembered a young girl showing off a missing pet poster just yesterday. A golden retriever puppy named Maisie Lou who had gotten off her leash and ran away that weekend.

You froze, horrified as you watched this man cut off slivers of meat and place it into freezer bags labeled 'Strawberry Preserve'. You then watch as he starts hammering into it with a mallet, turning it into a pulp.

Quickly realizing what was going on, you watched in growing disgust and horror as the man walked into Granny's Bakery with the strawberry preserve.

After that, you ran home and only stopped once to lose the remnants of your dinner on the side of the road. That is what led you back here this morning.

Standing in front of the building today, in the light of morning, Granny's Bakery looks warm and inviting. However, last night you had witnessed the truth behind the little shop. When the sickeningly sweet scent of warm pastries hits your nose, you are now able to identify the source of the slight undertones of iron. 

Watching Wesley walk past, chattering with Sunny as he ate a jelly-filled donut, you feel your stomach heave. You turn away, holding your breath to try to stop your gag reflexes before you empty you're already barren stomach.

The red dyes his skin like blood. It's possible it is blood. You feel sick once more and hurry away from Granny's Bakery.

You decide perhaps it would be best to avoid sweets for a bit.