Seriously Weird: The Smell of Love

"Something aah, well... something?"

"Exotic? Is that the word you were looking for?" she said. She had both her bony hands on the edge of the table, folded over each other, and she turned her head to look up at me like she wanted it to fall off.

"Do you know where I can get some?"

"Yes, but it will be expensive."

"How much?"

"Too much for a young whippersnapper like you to pay!" she laughed. Her voice was high and squeaky, "But I'll tell you what I'll do!"

She leaned back and pulled her grubby red shawl straight.

"I'll give you the most exotic perfume in the whole world, if you'll pay the price to me?"

What's that?" I asked cautiously.

She leaned forward again. Her hands were like skeleton's hands, with thin, brown skin stretched over them.

"Every drop you take, gives me a bit off my age!" she hissed.

"Your age?" I was utterly confused.

"Yes, age!" she said again, with her small, bright eyes up close to my face.

"I don't understand?" I stammered.

"Its really very simple," said the junk lady, "I give you some perfume, but drop by drop, you give me your youth."

I was already backing away.

"No thanks!" I said.

I ran all the way home, but as I tore down the street she called to me, and I heard what she said before I was too far away.

"I'll be here all night, should you change your mind!"

Her high pitched voice rang in my head like a horrible echo, long after I had shut my bedroom door and flung myself, panting, across the bed.