Chapter 4 – Chap 4

So by this point, I’m pretty sure you guys have a pretty good grasp on what King Creole is like as a boss. He’s creepy, and a murderer by most definition of the law. Right? I mean the button eyes and sewn up mouth should’ve been a dead giveaway to that.

Well, he has ways of surprising you. Like some pointed out, he defended me during the robbery and the runaway convict situation. That alone sorta tipped the scales to him being pretty alright. Well. Something happened a few days ago, that really changed my perspective on him.

It was a lazy Saturday. I was leaning back on my newly upgraded rocking chair! That’s right folks, no more crappy tool. Old buddy boy Travis has a rocking chair now! Take that desk jockeys! Anyway, I was rocking on the chair, enjoying how good it felt to have back support when the rusty door bell rang. I looked over at the door and saw nobody there. Odd, but not out of the ordinary in this place. Figured it was some ghost or something.

Until I heard the sounds of tiny straining, and a little hand came up from the other side of the counter. I raised my brow at that. And quickly looked to the wall of voodoo dolls. Had one escaped again? I thought to myself. But my train of thought was derailed when a childlike voice pulled my attention back over.

“E-excuse me?” The voice asked. Innocent and just a little shy. I stood up from my rocking chair and looked over the counter to see a little girl standing there by herself. She looked to be about in second or even first grade. Her little hands quickly went behind her back when she looked up at me.

“Uh, hello little girl. Are you lost?” I asked her, looking around the shop for any sign of a parental figure. Didn’t take me too long considering how small this place is.

“I want a wish.” She said softly, looking up at me and giving a soft pout. The kind, a kid gives when they expect the answer to be no, but they still wanna shoot their shot.

“Uh, oh. Um. Let me go get my boss okay?” I said to her. I wasn’t exactly trained to handle children, much less one looking to ask for a wish. And having seen my fair share of wishes in this place I almost wanted to talk her out of it. But a job is a job. Turning to go to Creole’s office I was surprised to see him already leaving it.

“Ah, Travis my boy.” He said with a hum. Pulling on his suit to straighten it out and patting some dust off of it. “I need you to watch the shop while I-” He began to say, but his button eyes quickly turned to see the little girl standing at the counter. Who was too busy looking up at the wall of voodoo dolls to notice us. “Well, I’ll be.” He said, in a bewildered voice.

“Yea. She came in here asking for a wish. I was just about to come and get you.” I explained, looking back over to the mystery girl. She was busy looking wide-eyed at all the dolls available. It was like she’d never seen a toy before.

“A wish huh?” He asked with a hum. Walking over to the little girl and clearing his throat. “Oh, little Miss Olivia?” He asked, bending down to his knees to get on her level.

The little girl turned around and to my surprise didn’t flinch at all at King Creole’s appearance. In fact, she had stars in her eyes when she saw him. “Are you the wish man?” She asked quickly and excitedly.

“Why, I do believe I am.” He responded after a chuckle and a smile. This smile was different than the one he usually wore. His normal smile always gave off an air of creepy judgment. Like someone knowing the person they were talking to was inferior. But his smile this time seemed genuine.

“Can you grant me a wish?” The girl, named Olivia as you read before, asked quietly. Looking up to the voodoo man with all the passion a girl at her age could have. Hell, I wanted to grant her a wish just from that!

“I’m afraid. You’re too young darlin. I can’t in good conscience grant you a wish.” Creole said sadly. Taking off his hat as if in silent apology. You could see Olvia’s heartbreak clear on her face. She drooped like a dying flower immediately. Her arms behind her back coming to the surface. And that’s when I noticed all the bruises on them.

Creole saw them as well. His attention turned to it and he took the girl by the arm. Gently lifting her tiny pale and bruised arm up and looking at her. “Who did this to you?” He asked softly.

Olivia looked like she was holding back the flood gates. And they finally broke as she started crying and hiccuping. Using her free arm to wipe her face as she cried. But she managed to blurt out an answer to Creole. “My mommy.”

As if on cue, the front door slammed open. Nearly breaking a shelf near it as a woman came into the shop. I could tell she was Olivia’s mother by the resemblance of her to her crying daughter. “Olivia. What in the hell are you doing in this place?” She demanded to know. Coming over with a look of rage on her face.

“Wow, wow. Calm down there darling. Little Miss Olivia was simply asking for a wish was all.” Creole said, springing up and quickly pushing Olivia behind him. I acted as well, motioning for the girl to come over to be behind the counter. She reacted accordingly, coming over to me and hugging my pants leg.

“She shouldn’t have left where I told her to stay!.” The woman spat in my boss’s face. I could smell the alcohol on her from here. Figures. “I’m not paying for whatever she asked for. Olivia, get your ass over here and get in the car!” She screamed in my direction. I reached a hand down and patted the girl’s head as she shivered violently against me.

“I assure you, ma’am. You don’t have to pay for anything.” Creole hummed, holding his hands up defensively against the woman’s gabs and accusations. “Why all she asked for was a doll. And I’m mighty inclined to get her one.” He hummed, fixing his tie as she walked past the angry mother. He walked over to the wall of Voodoo dolls and hummed as he looked up at the wall. Pointing his finger out as if to try and find the right one, and snapping when he found it.

Reaching out he took the correct doll and brushed it off. Blowing on it and sending the dust in the mother’s face. Sending her on a coughing fit. I smiled at that, seeing my boss stand up for this poor girl.

“Miss Olivia?” He asked her, as he walked over and past the sputtering mother. He once again got down on her level and revealed the doll to her. It was a small one, about the size of my forearm. It was dressed in a black Victorian gown and had the hair to match. Along with the button eyes of all the dolls, we had in the store.

Olivia, pulling herself away from my leg looked at the doll with awe. Sniffling as she held both her bruised arms out. King Creole carefully gave her the doll and smiled as she looked at it. Brushing the doll’s hair and quickly giving it a hug. “Thank you.” She said softly. Clinging to the item as she walked away from the counter and to her mother.

“That thing better not have any fleas.” She hissed, turning and grabbing Olvia’s little arm and yanking her along. Olivia gave one last forlorn look as she was dragged away. The sad rusty bell jingling as they both left.

I looked over to my boss, who was clearly as upset as I was. That scene was more difficult for me than all the bad wishes I’ve ever seen working here. Because of how hopeless it all seemed. As if reading my mind, Creole put his hand on my shoulder and forced my gaze to look into his button eyes.

“She’ll be fine, son. I assure you of that.” He said, nodding to me and tussling my hair. Sighing as he let me go and started back to his office. The thing in the door banging as he walked past it, causing him to freeze in place. He looked to the door with a clenched fist and smashed his fist against it. “Shut up! You’re never leaving that place!” He screamed at the door. His mouth wide as he gritted his teeth. A few of his stitches ripped, causing him to cover his mouth and walk over to his office. Slamming the door with a loud slam. Leaving me alone with the uneasy feeling of being all alone in the shop.

The rest of the day was hard to get through. All I could think about was poor Olivia and her mother. I sighed and sat back in my rocking chair. Not much I could do. I didn’t know her last name so I couldn’t report her to CPS. So I resigned myself to listen to King Creole, who has never steered me wrong. Only two other customers came in that day, and all they wanted was a wart removal potion and a heart attack potion. Don’t ask.

As I unpinned my pin from the doll on the counter, I looked over to Creole’s office. Walking over to it I knocked three times. Not hearing anything from inside, I opened the door and poked my head inside. Seeing Creole at his desk sewing a doll at his office. Obviously lost in whatever thoughts were dancing around in that head of his.

“Sir? I’m gonna head home.” I said, breaking his concentration and he lifted his head to look up at me. He looked confused for a second, before looking over to the clock on his wall and nodding seemingly realizing what the time was.

“Right. Yes. See you tomorrow, Travis.” He said like a robot. He turned back to the doll he was sewing and said nothing more to me. I nodded and turned to leave, letting the door to his office close behind me. Walking away from his office I stopped at the basement door. Reaching into my pocket and pulling out that single shard of porcelain I’d kept all this time. I rubbed my finger over it and looked to the door.

“Please…let me out.” The voice of a woman came from behind the door. No pounding this time, just a soft and desperate voice of a woman. She had a southern accent, but it sounded far away, like if she was talking to me from a hallway.

I didn’t answer. All I did was place the shard of porcelain at the foot door and slowly pushed it underneath the crack. Turning and leaving for the day. I got home and hugged my mom. Just to thank whatever being is out there for giving me loving parents.

The next day I still had Olivia in my mind, but I mostly resigned myself to just get through another day of work. Walking into the shop I saw King Creole standing at the counter. An amused look on his pale face. His smile only grew as I got closer.

“Good morning, sir.” I said that look he was giving me, giving me a sharp chill up my spine.

“Travis, my boy. Did you try sneaking this underneath the door?” He asked as sweetly as honey. Lifting up the shard of porcelain I had tried to sneak under the door. I audibly swallowed and nodded.

“I-I was just trying to. I-I don’t know, I thought.” I stammered, trying to give him the reasoning behind my apparent crime.

“Travis, Travis, Travis.” He tsked, walking out from behind the counter and walking close to me. He grabbed me by the collar and pulled me up close to him, his smile turning into a scowl that turned my blood into ice. “Don’t ever, fucking give her anything. Am I understood?” He growled, his yellow teeth sharpening as he spoke.I almost shit and pissed myself at his demeanor. I quickly nodded, shivering as hard as a human could. “Yes, sir! I promise.” I stuttered out. Breathing hard once he released me. His smile returning and his teeth going back to normal.

“Wonderful! Now you better clock in. I’m expecting a very fun appointment today.” He hummed spinning around on his heels and walking to his office. Walking past the basement door and into his office and letting the door close behind him.

Huffing hard, I walked to my rocking chair and sat myself down. Stabbing the doll in the head and rubbing my face hard. Last time I would ever try to even look at that basement door if that’s how he reacted to my just returning something to it. Pulling my phone out, I used it to get my mind off what had just happened.

Maybe an hour or two into my shift, my phone usage was interrupted by the front door flying open. The rusty bell nearly flew off from its place as the door swung open and shut afterward. I looked up and dropped my phone when I saw it was Olivia’s mom. Although she looked a little..paler. Her skin looked like Creole’s skin.

“What the fuck did you give her?!” She shouted as she stumbled to the counter, hacking and coughing violently. Collapsing onto her knees just near me, and looking up at me. Sending me flying back further from my chair. She had one eye dangling from its socket and the other one looked like it was made of milk chocolate and starting to melt. She clawed her nails into the counter and pulled herself up. Feeling around and grabbing my arm and pulling me close to her.

“I-I don’t know man! I just work here!” Was all I could offer the woman, trying to get away from her as her one eye fell out with a gross sounding plop. She recoiled and stumbled backward, gasping, and coughing. White puffy stuff coming out of her mouth and falling to the floor. I knew what it was instantly. It was doll stuffing.

“Goodness. You’re early.” Creole’s cheery voice came. I turned to see he was standing in his office door. He strode his way over to the woman and grabbed her by her hair, pulling it upwards so he could look into her eye sockets. “Now dear. We can’t have you losing your stuffing!” He chuckled, producing some thread and a needle.

“What the fuck did you do to me!” She shouted, shoving him away, and trying to stumble away. Only for her leg to buckle underneath her, like a fucking accordion. Humans aren’t meant to bend that way if you didn’t know.

“Dear me! You’re changing much faster than I first thought you would.” Creole chuckled, grabbing the woman again and yanking her up. I was in shock at all this, by this point, the woman’s skin looked like one of the dolls we sell. That’s when it clicked for me. She was turning into a doll.

“Sir?” I spoke up, flinching when Creole slammed the woman onto my counter and started sewing her mouth shut, despite the woman’s thrashing and quickly impinging appendages. He looked over to me with a quizzical look and smiled.

“Be a good boy and hold her down, Travis?” He asked with a chuckle. Continuing to sew her mouth up. I looked to her and swallowed as I walked forward and quickly gripped her arms. Already feeling that there was not an ounce of bone left in them. All I could feel was doll stuffing. I closed my eyes as I held her down.

I’m not proud of this moment.

When he was finished and finally allowed me to let go, King Creole gave her the finishing touches. Sewing buttons into her empty eye sockets and smiling as he wiped his gloved hands clean. “Her present is all done! Just gotta wait for her to shrink.” He chuckled, looking at me with an excited smile.I gave him a confused look, my eyes wandering down to the body. It was dead still, and looking very much like she belonged in the morgue. The more I looked though, the more I realized that she was shrinking. Inch by inch.

Well. At least I know where at least some of the voodoo dolls come from now.

I was left in charge of the doll while I waited for this mystery guest of his. I already had an inkling who it was for, but with King Creole, you never know what to expect. I sat and watched as this fully grown woman shrunk down to the size of a child, then a toddler. Then to the size of my forearm. And she was a doll, through and through. I lifted her up and looked at her, waggled her around, and finally left her on the counter.

When the door opened again, the first thing I saw was a woman in a victorian style dress coming close to me. Her hands clasped in front of her and looking at me with a warm and motherly smile.

“Good day shopkeep. I do believe my daughter would like to speak with you.” She asked in a soft British accent. I looked at her, my jaw hitting the floor. She was the doll. The doll that King Creole had given Olivia.

As if to reinforce this point a tiny hand came up to pull on the big black dress. The woman looked down and smiled, leaning down and lifting up the thing the tiny arm was attached to. “Where’s Mr. King Creole?” Olivia asked with her big old happy eyes.

I looked at her and then at this woman who just yesterday had been a doll. Looking back at Olivia I opened my mouth to say something, but I was quickly cut off by Creole’s office door opening and the voodoo man smiled so much I thought he’s bust a stitch.

“My darling, Olivia! How are you?” He asked this like Olivia was a friend he hadn’t seen in forever.

At his voice, Olivia smiled as wide as him, and the woman put her down. Letting her run-up to my boss and giving his legs a hug. “Thank you so much for my new mommy!” She hummed, nuzzling her face into him.

He chuckled and knelt down a bit, patting her head and motioning me to come over. I took the doll off the counter and came over. Getting on my knees with an old man grunt and handing the doll to Olivia. She gasped and happily accepted it. Wrapping her tiny arms around it and thanking Creole a million times.

When all was said and done, Olivia said her goodbyes, and her new mother took her by the hand and led her out the door. This new mother turning around and waving goodbye to us and over to the voodoo dolls. Who all waved back.

“I do love happy endings.” Creole sighed, taking his hat off and rubbing his messy black hair. Turning to me and raising a brow to my obvious uncomfortableness over the whole situation. “Don’t worry, son. She’s in the best possible hands.” He said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

“Sir. How come you didn’t hurt her?” I asked. Going back to all the times he’d caused horrible things to happen to anybody seemingly needing his help. He looked at me like I’d spoken Chinese at him.

“Son. My momma always said, help those that truly need it. Can you stand there and tell me she didn’t need our help?” He asked. Patting my shoulder and heading over to his office. Leaving me with that train of thought for the rest of the day as I washed away all the blood left over from the old mother.

King Creole is a strange man. He went from wanting to kill me for going near the basement door, to hugging a child that he had saved from an abusive mother. I still deal with the back and forth of his personality. I don’t think I will ever understand him.And I don’t ever expect to. All I want to know is, what is in the basement that causes him so much rage?