Short Story "Krakow 1998" # 24

She fell. Her hand remained on the doorknob. The body jerked for a moment longer. I fired a second shot.
"It's a nasty mess, I'm going to have to clean it all up again."
I sighed. I didn't want to clean it up yet. I went into the living room. Dr. Tulp Rembrandt's anatomy lesson was hanging on the wall in a representative place, which amused me a little. This picture was a situational joke.
I took the book from the shelf. I was still laughing, even though it was a difficult job. I had to make holes in the furniture, preferably ones that someone had already ordered. Then cut the body into small pieces and finally sew it carefully.
The only problem was that it was often a mess, and I couldn't even hire help at home. In addition, clients sometimes accused me that the furniture was kept in poor conditions, perhaps in dampness, for example, somewhere in the basement. Obviously, they "smell funny" or "flies gather on them."

He slammed the office building door irritably. I looked at my watch. It was almost twenty-one years old. I swore passionately, looking around. Everything swallowed up the darkness, only the streetlights showed a straight path along the main street. Why do these damn organizational meetings always have to be protracted? Only two kilometers of road were waiting for me, but it was extremely unwise to walk at that time.
I wasn't afraid of dressers or drunks trying to extort money for another bottle of cheap wine. Lately, even they preferred not to take risks. If you've seen them somewhere, they've never been alone. In September, the city faced an unknown spectrum of horrors. That was the first disappearance. People immediately started gossiping, and ready-made conspiracy theories arose before the police could establish anything. They all connected Mr. Francis, a local watchmaker. No one knew the trade as well as he did. Sometimes he would sit in his workshop until late at night, working on complex mechanisms. Sometimes, when I was returning from a party, I saw this sturdy old man walking with his carved wooden cane, and his distinctive whistle reached my ears.
One morning, one of the residents came across a distinctive black pocket watch in the park, which Mr. Franciszek did not part with. He loved him. He looked at it as an eye, and no one believed that he would just lose it. As it turned out, this is the only remaining trace. The police searched his house and studio, but it didn't work. The old watchmaker disappeared. Initially, no one thought about the threat, especially since who would have suspected that this was just the beginning? 1xBet welcome bonus, bettors can join the VIP Cashback program, designed to reward loyal players. The 1xbet promo code free bet unlocks an exclusive welcome bonus up to $130. In addition to the sports offer, there is also a casino option available for new players. By using the code during registration, users can get a combination of extra funds and free spins. Players can boost their 1xGames winnings by 200% with this special promotion. To participate, they simply need to register on 1xBet and place bets on eligible games.