Wow, my first not!fanfic ever posted. Amazing, isn't it?

Anyway, this is just a random short story that I wrote on a whim. It didn't come out the way I would have liked, but I suppose this will do for my first story here. I'd work on it more but it was written for Halloween, so I wanted it posted today.

Still, enjoy. And Happy Halloween!

For as long as I can remember, my mother and older sister Edith had a great fondness of scents. Much of our wealth was spent on the most extravagant perfumes sold by an old family friend, Mrs. Porter. However, as my sister grew older, she became bored with wearing nothing but Mrs. Porter’s perfume.

“William dear, I shall try something new today,” Edith confided in me one morning before going out into town.

That afternoon, she arrived back at our mansion positively reeking of vanilla. A maid followed behind her, sneezing and holding a small chest. My mother wrinkled her nose. “Mrs. Porter is selling a rather strong batch today,” Mother remarked.

“No, no, this isn’t one of her scents,” Edith said. “I got this from a Mrs. Sharp. She’s traveling the country selling her perfumes, and they’re the loveliest perfumes I’ve ever smelled. Oh, and look! She gave me a scent for each day of the week!”

She opened the chest and pulled out a small vial with the letter M engraved on it. It seemed to be emanating vanilla. Mother sighed.

“Whatever you wish Darling,” Mother said. “I, however, shall keep Mrs. Porter in business.”

“Oh, thank you Mama!” Edith exclaimed, embracing her. Edith then hurried upstairs to her bedroom; the maid followed, still sneezing. Mother and I exchanged glances.

“She’s old enough to start making her own decisions, I suppose,” Mother said. “Besides, it won’t do any harm.”

I nodded.

- - -

Indeed Edith had a scent for each day of the week. The next day, Tuesday, she smelled strongly of juniper. Wednesday, she smelled of roses, and Thursday’s scent was jasmine.

Friday morning my mother approached me.

“William, her perfume is beginning to upset my nose and stomach. I feel faint. Perhaps you can talk her into getting rid of her perfume?”

In accordance with my mother’s wishes, I went to my sisters room. After I knocked on the door and was given permission to enter, I stepped into her room and had a coughing fit; it smelled entirely of lavender. Edith was lounging on her bed and was wearing a lavender dress to match the scent. Noting Edith’s pale face and her slightly labored breathing, I said, “Edith, it seems that these scents are getting to you. You look ill.”

“I’m quite fine,” Edith said. She certainly didn’t sound fine.

“You don’t seem to be,” I told her. “Also, Mother says the smell makes her feel sick. It is quite strong.”

“That’s fine, I’ll just stay in here until Monday. Tell mother I’ll finish the week and then throw them out.”

“Shall I open a window for you?”

“Oh, yes.”

I pushed the windows wide open and a refreshing breeze drifted in.

“Thank you, William,” Edith said. “You can go now.”

So I left her room. I checked on her again the next day. The scent of citrus was now present, and Edith looked even more pale. After many assurances, I reluctantly left her.

Sunday morning I went downstairs to find my mother talking with a young man who had a panicked air about him. He merely nodded to me when he saw me.

“Good morning,” I greeted. I shot Mother an inquisitive look.

“He was just about to tell me why he’s here,” Mother said. “He says he has worrisome news.”

“Yes, yes, I do,” the man said. “A cousin of mine, she bought some perfumes from a lady calling herself Miss Lily. This was a month ago, you see, up northward. My cousin soon died.”

My mother expressed her sympathies.

“Thank you, Madam. Well, to make a long story short, Miss Lily disappeared. But yesterday, I and my other cousin, the deceased’s sister who was with her when she bought the perfume, saw a woman in town who was selling perfumes and my cousin flew into a frenzy. Said that woman sold death. And, well, some men surrounded the woman and questioned her. She said she‘s been calling herself Sharp and she‘s been selling poisoned perfume. She mentioned your daughter’s name and I came by as quickly as I could!”

My mother blanched and collapsed into a chair. “William, check on Edith,” she said faintly. I immediately bolted upstairs and burst into Edith’s room.

I didn't even have to bother looking at Edith. Not even the strong scent of chrysanthemums could mask the smell of death.