MicroHorror

The cauldron simmered gently, suspended by a thick chain over the glowing coals of a small fire. A red-faced hag with lank grey hair stirred the steaming contents, chuckling quietly to herself as she grabbed a handful of the herbs she’d grown specially, and tossed them into the brew.

Surrounded by a myriad of ingredients, she paused to read a yellowing parchment by the light of a full moon, before selecting the next item, a rotten apple, which was duly plopped in.

The woman’s cat mewed and she looked up to see it playing in the box of pig’s ears. She simply hissed through blackened teeth, sending the animal fleeing from the room.

The hag picked up the partly chewed ear and lowered it into the pot along with a handful of chicken’s feet. Leaning forward, she sniffed the steam that rose from the cauldron, and frowned. She looked around at the ingredients to hand and smiled as her one good eye fell on a box of slimy leeks. Three went into the unholy brew followed by the lips of a long-dead cow and the brains of half a dozen rats.

With her wooden spoon the hag scooped up a portion of the liquid, brought it to her lips and tasted. She began coughing violently and immediately spat it back into the pot.

Dissatisfied, she scanned the room and spotted the cat again, this time playing amongst the sheep’s lungs. She shooed the animal once more and, choosing the organ it had been sitting on, lobbed it into the mix.

It was then the ringing started. The old crone stopped, pulled a mobile from her pocket and said as sweetly as possible, “Aunt Betty’s Handmade Sausages, how can I help?”