Swamp Tale Draft 2

Oh tonight was going so wonderfully!  I found the remains of a lion in the swamp today, the bones were just jutting out of the ground near a lake not too far from my shack and at first I thought they were just pretty ivory stones.  The skull is beautifully intact, aside from all the slime and dirt on it, and the missing pieces of bone that is.  But nonetheless, the skull of a lion!  But now here I am, stuck with Herbert, my customer and Abitibi, my small fairy friend.  And before us was the gaping maw of the lion skull, ready to tear us apart.
	Now before this unfortunate event occurred, it was still dusk outside.  I had just placed the lion’s skull upon my work table and with my tools all set, I began the cleaning process.  Abitibi was buzzing about the room, trying to wait for a moment when my back was turned so she could get a taste of the skull.  It was then I heard a loud knocking on my shack door that almost made me scuff the skull’s eye socket.   Withholding my urge to bury the sharp end of my sickle onto the visitor, I opened the door to find Herbert.
	“Ah, good evening Maeva,” Herbert said in his worst attempt at a suave voice, “how is my dear swamp flower this evening?”
	“Oh cripes, Herbert,” I said, hiding my sickle behind my back, “you know it’s dangerous around these parts, why are you here?”
	Herbert was a rookie police officer in the nearby city of Hesdoh.  He was always goofing off on his responsibilities but as luck would have it, Hesdoh doesn’t do a good job of monitoring their law enforcement.  Despite his perverse behavior, his job paid well and from time to time he would come visit me for a little “jaunt”.  It was really no trouble for me; he pays me enough to help me buy some supplies from the local markets and I let him breach the veil between my legs.  He doesn’t last long but good things tend to never last forever.
	“You never told me you moved away my dear,” Herbert said with a smile that made me wish he knew personal hygiene existed, “though I can’t complain, a change of setting can always help the mood!”
	“Sorry Herbert,” I said, tossing my sickle to a nearby table, “but I’m quite busy tonight and secondly I’m not always open to spread my legs as I used to.”
	Herbert frowned, “Aw what? Does that mean you left that life behind you? Did some brute finally humiliate you? Oh no, it was me wasn’t it? I know my tastes were a bit too awkward-“
	“HERBERT!” I yelled with a stomp to get his attention, “I am trying to focus on my craft! I didn’t say I was completely done with my prior ‘career’ but I don’t have as much time to fool around.”  He sighed and with a defeated shrug, Herbert began to walk away.
	“I suppose this was bound to happen,” Hebert spoke as he walked away, “Everybody is just moving up in the world…”  Even if he was a dumb pervert, Herb never really had many friends.  Hesdoh’s police force has been notorious for their crooked activity and I know Herb didn’t want anything to do with it.  When he came to the bordello I worked at years ago, he was different.  Nervous and a bit frightened, but clearly a lonely man.  I mean sure, any client that came through those doors was certainly feeling lonely but this young officer; I could tell he needed someone beyond just pleasure.  I guess I was lonely at the time too.  My co-workers weren’t bad but I could never really fit in, I just felt like a pauper in a court of princesses. So even if he didn’t have as much at the start, I took him into my services.  It was quite an intense night, to see a man let go of all those pent up emotions.  In a strange way, we connected a bit more.  After that, he started being more confident and became the man I know today.
	“Are you alright?” I heard Herbert speak. I shook my head realizing I was just gazing off.
	“Er, it’s nothing! Um…well why don’t you come in to help? A few spare hands with this experiment would help.”  I didn’t really need any more help but considering he came this far…
	“Oh! You mean I can help with some magic?” Herbert’s eyes lit up so brightly it almost rivaled a puppy’s.  “Fantastic! I always wanted to give it a go!”
	He quickly went inside and began to look around.  “Uh…wow! Quite the place you have here…” Herbert said, clearly trying to hold back his disgust.  Well I never was the tidy one, the shack was packed with dusty tomes I had yet to touch and scraps of meals that I had yet to dispose.  Abitibi insisted I keep them since she needed something to eat but the damn fly takes forever to finish anything.
	“Yep, home sweet home! Listen, don’t mind the mess, just follow me to the kitchen.”  Despite my insistence, I still had to pull him by the arm.  In the kitchen, we found Abitibi licking the skull hungrily, like she hadn’t had a meal in weeks.
	“Gah! Stay back Maeva, I got this little-“ Herbert brandished his revolver from his side.  Abitibi let out a loud buzz and got on all fours, ready to fight! But I wasn’t having any of that nonsense tonight.
	“You oaf, she’s with me! Put that thing away!” But Herbert’s gun still went off, the bullet missing its mark and hitting the table.  Abitibi was too fast for him and went straight for his face, gnashing and clawing away at Herbert’s face.  I grabbed Abitibi by her wings and gave a slap on top of Herbert’s head, “The both of you knock it off! Abby, you were not supposed to touch that skull you idiot! And Herbert put that gun away!”
	I set Abitibi outside so she should leave us be for the moment.  Herbert was inspecting his face in the mirror feverishly.  “Black fly fairies,” I said “infamous for their appetite but I say they’re nothing more than spoiled children. Don’t worry I’m sure she hasn’t laid any eggs in your face.”  I tried to hold back a laugh when I said that.  Poor Herbert still couldn’t keep his gaze away from the mirror.