Whispers of the Butcher's Bench

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale, eerie glow over the dilapidated buildings of the forgotten town of Eldridge. The Meat Market stood at the town's edge, a sprawling building with weathered wooden signs advertising "Fresh Meat Daily." To the townsfolk, it was just another place to gather, a place to barter and trade, but the market's true nature was shrouded in silence and shadows.

One fateful evening, a young woman named Eliza, driven by a curious nature and a hint of danger, ventured into the Meat Market after dark. The streets were quiet, save for the occasional distant bark of a dog, and the only light came from the flickering gas lamps that hung above the entrance.

As Eliza pushed open the heavy wooden door, the sound of a saw slicing through flesh echoed through the air. She stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. The market was a labyrinth of wooden stalls, each with a sign advertising the type of meat for sale: beef, pork, and, curiously, "Game Meat."

She approached the largest stall, where a man with a thick, scarred face sat behind a large wooden counter, his eyes never leaving the task at hand. He was trimming a deer's hide, his hands moving with a practiced ease. Eliza noticed a small, carved figure of a man holding a knife, standing on the counter beside the man.

"Good evening," she called out, her voice echoing in the empty market. The man looked up, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want?" he grunted.

Eliza took a deep breath. "I'm just curious. What's with the carved figure?"

The man chuckled darkly, a sound that sent a shiver down her spine. "That's the butcher's mark. Every piece of meat in this market bears it. You know, we have a little secret here, Eliza. It's not just meat we sell."

Her heart raced. "What do you mean?"

The man stood, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Come with me, and I'll show you."

He led her to the back of the market, where a door stood ajar. The air was thick with the scent of blood and decay. Eliza hesitated, but the man's grip on her arm was firm.

"Inside," he hissed.

The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with the bones of animals, and a single table with a covered cloth on top. The man pulled back the cloth, revealing a human face with a gaping maw. Eliza gasped, her mind racing to comprehend the horror before her.

"This is the heart of our business," the man said, his voice a mixture of pride and madness. "We provide more than just sustenance. We provide the ultimate feast."

Eliza's mind was racing. "You... you're a cannibal."

The man nodded, a twisted smile playing on his lips. "And you've become our latest delicacy."

Suddenly, the door slammed shut, and Eliza was thrown to the ground. She scrambled to her feet, but the man was already upon her, his knife gleaming in the dim light.

"No," she screamed, her voice filled with terror.

The man's knife found its mark, and Eliza's world turned to darkness.

In the morning, the townsfolk found her body, still clutching the carved figure of the man with the knife. The Meat Market closed that day, and Eldridge was never the same.

The townsfolk spoke of the Nightly Menace, the butcher who fed on the flesh of the living, and the whispers of the butcher's bench that could be heard on the darkest nights.

As the years passed, the Meat Market remained abandoned, its windows shattered, and its doors locked tight. But those who dared to venture near could still hear the faint sound of chopping and laughter, as if the Nightly Menace were still at work, feeding on the shadows.