Warning, the following chapter contains grotesque imagery. Viewer discretion is advised.

I go into the alley behind the bakery only to find it swarming with police. "Oh hey Brandon," Jeffrey smiles, "good to see you."

"Dude can this wait?" I ask, "this is bad for business."

"This is The Muffin Man we're talking about," Jeffrey replies, "time is of the essence!"

"Jeff!" One of the other cops calls, "you may wanna see this!"

Jeffrey walks over to the other cop, and after seeing whatever he sees, he vomits in disgust. He walks back to me, wiping off his mouth.

"Ugh," he mumbles, "damn. Ruined my uniform. Never had the stomach for gore, but you know how it is."

Yeah, he couldn't handle blood, not since that day... "Yeah," I reply, "what exactly was it that you saw other there?"

"See for yourself," Jeffrey replies. He lifts the police tape, and shows me to the body. The entire torso so hollowed out and filled with a crimson mush. The smell is absolutely nauseating. I'm forced to turn away and breath through my mouth.

"What is this mush?" I ask.

"A week ago," Jeffrey explains, "all thirteen of the muffins gathered from the recent murders as evidence were stolen. Looks like he ground then up and-"

Jeffrey vomits again. "Maybe you should head on home Jeff," suggests Mary, a detective with short brown hair, a tall, slightly muscular build, and blue eyes.

"I have to catch this guy," Jeffrey explains, "we both know why."

"I understand," Mary replies, "but don't kill yourself doing it. And you, you should go, you aren't technically supposed to be behind the tape."

"I understand," I reply, "see you guys." I leave the crime scene. Guess I'll close up shop early today. I lock up the bakery. Wait, thirteen, baking, thirteen is a baker's dozen! This can't be a coincidence. I go to tell Jeffrey, but when I return to the crime scene I learn that Jeffrey had to be driven home by Mary after his sick stomach over took him. Well shit, but there's always tomorrow.

I begin to walk home, enjoying the warm, fresh Spring air. It's fairly cloudy though, so I wouldn't exactly call it peaceful, but not quite unnerving either, just, normal.

The clouds overhead grow greyer as I walk, creating an odd sense of dread, expessialy after what I just saw. I near my house, only to be stopped by a man in a red rain jacket that hides his appearance.

It's the moment when I see him that rain starts pouring from the sky. "Are you Brandon?" The man asks.

"Yeah," I reply, "how can I help you?"

"An order for your bakery," the man explains, "details are in the envelope."

The man hands me an envelope and disappears into the storm. I open it. It reads,

"Order: One baker's dozen of double cooked crimson cupcakes.

Ingredients: One torso of ground crimson muffins, sugar, the usual.

Deliver To: I'll pick it up.

Needed By: Midnight tonight.

Offer: Your brother won't be next.

Sincerely: The Muffin Man"

My brother? He's gonna hurt Jeffrey! So he hid the corpse behind the bakery so I'd fill his order? I gotta get down there before the cops take it!

I dash through the rain to the bakery...