Short, sweet or scary

A bargain

I am a parsimonious person. I like my things to be cheap. I'll not spend a dime more than necessary.

Unfortunately, I have a rather peculiar taste. So I hunt for bargains, and I have got a nose for it. My radar is set at getting stuff for a good price because I am patient, I look around carefully, and I don't do impulse buying.

This time was different.

I found myself in a small shop with the illustrious name: Bargain Hunt 2.0.

There was nobody in the shop but me. A dark and gloomy room of twenty by twenty with shelves at either side, in the middle a few cupboards to separate the different spaces. Books, clothing, memorabilia of all sorts, knick-knacks.

A soon as I entered, my eyes adjusted and focussed immediately on one of the cupboards in the middle.

My breathing changed suddenly.

A red-painted Chinese bridal cupboard with black handles. Old, I could tell, and my heart made a jump. I wanted a Chinese bridal cupboard for as long as I could remember.

Slowly I made my way towards the cupboard. As I touched its wooden surface, there was a feeling of recognition, of belonging.

I knew this cupboard, I had dreamed about it, I wanted it. It was mine.

The price tag said seventy-five.

With both hands, I slowly opened the two doors—a squicking sound in the silent shop. A wave of different odors entered my nose. Wood, cinnamon, pepper, strawberries. Exotic, intoxicating.

I closed the door. With a click, it never opened again.

That day a Mr. Woodhouse closed up his shop and left for 6 months to India.

Somewhere in the vicinity of his shop, a missing person's file was admitted.

WC: 292
Prompt: a missing person