The Curious Footwear of Seamus O'Malley: A tale told from the Village of Wicked Creek

By Amelia Quinn

A visitor passes through the Village of Wicked Creek looking for a fine new pair of shoes. Unfortunately for him, the locals don’t like visitors, and the town cobbler, Seamus O’Malley, has a deadly obsession with feet.

A man makes a stop from his travels to explore the Village of Wicked Creek, and stumbles upon O’Malley’s shop. He is impressed by the handcrafted shoes on display and orders a custom pair. After the man tries them on, he soon realizes the comfortable brogues are enchanted—and entrapping. He painfully struggles to escape before the cobbler collects his fare.

“The Curious Footwear of Seamus O’Malley” is the third installment of Universal Butterfly’s collaborative horror anthology, “The Village of Wicked Creek.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Universal Butterfly Publishing
• Release date: Aug 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781734070552

Book preview

Creek

1

I saw a man enter the Village of Wicked Creek; he appeared lost, but strolled with confidence and perfect posture down the cobblestones—his confusion was merely interest in the establishments. However, judging by his mannerisms and focus, one could tell by studying his eyes that he was looking for the services of something specific. Seamus O’Malley’s shop caught the man’s attention as he peeked in through the window, his hands shading his stare, preventing any reflections from disturbing his intrigue. The man needed a pair of better shoes and the only cobbler in town was his one choice.

The wooden door creaked as he pushed it open, and the small frame forced him to duck as he entered. Even after emerging in the shop, the ceiling was close to the top of his head. He wasn’t a tall man—average at best—but the building was old and designed with a smaller species in mind; before the introduction of the modern-evolved.

Hello? he asked, Is someone here who can help me? It was a quick demand; he didn’t have the look of an impatient man, but perhaps a certain level of service was expected from where he hailed. Anybody?

The door slammed shut behind him causing a brief stir in his emotions. He noticed a tiny wave of leaves passing by the window, assuring his mind that the wind was the culprit. The man continued to scan the shop; it was dim and cold, and the floor was uneven. Lanterns hung and candles lined rows of fine-crafted shoes on shelves. Despite the grime that his feet shuffled on below, there wasn’t a hint of dust on the leather as each pair shined in the flickering flames. The room was quiet other than the crackling of light, and the man studied each shoe with amazement. There wasn’t a pair identical to the next; loafers, boots, moccasins, and sandals filled the area to where there was barely enough room to maneuver. He lifted his finger to graze the fine craftsmanship, but the bang of a mallet striking wood distracted him. The man turned and noticed a small arch with an even smaller staircase that led to the lower part of the shop. A fire burned and the area shined.

The man suspected—and was surprised—someone actually managed the establishment. Finally, some service. He walked down the stairs, following the sound of the mallet, scrunching to a squat to fit through the entrance to the lower level. Excuse me? Hello?

A small round man—an exaggerated five feet in height—turned to the stranger. Hey there, lad, what can I do ya for? He lifted his flat cap and wiped the sweat off his balding head, red strands curling out from the sides and back after he secured his hat once again.

Yes, hello, I’m just passing through town and couldn’t help but notice the fine shoes you have on display.

"Well, thank ya. The name’s Seamus O’Malley. I can tell you’re not from around here; too much jump in your step and mischief