Olfactory Apothecary
written by: Ellen Townsend
“We offer a bespoke service of aromas, made as you wait,” the perfumer said, gesturing towards bottles behind the glossy counter.
“Anything you want. Fresh grass, cherry blossoms, dewdrops, gingerbread, coffee. Baby scent is a popular choice.”
“Do you do cheesy feet and BO?” Gill asked.
The perfumer’s eyes widened for a second. “Yes, what strength would you prefer? One being mildly unpleasant, ten being a stench so foul and nauseating no one can be near you?”
“A hundred if possible.”
“I understand, ready in ten minutes.”
Gill sat and exhaled slowly. She had warned him further infidelity would cost him. She smiled; shame he had no sense of smell.
Ellen Townsend is an art teacher from the UK and loves hiking and writing short fiction. Her work has appeared in Flash Fiction Magazine, Fairfield Scribes, Short Beasts, Friday Flash Fiction, 50-Word Stories and Paragraph Planet. Her stories have been broadcast on BBC Radio.
Latest posts by Ellen Townsend (see all)
- Olfactory Apothecary - January 28, 2026
- The Best View - October 12, 2025
