Draft of chapter of a fanfiction I am working on

Below is a draft to a chapter of a Little Shop of Horrors fan fiction I am collaborating on with a person on my fan fiction website who goes by the pen name Star's Snowflake. To read to complete fan fic which is still in progress go to http://fanfiction.net/~showtunediva
Coming Clean


Disclaimer: Neither Star’s Snowflake nor I own the rights to any characters or settings from Little Shop of Horrors. The only character we have created on our own is Mr. Smederick.



Audrey was shaken by the scene she had seen with Mr. Smederick and couldn’t believe that Mr. Mushnik would even consider feeding Seymour to Audrey II especially after how Seymour had saved his life. She took a day off from work because she felt she could not effectively focus on her tasks at work. The phone rang at about 2:30. Ronette was on the other end.
“Hey girl.. I stopped by the store at around noon to ask you if you wanted to go out tonight to go dancing. Are you doing alright?”

“Not really. However, I wouldn’t mind going out tonight. It might help me get my mind off things.”

“Why, did you and Seymour get in a fight or something?

“No, it’s nothing like that. Mr. Smederick and I were spying on Mr. Mushnik last night when he was feeding Audrey II and he way saying something about feeding Seymour to it.”

Ronette noticed by the tone on her friend’s voice that she sounded somewhat hysterical and was shocked to hear about this allegation.
“Calm down Audrey, you’re not thinking straight. You were probably imagining things.”
“No, I wasn’t imagining things. Mr. Smederick is my witness. He heard Mr. Mushnik say those awful things too. Seymour wasn’t too off base when he said the plant fed off of human blood.”
“So you weren’t at work today because you didn’t think you would be able to focus because you were too freaked out?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to talk to Seymour about it?”
“Yeah. Mr. Smederick said he’d talk to Mr. Mushnik about it too”
“Do you really think Mr. Mushnik would feed Seymour to Audrey II after how he saved his life?”
Audrey remembered Seymour telling the heroic story about how he had saved Mr. Mushnik from being eaten by the Audrey II.
“I honestly don’t know if I can trust Mr. Mushnik. The whole plot of killing off the Audrey II seems strange to begin with”
“Well, talk to Seymour about it and then call me back or talk to me about it tonight.”
“Okay. What time will you guys be picking me up?”
“Around 7.”
“Okay see you then.” Audrey hung up the phone. She was slightly less nervous about confronting Seymour about was bothering her now that she had talked to Ronette.

Ding Dong!

‘I wonder who that could be.’ Audrey thought.

As if by some ironic fate Seymour was at her door step.

“Hey baby. I missed you at work today. Are you alright?”

Audrey ushered her boyfriend inside. “Not really. We need to talk.”
“Yes we do. About Audrey II.”
Audrey felt as if Seymour read her every thought. “Can I get you some water?”
“Sure.”
Audrey went into the kitchen and poured two classes of water.

“Audrey, I am having second thoughts about killing the Audrey II.”

“How come?”

“Well as dangerous as it is to keep the plant alive. I feel it be more risky to kill it. I mean look at how good the store has been doing. We’ve been racking in the dough.”

Audrey bristled.

“What about the safety of the general public? I thought you were concerned about that and about my safety too?”

Seymour had not intended to start a fight with his girlfriend. “Well yes, our safety is very important but so are our jobs.”

“Which do you think is more important? Safety or money?”

Seymour was wondering where this conversation was going to lead.

“Why what’s going on?”

Seymour noticed that Audrey had a very grim look on her face. She was silent for a good fifteen minutes while she gathered her thoughts.
“Mr. Smederick and I were were spying on Mr. Mushnik last night.”

“Spying?”
“Yes. Spying”

And what exactly did you see or hear?”

“That Mr. Mushmik was going to feed you to Audrey II.”

A wave of emotions came crashing down on Seymour. He didn’t know which one to feel first.
“Are you positively sure he said that? Maybe you were imagining things.”

Audrey could not believe that Seymour had the exact same reaction to this information as Ronette had and had even more trouble believing that her own boyfriend didn’t seem to trust her.

“Mr. Smederick is my witness. He was standing there right next to me. Oh Seymour, what are we going to do? “

Seymour could see his girlfriend was in a state of emotional distress so he pulled her into his arms and rocked her.

“Audrey I know you’re scared. I think I am too, but don’t be afraid we’ll get through this.”

Seymour vowed to himself to straighten out this situation for Audrey’s sake and his own even if it meant potentially losing his job.



The next morning on his way into work Mr. Mushnik stopped by Al Smederick’s meat shop to replenish his supply of rotting meat. He couldn’t believe his current supply was half gone already.

“Mornin Al. Came to get more meat to feed the plant with.”
Mr. Smederick had a stone cold expression on his face.
“Oh really?”

“Yes really. You do know of Seymour’s and my plan to demolish the Audrey II don’t you?
“Yes I do and to be honest with you Gervais it is rather disturbing.”

Mr. Mushnik looked back at his friend slightly confused.

“What do you mean disturbing?”

“Oh don’t deny it. Audrey and I saw you feeding the plant and talking to it last night.. Don’t act like you don’t know anything.”

Mr. Mushnik was shocked that his friend had admitted to spying.

“Why would you spy on me and better yet why would get one of my co-workers to spy on me?”

“To be blunt Gervias we did it because we’re worried for the safety of the general public. Do realize how dangerous this plant really is?”

“Yes, why do you think me and Seymour are going to kill it?”

“Are the two of you really going to kill it together or you just going to kill Seymour off?”

Mr. Mushnik was appalled by this accusation.

“Why would I kill Seymour for? He’s like my son.”
“Is he really or is he more like your pawn to get more revenue for your store?”
Mr. Mushnik had not expected an argument. ‘What a great way to start of a new work day.’ He thought to himself. He was silent for about 10 minutes

“Well?” Mr. Smederick prodded.

Mr. Mushnik let out a frusturated sigh.

“I only meant what I said partially about feeding Seymour to the plant. I’m not sure I have enough heart to do that. After all he did save my life when the plant tried to eat me.”

“ Gervais, as your friend I think you should rethink wanting to kill Seymour. He’s a good kid. Plus Audrey was really freaked out when she heard you say that.”

Mr. Mushnik was too wrapped up in all this wanting to kill the plant and wanting to potentially kill Seymour that he didn’t even think of they way Audrey would react.

“Was that why she wasn’t at work yesterday?”

“That’s exactly why she wasn’t at work yesterday.”

“Do you think I should talk to her?”

“I think you should talk to Seymour first.”

“Alright. Am I getting my meat or what?”
“I’m not giving you anything until you thoroughly think out what you’re going to do. I honestly do not think you are thinking clearly.”

Mr. Mushnik left the meat shop without responding.


When Mr. Mushnik got to the store. No customers were there. He found Seymour in the back room doing inventory.

“Morning Mr. Mushnik.”

“Good Morning Seymour.”

Seymour was silent as he gathered his thoughts. He was afraid to face his boss and even more afraid to find out if Audrey’s accusations were true.

“Boychick, we need to talk.”

“Yes we do sir.”

Seymour did not look as cheery as he usually did when he came to work.

Before Mr. Mushnik could say anything Seymour dropped a bombshell.

Mr. Mushnik, is it true that you told Audrey II you were going to feed me to it? Audrey talked about this yesterday when I went over her house after work.”
Mr. Mushnik looked incredibly uneasy.

“Yes my boy I did say that to the plant but I said it out of haste and do not know if I sincerely meant it.”

Seymour was surprised by his boss’s admission. The man who had been like a father to him for so long and to Audrey too was a liar.

“Why would you even consider doing that? Especially after I saved you from being eaten by Audrey II.”

“As I said I said it out of haste and perhaps should have said that anything at all.”

“Mr Mushnik do you really consider me to be your son?”

“Yes my boy. That is proven in the adoption papers.”
“Are you sure you’re not using me as a scapegoat to make more money for your store?”

This was something new Mr. Mushnik had never considered.. though Mr. Smederick had asked a similar question even though he didn’t use the word scapegoat. He was silent. His eyes met Seymour’s for the first time since the conversation started. He noticed they were filled with tears.
“I do admit … before the adoption papers were signed I was a bit money hungry and perhaps I still am but know deep down inside that I really do love you.”
Seymour was silent unable to fully trust what Mr. Mushnik was saying to him,