As usual, forty kilograms of beef, — she said softly, handing over neatly folded bills.

The butcher — a young man — was astonished every time. Forty kilos! That’s almost half a carcass. At first, he thought maybe she had a large family to feed. But week after week, it kept happening.

The woman barely spoke, never looked anyone in the eye, just took her bags and left. She had a strange, pungent smell — a mix of iron, rotting meat, and something else the butcher couldn’t identify.

Rumors quickly spread around the market. Vendors whispered: