Liar

As we approached the city, I regret my choice to come here. My pride got the best of me, and now I have to reap the cost of it. Is death worth maintaining my pride? Well I've come all this way, I might as well see this to the end. I am curious on whether the Phoenix was telling the truth.

"We're here" I said, but when I looked in the back, he was gone. I guess he didn't want to be seen by the guards.

The vendors are outside advertising their products. Of course that one vendor came to me again. He had a glass bottle and he presented it to me. "Hello Mr. Gannon, would you like to buy this potion?" He asked.

"A potion?" I repeated his words to him. He nodded at me and smiled. The glass wasn't see-through, so I couldn't see what was actually in it.

"It'll boost your luck!" He added.

I sighed and reached to the back of my carriage. I grabbed something and presented my fist to the vendor.

"Can you see what's in my palm?" I asked.

"Dust." He responded confidently.

"Yes, but it's not just any dust! It's the ashes of a Phoenix!"

As soon as I said this, he frowned in disapproval. "You expect me to believe that?" He asked.

"You expect me to believe that potion is real?" I retaliated. He knew he was caught in a trap.

"What do you want for it?"

"That 'potion'."

He looked down in shame and gave it to me, and I released the ashes into his hand. "You better hold on tight to that!" I said. "It blows away easily."

I rode up to the gate and entered. I then suddenly heard cackling from the back of my carriage. It was the Phoenix, laughing so hard he was crying.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"The fact you convinced that idiot to trade that potion with you for DUST, is amazing." The Phoenix was barely able to say the sentence, he was laughing so hard. I couldn't help but laugh a little myself, even if my level of stress was through the roof.

It was quite busy in the city today. A horrible day to come here. It was a Wednesday today. Wednesdays are always the busiest days of the week. Also for some reason, they were renovating some roads, and those roads happen to be part of the path I take to get to my brother's house. I'd have to take an alternative route. But I knew no other ones, that was the only one. It's also the most efficient route there. I hate staying in the slums longer than I have to, but this unfortunate turn of events is forcing my hand in that direction.

I made my way downtown. It was super busy. There were so many vendors today, so many carriages on the road. There were even singers. I was only able to make out what one of them were saying. "Corri, corri, corri via. Non tornare in questo posto. Vola, vola, vola via. Tutti commettiamo errori. Alcuni sono grandi, altri piccoli. Ma va bene. Perché dopotutto siamo solo umani." They sang. It sounded like the last chorus of the song. There was something about the song though. I didn't like it.

I eventually made it through all the traffic, and got to a less busy area. There weren't as many vendors over here, they usually go towards the busy areas. But these vendors were the humble ones. They never harass you. They may ask you to check out what they're selling, but they don't bug you.

This area is sort of the line between the wealthy and the poor. At some point, you make it into the slums without even realizing it.

I soon approached my brothers house. I looked in the back of my carriage, the Phoenix was gone of course. I looked at the potion that vendor gave me.

"Might as well." I said, opening it. I drank it, but I didn't feel anything happen. It was a scam after all. I walked up the stairs of my brothers porch, and went to the door.

"No turning back." I said with a deep breath.

I raised my fist to the door, but I hesitated. I did eventually give in though, and knocked. I knocked again. No response. I tried looking through a window. There were no candles lit, and it looked to be empty.

"Well he's not home, time to leave." I said quickly while speed walking to my carriage. Suddenly though I saw a carriage pull up. August was in the front seat.

We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. He then got down and walked towards me. He waved at me, wearing a fake smile. He wasn't happy to see me, and I could see it.

"Lance!" He said, trying to imitate his usual excited greetings. I didn't say a word to him though. "Well you ought to be going now." He said, trying to push me away.

"August, I uh-"

"You want to stay for dinner? Ah alright that shouldn't be a problem!" He gave out the fakest laugh I've ever heard. You could feel how nervous he was. Maybe the Phoenix was right after all.

I tried to continue what I was saying. "Uh no, I just wanted to-"

"Have dinner! I know I know." He interrupted. "Come on inside!"

August was sweating. Something definitely off. I don't know why, but I accepted. Half of me said to leave, but the other half wanted to hold onto that possibility, that he didn't want to kill me.

As he walked inside, I hesitated and looked around. I looked at August's carriage and saw the Phoenix. It nodded and turned to ashes. Chills ran down my spine, and goosebumps raised all across my body. But despite my own body telling me not to go inside, I turned back around and did anyway.

"Ha ha, oops!" My brother chuckled. "Looks like I'm out of meat! We'll have to eat some bread then." He didn't even check if he had meat, he just went inside and announced that. He's not a good liar. But there's one thing I can say about him for sure.

He wants to kill me.