The Devil's Death

Chapter Twenty Three: Cigarettes

Aldwyn

I was used to waking up to nothing by now.

Sometimes if I was lucky... It wasn't a blistering sandstorm outside and my room was filled with genuine life and light.

Today was one of those mornings, I felt so cut off from the person I was only days ago.

It was rather enlightening too.

I woke up to a smell of cigarettes which only seemed to cause a problem for me.

Something about it was arousing but I couldn't quite place my excitement.

The last week or so I had struggled to sleep. Today was one of my better days.

My familiar routine was to come down stairs only to find the small Asian woman yelling in another language banging on other doors.

Some other residents evidently angry, yelled back.

The older man sat behind the desk looking both tired and unkempt. He held a newspaper in his hands but gawped at it much like a zombie.

I would travel away from the desert in order to explore nearby countries.

Along my trip to Mongolia an interesting man smiled and laughed when he crossed gazes with me.

He seemed to be playing with a kaleidoscope at his own market stall as I approached him.

He chuckled out "English!?"

I frowned "Yeah I speak English..."

The man went on playing with his kaleidoscope before humming up at me.

"I can tell you your fortune. You want. Totally free."

I raised a brow at him in confusion. The idea of fortune telling brought me back to Scarlet and his stupid playing cards.

"Well alright."

The man glanced back at me once and smirked.

"Death follows you."

I winced. Another association to my greatest fear.

My own demise. One I had already seen.
The man chuckled "It looks like death hang on you, but in the end you will be happy to meet with him. Also you gonna be important so. Good life you know."

I sulked. Wasn't that kind of a given. He could clearly tell I was well off and everyone was bound to die. Ugh. What a waste.

I marched off down the winding streets where a man sat in the shadows, on some steps smoking.

It was a burning hot day with no cloud cover I wonder how he wasn't suffering.

He blinked up at me.
"Oi! I need work give me work. I work for you!"
I scoffed " Excuse me!"

The man frowned "I hacker. I worked security company in China but they fire me. Fire my whole team no pay me. Wife left me. Need work."

I chuckled. " Look I don't.... Own a business or anything."

I quietly sulked. I was noone. Some wannabe president. Son of some rich man.

Technically, I didn't have my own business. I didn't even have the benefit of saying I started my own business.

But the more that idea lingered.... I realised Asia was a big place to start sowing seeds.

I continued down the winding path noticing the dark liquid like forms dancing in the heatwaves.