"Death will come to you soon," the fortune-teller looked down at the card she had just drawn. Her eyes widened as she saw the death symbol staring back at her. The air felt as though it was slowly seeping out of the plum and deep turquoise tent. The teller's throat was drying rapidly until she found it difficult to swallow.

"Well shit," Larc Vexx smirked, "I guess you're finally gonna get rid of me," she said, nudging her brother, Avanths, shoulder as she sank back into her folding chair. The teller's eyes narrowed on Larc, studying every inch of her face. The kids knew what was about to happen the teller would yell at them for being disrespectful and they'd be asked to leave. And lo and behold the next thing they knew, the siblings were pushing their way through a crowd of shoppers.

"Do you think Miss Ducklond was a real fortune-teller?" Avanths young eyes peered from behind his oversized glasses. He was hoping his sister would assure him she was. To Avanth she seemed completely reliable, though if she was that would mean Larc would die. Of course, he wished nothing of the sort to his sister, however, the boy was so incredibly desperate to find someone who wasn't lying.

Back in those days, everyone was a pathological liar, including Larc, though she was better than most. Lying was safe. You could get away with pretty much anything. In a world of liars, it made everything easier, except for anything of meaning. Like falling in love.

"Love?" She scoffed, "Yeah no thanks"

So as the crowd was gradually whittled down to a few locals struggling to find their supper, the siblings made their way to a small, secluded cottage on the water. Avanth sped up the driveway, clutching his newly purchased books close to his chest.

"Slow down, Van, you'll hurt yourself again!"

"I'm fine, look!" Avanth called from the porch before running through the door.

Larc sighed and looked down at her combat boots. Seconds later she heard leaves rustling followed by silence. Ignoring it she walked to the door quickly, briefly looking back to see a boy of her age waving her over to him.