As I slowly walked, I looked down at the identification supplied to me from the post office. Helana was apparently a middle-class girl, living somewhat well off with sufficient funds, a healthy lifestyle, and loving parents. The snow crunched beneath my feet as I came to a half, reading the details more closely.
Her dog—which I had killed—was over four years old in her household, adopted from a shelter somewhere in the kingdom. It was originally a slave animal, used and subjected to harsh labor and used to carry items on its back. Reading this log, I was deeply taken aback. People used dogs for slavery in this day and age? What happened to 'man's best friend'?
Feeling a small surge of anger, I stuffed the paper into my pocket and kept walking, surveying each end of the road. The houses were almost all quiet and still, say for the occasional light on or neighbors quarreling over where they'd put their laundry. Above my head, a thin layer of clouds obscured the vermillion, crimson moon that always seemed to shine at full brightness.
Now that I thought about it, I'd never seen any phases of the moon in this world. Back home, I'd watch outside as a sphere would gradually fade to a thin crescent, gradually regain shape until there was half, and then become whole again. Does this earth even spin? How is that scientifically possible? I shoved those thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand.
...
I arrived at the address, 393 Corkshrew Road. The house looked much older than the others around it. I slowly took a deep breath, following my gut. My hand extended outwards, reaching for the door knocker bolted to the wooden surface of the door before me.
Knock knock knock, knock knock knock, knock knock knock. I knocked three times in succession.
After a few moments, I heard noises inside. There seemed to be talking, chattering, and the clattering of cutlery and dishes. I held my breath, thoughts of second-guessing this encounter flashing through my mind, beckoning and calling me to just drop the pouch at the doorstep and make a run for it.
A voice suddenly sounded behind the door, warm and calm. "Coming."
I waited for a few more seconds, and surely enough, the door opened. I saw a middle-aged woman, clad in evening attire, with her brown hair tied above her head. Her face was gaunt, slightly pale, but she carried no sense of unease or distress in her expression or movements. Upon seeing me, her eyes widened slightly as she let go of the door handle, taking a half-step back.
"Who are you?" She asked in a sputter.
I slowly took a deep breath, saying with a twitching yet solemn expression. "I was hoping we could talk."
Behind her, I could see her own house. The blood-red moonlight could barely permeate the windows, which were covered with thick curtains. With what light did enter, I could see stripes of dust floating through the air.
"W-well, alright." The woman took a step back, her eyes fixated on the horns atop my head as I entered the somewhat dark house.
I winced a little when a switch was flicked, the foyer and living space being illuminated by kerosene lamps on either side of the hallway. She apologized as she made her way to the kitchen, quickly brewing us some tea to drink. At this moment, another figure entered the view.
He had long brown hair, not tied above his head. His eyes were stern, cold, and calculating as he gazed at me. He was clad in nothing but a pair of loose pants, and he had a bowl of half-eaten stew in his hands. This man stepped forward, looking down at me with a calculating expression.
"Who's this?" He asked his wife in the other room.
"I don't know yet, but he wanted to talk to us," She replied, stepping out of the kitchen with a small plate and tea set.
The three of us made our way to the living area, where a fire had been lit. The woman gently invited me to sit in an armchair across from her, whilst her husband sat in an armchair farthest from us, sipping his stew quietly whilst gazing at me. The palpable tension in the room was abruptly sliced by her clearing her throat.
"Why come to us at such an hour?"
In an attempt to look professional, I nodded my head and answered whilst sipping my tea. "I'd like to give you a gift."
Hearing my answer, she seemed both stunned and a little bewildered. "A gift?"
I hummed in acknowledgement, reaching into my pocket and taking out the small sack of Katshinease pounds, holding it up for the both of them to see. Both figures in the room turned to the sack filled with the coins, their expressions subtly shifting.
Without saying a word, I gently placed the sack onto the dark mahogany table, sliding it over to the woman across from me. Her expression softened as she slowly picked up the sack of coins, holding it to her ear and giving it a gentle shake. Upon validating that it was indeed a currency, she smiled and looked at her husband.
"This boy's given us funds!"
Even amidst the good news, he remained all the more skeptical. His voice lowered as he set his bowl down, folding his trembling hands together. The man slowly drew a deep breath and said with a partially collected tone.
"Why give us this gift, whoever you are?"
His gaze bored into my own, and it felt like glaring into the eyes of an evil existence. I could tell he wasn't intending on hurting me, but he was remaining vigilant and cautious, most likely regarding my appearance. I stifled a cough as I adjusted the lapels of my coat, sighing.
"It came upon my ears that your family lost its canine friend?" I spoke with as much solemnity as I could. It was far from how I'd really talk, but a random stranger entering someone's house, acting too casually, and leeching off their possessions would have the authorities called and have whoever trespassed be arrested. I couldn't take such a risk.
The woman nodded when she heard my clarification, her expression gradually softening. She turned around to the foyer, gesturing to the second floor which I had faintly glimpsed on my way inside. After that, she spoke in a soft, trembling voice.
"Our daughter is heartbroken; he was her best friend."
While the entire house was silent around me, aside from our current talk in the living room, I couldn't hear much of anything. Originally, I'd thought she'd be crying right now; she looked openly devastated when I 'searched' for it with Aaron earlier tonight. I huffed under my breath, running a hand through my hair, before looking back to the couple with a small, professional smile.
"I too had an animal friend, but I had to abandon it due to issues regarding my home life. I sympathize deeply with your daughter; a family animal passing is something that hurts not just the body, but the soul itself."
The mother across from me sipped her tea again, nodding slowly. Thoughts began to race through her mind. As her expression gradually grew more complicated, so did the father's. He continued to glare at me, but he remained stiff in his chair, refusing to move.
"How do you know our daughter?" He asked, his voice a constant, almost deathly growl.
I rubbed the back of my neck, taking a deep, trembling breath. "I met her in the streets whilst she searched for her dog. Me and a friend chose to accompany her, but our travels were only tribulated with dead ends and sorrow."
I habitually adjusted my posture, sitting up in my seat. My long black coat fell back the armrests of the chair, dangling loosely, almost touching the dusty floor. I fell silent for a few moments, looking at the sack of currency in the mothers hand.
"Now, in the next few days you can happily buy another dog. If it's not enough, perhaps you could dive into your personal assets and accumulate funds?"
"We would..." The mother paused, her face heating slightly. "But everything's been so expensive lately we can't think of spending our money on something like a new pet."
At this moment, an idea crossed my mind. I thought back to the small funds I had received from the babysitting job from Madame Fitzgerold. Aside from buying that homeless thief bread, I still had approximately twenty lumin left. Reaching into my pocket, I took out the small stack of silver coins and slid them across the table.
"So take mine."
"W-what?" She seemed at a loss for words. She suddenly extended a hand to my shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze.
"It's your money. The winter is cold and food is beginning to grow scarce. If you are to survive and feed your own family, you must keep it! Keep it, I tell you!"
Hearing the desperation in her tone, I felt my heart ache. It was unknown how much money my own companions had at the moment, but this family was a lot worse off than I was. I couldn't just sit here and keep my own money while they spend what I gave them on a dog they couldn't even feed.
If I am to resist the potion inside me, I must be a selfless individual regardless of the cost. I don't care how many times I vomit in the end.
I insisted, shaking my head and smiling softly and reassuringly. "Keep it. You need it more than I do."
She fell silent for a few moments, her bottom lip trembling. "Are you sure?"
My head nodded as a silent answer. Without saying anything else, I stood up and sauntered over to the door, looking back at the couple. I smiled with a nod as I moved to grab the doorknob, but a voice cut through the room.
"May I speak with you momentarily?"
It was Helana's father.