The Fair

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Chapter 8: The Fair

I wandered through the cold, desolate streets of this grim city as the morning sun began to rise, casting an eerie glow on the toxic fumes that hung in the air. The flickering street lights attracted moths, their wings fluttering hypnotically in the dim light. I let out a sigh, my breath forming a puff of mist in the frigid air. No matter the time of day, there were always people aimlessly wandering the streets, searching for something, perhaps their purpose in life, but mostly chasing after the elusive glow of happiness. My own life was about to come to an end, just like so many others who had made deals with Gene.Co.

As I reached "Mabel Street," the infamous "grave bringers" emerged from their homes, ready to clean up the aftermath of repossessions. People handed out newspapers and magazines, while others plastered posters for the opera tonight. Life moved forward, relentless and unforgiving, while mine was about to reach its final chapter.

I continued on, eventually arriving at "Yuke Street," where the wealthy resided. These were the fortunate few who could afford to hide away in their lavish homes during the day, only to emerge for extravagant parties when the time was right. The "commoners" stood outside their houses, selling flowers and newspapers, hoping for a glimpse of the upper class. And in the distance, the imposing Gene.Co building loomed, a symbol of power and control. It stood tall, like a monstrous beast, casting its shadow over everything and everyone.

"Hey!" a voice called out from an alleyway. I turned to see Amber Sweet lurking in the shadows. What was she doing out so early in the morning? She had a home. "I heard you ran away when Luigi came into the club."

Why did she have to bring that up? Thoughts of poor Harry flooded my mind, the kind and happy soul who had met a tragic end at the hands of one of the costumes.

"How will you cope when you meet him?" Amber emerged from the shadows, her presence more visible now.

I looked at her, unable to find the words to respond. She shrugged when she realized I had no idea what I was going to do.

"Amber! Amber!" a man called out, running up to her with a camera in hand. Paparazzi? "Are you excited for the opera tonight?"

Amber smiled and began to reply. Then, she looked at me and casually draped her arm around my shoulder.

"Of course! As you know, I'll be having my first live performance!" Amber declared, holding onto my shoulder even tighter.

The paparazzi turned his attention to me, snapping photos as he spoke.

"This is my new best friend, Malta!" Amber announced, planting a kiss on my cheek. What was she doing? "She'll be attending the opera with one of my brothers!"

Great. Now the whole world would know.

The man continued to talk, but Amber started walking away, still holding onto me. The man seemed to understand that it was best not to bother her any further.

"Don't think that just because I said that means you're my best friend," Amber said, rolling her eyes but still keeping a tight grip on me.

"I didn't," I muttered, feeling a mix of confusion and annoyance. She smirked, the first time we had exchanged any words since she appeared on the street.

"Good. My father wanted to make it clear to the paparazzi that you were a person of importance, not just some cheap whore," Amber said, rolling her eyes again. "But you and I know the truth, don't we?"

Amber pushed me away, and I stumbled, feeling a surge of anger towards her. What a bitch!

But before I hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught me. I turned my head to see Pavi's face staring back at me, his eyes gleaming with delight. Great. Now I had to be friendly with him again.

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