Nala Nyx (On Hold)

Nala Nyx

Nala Nyx: Prologue

Nala's POV

2201

He didn't look like a genius. He looked more like a plain, old man. His hair was fluffy and white, his skin was sagging and wrinkled. A pair of blue glasses sat low on his nose. He seemed kind enough. They all did. But I knew not to let that get to me. I had a job to do, and I would do it until I was no longer needed.

State President Yeller was perched on an orange love seat, casually sipping tea from a tiny cup. Due to age or illness, I wasn't sure, his hands were shaking. Perhaps it was fear. After all, what would the President want with him? He had done nothing wrong. None of them had. It was just the way things worked.

As Old Yeller, as I like to call him, sipped his tea, I twirled a loose piece of string from the armchair around my fingers. We were alone, I could easily make my move. But it wasn't time yet.

"What was it the president wanted to notify me of?" the old man's shaky voice rang out.

"He wouldn't tell me. I'm only the messenger, I was told to let you know that a train will be coming for you at three o'clock on Saturday," I replied sharply.

"Saturday..." he murmured. "I'm not sure if that will work for my schedule. With such short notice and all-"

"Is the president not more important than a couple of lowlifes?" I spat. The words weren't entirely true, however. I didn't think of anyone as lowlifes.

"Well, it's just that-"

"The president gave me orders to tell you. I suggest that if you want to make other arrangements, you notify him personally."

The old man swallowed, lowering his now empty tea cup. Trying his best to avoid my gaze, he asked, "Would you like another cup of tea?"

"Please," I grabbed the tray before he could, "Allow me, sir. I'm afraid I haven't been the kindest. Let me make it up to you. My mother used to make her own tea. Secret ingredient. She didn't tell anyone other than me I'm afraid."

"Oh, well what's the secret?" he asked keenly.

"No, no. You just sit back and relax. I know being a State President can be stressful. Besides, they call it a secret for a reason."

"Well if you insist..." Yeller sat back in the love seat as I walked to the kitchen.

Carefully, I pulled the tiny vial of lumite from my jacket pocket and slipped some of the clear liquid into his teacup. After that, I made regular tea since the lumite would make the tea sweeter.

"Here you are, sir," I said, walking back into the sitting room with the tray in my hands. I handed him his teacup and sat back with my own. He took a hesitant sip.

"Mmm... That has a nice sweetness to it! You simply must tell me what the secret is!" he began eagerly.

"I'm sorry, sir, it is a family recipe. I would feel like a traitor to tell anyone else," I told him.

"Oh, all right. It really does taste wonderful, though."

"Thank you," I smiled a tight lipped smile and sipped my tea. "Look, I really must be going. I have a train to catch," I said when I was finished my tea.

"Ah, of course," he mumbled. "You can tell the president that I look forward to our meeting."

I could tell he was lying, but I still nodded. "I shall see you then," I told him before walking away.

In just over forty eight hours it would be all over the news. Bacteria would be slowly eating away at him for the next two days, and he would just assume it was normal stomach pains. That was the good thing about lumite. Nobody knew about it other than the president, me, and the people who made it. In just over forty eight hours, Old Yeller would be dead.

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