SubZero

Slithering

Another day, another stock.

The potatoes I ordered from another kingdom finally arrived today.

They seem to be smaller than usual, but I will still take them — I guess?

I placed the potatoes on my small cart while I watched three knights try to cut the vines that had consumed a house nearby.

“What vines?” you might ask.

You see, moss and plants have surrounded our town for months now.

They formed a forest-like place around the kingdom.

We call it; ‘Nature's Madness’

No one knows where it came from, but one thing is for sure; If you try to explore it, you will never come back.

The royalty has tried to cut them, burn them, freeze them, and even disintegrate them, but nothing works — they seem to be unbreakable.

We wouldn't really mind — heck, free walls!

If it wasn't for the fact that it's slowly ruining the town.

Our crops have become significantly smaller and smaller each day, people would randomly get incurable diseases, and worst; people disappear every day.

Also, we've lost connection to other towns, there's no one who could help us.

But wait...

How did the potatoes I ordered from another  kingdom arrived..?

I thought about it for who knows how long.

Then finally, my first customer for the day came to buy four potatoes.

I took a plastic bag, before taking exactly four potatoes from my cart.

They paid before I gave them their potatoes.

Right after they walked away, I spotted my friend — Daniel, approaching me.

“Oyy, Riku! Have you heard the news?” He asked as he leaned on my cart.

“What news?” I asked back.

“Well, a guy claimed to have the cure for the disease your sister has.” he said.

“He said it only works for ladies.” he added, while munching on a potato — my potato, that he didn't even paid for.

I thought about it — twice...

My sister has been sick ever since the Madness started, no doctors could cure her.

The cure sounds like a big miracle, yeah.

But isn't it suspicious that some random guy just casually found the solution to a disease no one could understand?

I live under a rock so I don't really know.

I looked at him with doubt on my face, I then narrowed my eyes.

“I will think about it.” I replied.

He nodded before leaving, still eating that stupid potato.

I quietly turned around to glance at the knights once again.

They were just standing there, their swords seemed to be broken now.

I shook my head in disappointment.

I continued on with my day, selling potatoes here and there.

Then boom! Night falls.

I immediately headed home.