Truth and Lies

9 years ago

With carefree abandon, Rachel and Crystal weaved through the colorful tapestry, their fingers brushing against petals, releasing a symphony of fragrances with every touch. They gathered armfuls of flowers, their arms adorned with floral bracelets, while their giggles echoed through the garden like a melody.

Rachel twirled, her dress billowing around her, as she showered Crystal with a cascade of petals. Each flower seemed to hold a secret, a tiny fragment of magic, as they danced and swirled in the golden sunlight.

Crystal, typically reserved and composed, couldn't resist the infectious joy radiating from Rachel. She surrendered herself to the moment, her laughter becoming a harmonious duet with Rachel's. Together, they wove flower crowns, their nimble fingers entwining stems and petals, crafting delicate works of art to adorn their heads.

The garden transformed into their own enchanted realm, a playground of blossoms where their imaginations knew no bounds. They played a game of tag, their laughter echoing off the garden walls, as they darted between flower beds and under trellises draped with blooming vines.

"Now your garden looks like a forest glade", Rachel laughed playing with petals on the ground.

"We're like forest fairies!" Crystal seemed happy as well. Yet, there was a sign of concern in her expression.

"But you and the guys look a bit… Shabby." She said carefully. "What happened to you in the Forest?"

"Oh, so you care about them too?" Rachel smirked. 

"Of course, I'm not! I'm just.."

She couldn't finish her sentence. It was interrupted by the familiar scream.

"CRYYYYYSTALLL!"

"Missed me?" Asked Vlad with a wide smile.

Emerging from the depths of the lush green bushes, a figure materialized before Rachel's eyes. His appearance was marked by a disheveled state, with small sticks and leaves clinging to his skin. Notably absent was the presence of a shirt, a recurring trend that had caught Rachel's attention. Unfazed by his untamed appearance, Rachel's gaze remained fixed upon him, intrigued by the mystery that seemed to surround him.

"That weird man…Is he your dad?" Rachel asked Crystal with hesitation.

"OF COURSE NOT! I don't even know him!"

Crystal couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine at Vlad's presence. With each step Vlad took towards her, Crystal's heart raced in her chest, the beats echoing in her ears like a warning bell.

"Fricking Priscila, putting all these lies in your head..."

Crystal's voice trembled with a mixture of anger and sadness, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't let Vlad's derogatory words about her mother go unanswered. She had to stand up for Priscila, for the woman who had always been there for her.

"Don't you dare..." Crystal's voice quivered, her fists clenched tightly. "Talk bad about my mom! You... It's you who are freaking!"

Vlad's expression shifted, a hint of confusion crossing his face as if realizing the gravity of his words. The tension in the air thickened, and Crystal's emotions threatened to overwhelm her.

"Oh, right, I definitely shouldn't have said it… After all, she's taking care of you…" Vlad used confused, "But she REALLY is such a bi-"

Rachel slowly moved to stand between Crystal and Vlad.

"Run to the house and call mom. I'll distract him," she whispered quietly.

"But…"

Suddenly, the scene got interrupted by one more familiar face. Captain's kick was perfectly accurate: it landed exactly in the middle of Vlad's surprised face.

"Crystal, darling!" Priscila ran to the garden following the captain. "Are you okay? Did he do anything to you? Did he say something weird?"

"Mommyyy, I got scared!"

"That's right, I'm your mom, you're safe with me! This man is just a stranger, and we don't listen to those, do we?" Priscila was hugging Crystal, "Rachel, you must be scared too! Let's go home, I'll make you cocoa."

Rachel wasn't exactly scared. She, however, was experiencing some very strong, confusing emotions. She now knew that Vlad wasn't just a stranger, yet she couldn't understand how did she know that. She just knew. She knew, that Priscila, who was always nice and kind, just lied to Crystal about Vlad. Rachel was extremely confused.

Crystal was exhausted from the recent adventure and Priscila said that the best way to fight this stress is sleeping, so the girl went to her room. Rachel and Priscila, meanwhile, still decided to have some cocoa together.

"So, today it's just the two of us," Priscila remarked with a warm smile. Rachel couldn't help but think once again that Priscila was genuinely a kind-hearted person.

"You've probably been wondering..." Priscila's gaze shifted to the window, her voice tinged with a hint of unease. "About that random stranger. He appeared out of nowhere when Crystal was just a baby, without any valid reason, and started manipulating her with his lies..."

A random stranger? Lies. No valid reason? Lies once more.

"Did he say anything strange to you?" Priscila inquired, her voice heavy with concern.

"He called himself Crystal's dad," Rachel replied, her mind reeling with the weight of the revelation.

"This is utterly absurd..." Priscila let out a weary sigh. "I am her mother, and my husband is her father. Of course, that person is not her father... My husband is away due to his service, but we are a renowned and respected family."

So, is Vlad Crystal's father? Rachel's mind was blown. But Priscila doesn't lie about her and her husband either… Or does she, but Rachel just can't tell this time? The girl felt even more confused than before.

"You live with your father, don't you, Rachel?"

"Y-yes." The girl got distracted from her confusing thoughts now when Priscila started asking about her life.

"And you are happy, aren't you?"

"Yes!"

"I'm glad to hear that. I guess, children living with one parent can be fully happy. You see, my husband serves far from here, and sometimes I'm worried that I'm not enough…"

Rachel knew, that Priscila was sincere in her care for Crystal. She was a good mother. At the moment, Rachel didn't care why Priscila decided to lie about Vlad or anything else.

"Mrs. Priscila!" Rachel leaned forward. "You are a really good mom! Crystal is very happy with you!"

"Thank you, Rachel. Crystal is very lucky to have a friend like you."

All the way home, Rachel found herself unable to organize her thoughts. The notion of lies and deceit weighed heavily on her mind. How could someone as genuinely kind as Mrs. Priscila be involved in such deception? Even as she arrived home, the troubling questions continued to consume her. Determined to find some semblance of understanding, Rachel made her way to her father's study.

"Are you very busy at the moment?" she inquired after gently knocking on her father's door. "I have a question..."

"Let's hear it, my dear," her father replied, setting aside his work to give his full attention to his daughter. He had always encouraged open dialogue and inquiry. With his purple notebook lying on the desk, he awaited Rachel's question.

"Lying is bad, isn't it?" Rachel started with the simple one but then realized it was not enough. "Does it mean one always has to tell only the truth? What if… What if from some lies everyone becomes happier, is it still a bad lie?"

"My little Rachel is growing so fast…" He seemed sentimental one second but got extremely serious the other one.

He paused for a moment, searching for the right words to convey his thoughts.

"First of all, I want you to understand…" He started, taking out his favorite deck of cards, "There's no universal good and bad."

"In some cultures, dying young is the most honorable thing one can achieve. In other ones, life is just something preparing one for what awaits after death… And in some, as you know, people try to live as long as they can and mourn those who die before them. They don't believe that there is any kind of "life" after death."

"And is there? Something after we die?"

"I doubt that any of those alive can be certain. People just choose what to believe in. The same is true with good and bad, right and wrong…"

He kept mixing cards, his eyes focused on the deck.

"Well, difficult question indeed. One thing I know for sure: you, Rachel, have a kind heart. I can't define what's 'good', but your heart knows it all. Just listen to it and trust yourself."

He took a card from the deck and put it on the table next to the notebook.

"About your question… The concept of lies and truth is indeed a complex matter. I'd say generally it's better to be honest, yet nothing terrible in being… A bit creative with what you tell people. For example, think about being polite: sometimes the etiquette makes us lie to people's faces, and it's even socially supported!"

"Although, I'd appreciate your honest reply to my next question." He looked her straight in the eyes.

"Tell me, Rachel," he spoke softly, his hands still holding the cards. "How long have you possessed the ability to discern when people are lying?"

How could he possibly know? Rachel felt a surge of tension, her eyes locked onto his, unblinking.

"You're correct in keeping this ability a secret," he continued, his voice filled with a mix of caution and trust. "But you can trust me. I owe you my life." He glanced down at the cards, a solemn atmosphere settling around them. Already, five cards were laid out on the table, each depicting cats and cat paws, though the imagery belied the gravity of the situation.

"I think... it began shortly after we moved here," Rachel replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Her suspicions were confirmed. She possessed the uncanny ability to perceive lies, and it was anything but normal.

Examining the cards more closely, one would notice their peculiar nature. No aces, queens, or kings adorned the table. One card stood out, labeled 'truth,' while two others lay beneath it, bearing the words 'dead end' and 'hope.' Two additional cards with small paw footprints nestled beneath the lowermost cards.

"What can I say... It seems to be your destiny, child," he murmured.