DEVIL

1.3 | Greed

Greed; noun: "intense and selfish desire for something."

Poetry was far from surprised to wake up and find that Alyssa was up before her. Alyssa was always a morning person – which led to most of the girls' arguments, considering Poetry could hardly stand anyone who preferred morning over night. "Morning, sunshine," Anthony mocked as Poetry entered the kitchen, still yawning and rubbing her eyes.

She looked up to find Anthony handing Alyssa a plate of breakfast as she sat at the kitchen island. Poetry slightly recoiled her head and furrowed her brows. "Since when do you cook?" Poetry asked, attempting to grab a biscuit from the plate, until Anthony scolded her with a slap to the hand. "Poetry," he deadpanned. "I'm literally in culinary school."

"Since when?"

"For the past two years? Where have you been?" Alyssa only laughed at the siblings' typical bickering. Poetry shrugged; "you're just not interesting enough to acknowledge." At this, Anthony held the plate he'd prepared for her above his head and out of Poetry's reach. "That's exactly why I never cook for you."

"Anthony, don't deprive her," Adela insisted as she entered the room. Anthony sat the plate down on the island beside Alyssa. "Where's Eridanus?" Poetry asked her mother. "He's still sleeping. I'm gonna take him out on the town later today, Anthony's got a job interview today, and Alyssa said she has to leave by noon; please try to get some fresh air today, Poe," Adela said as she combed through her own dark hair with her fingers.

Everyone always said that Poetry was Adela's twin, but with Theodore's eyes. Both girls had a fair complexion, dark hair, light freckles, and considerably pouty lips, no matter how thrilled they were. The only difference was their eyes; Poetry and Theodore shared the same large, viridian, eyes that had a sense of kindness in them – although the kindness never hid the determination and strength that swam within them.

"I've spent most of my time outside the house, mom; I've gotten fresh air," Poetry informed Adela, although she'd already started walking out of the kitchen. Just as Adela had informed Poetry, she'd left with Eridanus, Anthony had left for an interview, and Alyssa had already been on her way back down to Georgia. Poetry took her mother's advice, and decided she'd get some fresh air on the beach.

She went upstairs, changing into a bathing suit before throwing a sundress over it. Poetry grabbed a tote-bag, tossing in a towel, her phone, sunscreen, and her most recent read, The Sorrows of Satan by Marie Corelli. There she sat on the beach, sprawled out on her towel with her book in front of her face. Suddenly, a shadow obscured her path of direct sunlight. Moving the book from her line of sight, she looked upwards, only to find the boy she'd spoken to on the beach two days ago.

"'Wealth acts merely as a kind of mirror to show you human nature at its worst.'" The stranger quoted, directly from the book, seeming to have committed it to memory. "I'd have to agree with Marie," Poetry admitted. "I'd have to disagree," the stranger countered. "Mind if I sit?" He requested, earning a shake of the head from Poetry. "I wouldn't say wealth shows humanity at its worst."

"That's exactly what it does," Poetry argued. "Wealth brings nothing but greed, at least to some degree," she added. "Wealth brings power, extravagance, and much more, to those who deserve it." Poetry shook her head in disagreement. "Materialism means nothing if it can't bring happiness, and most of the time, it doesn't. Not to mention, rich people tend to completely abandon those in need."

"They should work harder; then, they wouldn't be 'in need.'" Poetry's mouth fell agape. "Not everyone has job offers lining up, most people aren't born with a silver spoon in their mouths, and mostly, some people have severe sicknesses that prevents them from working; even worse, some of them don't have any family to care for them."