Hidden Meanings

Bouquets of Asphodel [Original]

Title may switch, probably will. Planned alongside SKinava

"Flowers who are born in darkness can never feel at ease in the light."

I place my boot against the man's skull, eyeing him as I drag the heel across his face, leaving a smear of dirt.

"Tell me, sir, if I asked you to kill your family or kill yourself, what would you say?"

If you want to manipulate someone into doing something or answering something for you, ask a much difficult and hard favor they won't agree to. Ask a question that would require a lot of thought or something they don't want to answer.

When the man doesn't answer, I sigh.

"Allow me to ask another question. Are you a flower born in light, or darkness?"

"In light," he squeaks.

"Excellent. Next question," my voice doesn't waver the entire time, as if I'm discussing the weather instead of a human life.

I lift the boot from his face, allowing my heel to tap against the floor.

"Stand up," I command. "Or I kill your family and you afterwards."

Most people, despite what they may say, are selfish at heart. Others are not selfish at heart at all, not even a little. An effective way to manipulate them is aim at both the people they care about and themselves.

From my waistband, I retract a gun, my fingers curling over the trigger slightly.

His eyes dart to the gun, and in response, I lift it, as if to threaten him. Immediately following, he scrambles to his feet, hands held up in surrender.

"If you really are a flower surrounded in light, you will kill yourself."

His eyes widen.

"If you are a flower surrounded by the darkness, you will kill me the instant I hand this gun over," I say, allowing the handle to rock back and forth in my palm. "That means your a liar.

"And liars are vermin along everyone's feet. They're broken, heartless, and they go to hell both in their life and afterwards. You won't go back on your word, will you?"

I smile, but it tastes terrible on my lips.

All of this for Mako.

Mako is going to get hurt if I don't do this.

MAKO'S GOING TO GET HURT IF I DON'T DO THIS.

I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE.

"That being said, I have weaponry pointed at your family if you step out of line, or if you turn out to be a dark flower. If you turn out to be a liar. Not only that, but the instant you leave this cave, you will be shot upon sight. If you do come outside, I am required to be alongside you, or you will die."

All this is said calmly, but my heart beats in it's cage, beats quicker then normal.

There is nothing without strings attached, so if man really falls to the option of killing himself, what are the strings?

"Do you understand me?"

"Y-Yes," he squeaks out.

I allow the gun to fall slack within my hands, twirling it to that I can present the handle to him.

All for Mako.

If Mako is hurt, nothing else in this world remains for me.

I'm an outcast. She's the only one that cares for me...! If she... disappears...

"The honor is yours," I say.

The gun's weight is lifted from my palm, and my arm drops to the side, unblinking eyes staring into the man's face.

"Do it. Your family will be okay if you do this."

For a moment, I see the muzzle turn towards me.

In a time of darkness, not even a smile is needed. You need an expression of understanding and one that is sincere.

So I allow the smile on my lips to melt away, replaced by the simple purse of my lips.

Mako.

"Your family is depending on you. Make your family proud."

A single gunshot rings out in the enclosed cave.

I watch the blood seep from the body, my hands curling into fists, nails digging into the skin of my palm.

A single, white flower flutters from the ceiling, from the unknown.

Once it lands in the puddle of blood, it's petals soak in the liquid, white becoming red in a matter of seconds.

"You believed the fact that I had guns pointed at your family," I murmur, reaching out with my foot to nudge the man's slack face away from me.

"Foolish. Look at me, covered in dirt. I may have had it once, but I won't ever again."

Who's the liar of this world now, Lucia?

Yes, that's right, it's me.

All to protect her.

Carefully, I kneel, and pick up the limp flower from the puddle, allowing it to flop on my fingers.

"Look at me, a flower turned dark."