A brisk walk through the dark alley led me to an abandoned building tucked beside a meat packing factory. I stopped and stared at the flashing neon sign - Manufacturer Of Lies.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I muttered.
It was past midnight. A mist of fog clung to the ground, making it hard to see down the alley or around the building from where I stood. Still I could hear it—a low, steady hum in the dark.
My hand slowly moved to the handgun at my belt, my index finger slipping inside the trigger guard.
The hum grew louder just as a figure stepped out of the fog. I couldn't see his face but he was the one humming. Tall and lean like me, I knew he could give me a run for my money.
“You're here for the goods?” He asked with nonchalance, his voice deep and sonorous.
I frowned, staring at where his face should be. That wasn't the code word I'd been given. I knew that hesitation would cost me.
The humming stopped and a low growl followed. The brief pause had already given me away.
I thought I could take my wounded brother's place and finish the deal but it seemed I'd failed. He did warn me to be ready to tell a lie at a moment's notice. Said these people could sniff out an outsider in their midst like trained K9s.
I pulled my gun just as the figure rushed towards me.
A lie did come to me in that instant but it was too late.
I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase "manufacturer of lies".
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Image credit: RaniRamli
