With quill in hand,

he wrote to his sibling,

“My dear sister, I have awoken to a being

of terrible fear and anguish.

I know not of how to rid it,

and I require your assistance.”

…

He could not remember

the last time he told the truth.

But oddly enough, he could see

when others were lying.

When they spoke, white light spewed

from their mouths;

the light of lies, yet somehow harmless.

But when he spoke, he felt

black ooze

dripping from his mouth.

Now, looking out the window

he saw his friend, covered in the daily paper on the street.

no, friend no longer

He had assured his wealth and happiness

But he knew that wasn’t true, he had no such items

and ooze trickled his face.

For now, his friend lay solemnly

Blamed upon himself.

But when he wrote his sister.

There was no ooze

No lie in sight

The being he saw was in the mirror

with black ooze draining its mouth.