Misty Waters

Have you ever pondered the concept of lying? Why do people engage in it, and how many potential outcomes can it lead to? Will truth inevitably come to light, or can a lie become permanently woven into the fabric of reality? If so, what exactly is this reality that humanity discusses? After all, humans are the only living beings on Earth that lie and contemplate reality. You'll never witness a cat deceiving another cat. While they might maintain secrets, these secrets don't distort the fabric of reality; they merely conceal some threads. A cat will find a secluded location for its kittens and keep it a secret, but it won't lie to another cat about the secret location. But have you ever wondered why? Think about it; the answer is quite simple and lies directly in front of you. Have you figured it out yet? Cats and other animals lack our communication skills. Lies simply exist because we communicate better; they're merely a byproduct of our 'communication'.

Another certainty is that if a tree were to fall in a forest with no one to hear it, could we say that tree truly fell? This may sound absurd, but even if someone were to hear it, they would have to care about the sound to ever say, 'A tree has fallen!' Similarly with lies, lies cannot exist without someone to hear them. You can tell as many lies as you want to yourself; it won't change anything unless you choose to believe them, in which case things could take a turn. Additionally, people can be lied to and not care whether it was a lie or not if it doesn't affect their lives. In such cases, those lies essentially don't exist because they don't alter anything.The same applies to finding the truth behind a lie; it's like an observer choosing to observe. A lie can have consequences, but if no one is willing (even slightly) to discover the truth, the truth will never be found. Even the person who lied may eventually want to reveal the truth. However, if no one is willing to seek the truth, the lie will persist forever. Of course, you could argue that someone lied about the foundation of a house, and a small earthquake destroyed the entire house, proving that a lie was told. But there must be someone who cares about that house and that lie. If the builder and the owner are both dead and the government doesn't care, then that lie will become an absolute truth

We must now ask the question: Why do people lie? People lie to protect themselves, others, or to achieve something they wouldn't otherwise be able to with their current level of effort. Sometimes, people lie to manipulate someone for their own good, but this also fits within the two scenarios described. The manipulator wants to protect the person and doesn't have the necessary effort to help them using the truth. Considering all of these points, we can see that lies are nothing more than shortcuts to a better outcome, forged using the powerful tools of communication

These were recurring thoughts Frieder had during the past three months, a period of absolute turmoil that sent his entire life into chaos. Now 26, after a psychotic episode at a festival fueled by a combination of illegal substances, alcohol, and betrayal, he was forced to reevaluate his life. He discovered problems within himself that no one truly wants to confront. All his friends there turned against him because one friend sought revenge for a foolish mistake Frieder had made one evening. He realized he wasn't as well-liked as he thought and had a new enemy: himself. It was during that festival that he noticed his memory failing, a sign of amnesia, dementia, or something else entirely. One thing was certain: his memory was deteriorating rapidly.

"Will you ever tell me the truth?" Frieder asked Elise.

"What truth?" replied Elise.

"You know exactly what truth!"

"And what if I tell you I don't? I have no clue what happened to you, I have no idea what your friends did to you, or even if they did anything in the first place. Maybe it's all just a product of your imagination!"

"One of them must have contacted you. You simply know too much. They also know too much, and even the people from work. How did they know so many things about my personal life?"

"It's not real, please, Frieder! You have to snap out of it. You're worrying everyone."

"All I know is that I knew revenge would come to me. I knew that Adler would want payback for my mistake, and I thought I could deceive him into thinking he got me! It was a good plan, but none of you believe me. You think that I'm a monster who secretly hated everyone, and that's simply not true. He's a cop, so he has his ways of achieving this!"

"I simply think you're worrying too much about this issue. You should let it go." said Elise, and then left.

He was left alone with his dark thoughts, wondering what they had done to him. He felt like his entire life was compromised. He remembered the times when he and Elise were still together and happy. Then he remembered how she had betrayed him, cheating with one of his childhood friends for revenge. Again, he felt like his whole life was nothing more than a lie. He hated Gerhardt for his betrayal and, at one point, hated Elise too. However, he managed to forgive her, recognizing that he wasn't an angel himself. He was often tempted by other women, including some of Elise's friends, but he managed to decline all the Devil's offers. Except for illicit drugs, those were the poison he had willingly taken. He was also a vengeful man in his early 20s, but this changed slightly after their breakup. He saw that revenge only brought more harm and knew that the Devil always comes to collect his fair share of the revenge deals. Right now, he felt worthless again. He felt that everyone was mad at him, knew that all of his friends had turned against him, and felt that his friendship with Elise (something his friends and family didn't approve of) was also shaken. Ann, his first love from when he was 16, had also started to hate him, even though they had been friends. He saw a pattern: he tried to remain friends with everyone, regardless of whether they hurt him or vice versa. He was entangled in the threads of the past, and people were trying to cut him loose, but he would just entangle himself even more. What he needed most right now was an answer, and nobody seemed willing to give it to him. He needed to try one more thing: his best friend Adam. He had tried to talk to him during the last three months, but after Adam and Alice moved in together, it was harder for them to meet. So he tried one more time to call him and ask him to meet up. This time, Adam accepted but seemed a little off. Frieder jumped into the wheel of his green Mazda and started to drive towards Adam.

Frieder's 2015 Mazda 3, a sleek, silver sedan with a custom-tuned engine, purred to life with a deep, throaty rumble. The subtle body kit, custom wheels, and dark tinted windows gave it a menacing edge, a reflection of the rebellious spirit within him. Inside, the cabin was a sanctuary of comfort and performance. The black leather seats, bolstered for maximum support, cradled him like a racing cocoon. The Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel felt like an extension of his hands, guiding the car with precision. The dashboard, a sleek, modern marvel, housed a large touchscreen infotainment system that pumped out powerful bass and crystal-clear highs, transforming the car into a mobile entertainment hub. Long drives were his escape, a way to soothe the chaos within. Others scoffed, calling him a gas guzzler, but for Frieder, it was therapy. With the music cranked up, the ambient lights casting a soft glow, and a burning desire for answers, he raced towards his friend's apartment, his heart pounding in sync with the car's powerful engine. His driving skills were a testament to his ability to remain focused amidst the whirlwind of thoughts and memories that often consumed him. As he approached an intersection, his blood ran cold. Several police cars and an ambulance blocked the road. A car accident, a grim reminder of the city's relentless pace. A police officer, his voice echoing through the chaos, instructed everyone to wait. Frieder watched, his mind racing. It was a miracle no one was seriously hurt. A lucky escape, considering the mangled wreckage of the vehicles.

As he waited for the intersection to clear, Frieder's mind wandered back to a terrifying car accident he'd experienced at the age of 20. On a cold November night (he loathed autumn and the chill), returning home from a breakup with his ex-girlfriend Issa, his old Ford had collided with a wild horse that had suddenly darted onto the road. The impact, a deafening explosion of metal and glass, had sent his car flying 100 meters into a nearby field. Miraculously, his seatbelt had saved his life. He'd lost consciousness for a few minutes, and when he came to, he struggled to remember what had happened. Smoke billowed from the engine, and the driver's door was jammed. Fear of an explosion drove him to kick the door open, finally escaping the wreckage. A passing trucker had witnessed the accident and called for help. To everyone's astonishment, Frieder emerged with only minor bruises. Police and paramedics tested him for alcohol and drugs, but thankfully, he was clean. Sadly, the horse had not survived. His parents, filled with worry, were waiting for him at the hospital. The doctors assured them he was fine, a miracle, just like the one unfolding before his eyes. But as he reflected on the accident, a dark suspicion crept into his mind. Could the head trauma he'd suffered during the crash, combined with his unhealthy relationship with drugs, be the cause of his memory problems? He jotted down the question, but couldn't dwell on it for long. The intersection cleared, and he was forced to continue his journey to Adam's apartment.