The Fool's Gold

"Phew!" exclaimed Sultan, wiping the sweat from his brow as he took off his apron and folded it neatly. “And I'm done for the day.”He turned to his coworker, Jerry, who was standing behind the counter, and tossed him the towel, calling out with a cheerful voice, "Yo! Catch!" Jerry glared at Sultan, his expression blank, then returned to mixing the cocktail. He didn't even try to catch the towel, which landed on the floor behind the counter with a dull thud. Sultan shrugged with a smile, not wanting to make a fuss. It was no secret that Jerry wasn't the friendliest person, and he had never bothered to explain why. But when Sultan once asked him why he was always so cold to him especially, Jerry's reply was blunt and brutal: "You're dumb and act like a fool." The words had stung, and Sultan had never forgotten them.Despite Jerry's attitude, Sultan always did his best to make their working relationship as smooth as possible. He was determined to be the bigger person.That day, Sulta

Sultan stared blankly at the card, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The purple ring he had been holding had somehow become a purple tarot card. But how was that possible? He couldn't wrap his head around it. He knelt there, frozen in place, for what felt like hours. Even the tears that had been welling up in his eyes dried up.Sultan's mind flashed back to the day he'd bought the ring. It had been a usual, sunny day, and he'd been feeling hopeful and optimistic. He'd withdrawn his life savings from the bank, determined to buy a ring that would show Tiana how much he loved her.As Sultan had been walking home from the bank, he'd passed by a jewelry store and decided to go in and as he approached the store, he noticed a beggar sitting outside. Sultan had bought a loaf of bread from a nearby bakery, and he decided to give it to the beggar.As he approached the man, he noticed something strange. The beggar's eyes were filled with a strange, purple light, just like the tarot

Sultan felt confused at that moment. He didn't understand why the general had called him a fool. He opened his mouth to speak, desperate to clear up any misunderstanding. “Please, sir, you have to listen to me. I am not a fool. If you'd just give me a chance to explain…” His voice trailed off as the general held up a hand to silence him.Resilient, Sultan opened his mouth to continue speaking, but the general cut him off. “Don't move. Don't speak. Just freeze!” he said sternly. The tone of the general's voice made it clear that he was not to be disobeyed. Despite his fear, however, Sultan wanted or better still, felt like he needed to explain what was happening from his own perspective."Look, I am not from this world, okay? I just, I just… "Sultan tried to explain himself, but the words caught in his throat. 'I... I...' he stammered, trying to get his thoughts in order. But before he could finish his sentence, the general and everything around him disappeared. Like a mirage, every

Sultan rushed to the main road and waved down a cab, knowing that the free bus service that was typically provided by one of the city's wealthiest families had ended at 8:00 a.m. He would have to find another way to get to work.The free bus service was a lifesaver for commuters who needed to get to work quickly, but Sultan had missed his chance to use it today. He would have to pay for the cab ride, which he didn't want to do but right now he has no choice.The cab driver pulled over to the curb and asked Sultan, “Do you know Light's Fill-up Restaurant? Just at the Bolivar street.”“Opposite the Greg's pizza shop right?” the cab man asked politely and Sultan nodded in agreement. “Yes, that's the place,”he said. The cab driver responded, “I know where that is.”Sultan was about to ask the cab driver about the cost of the fare, but before he could even get the words out, he realized that he had no dime. Empty! - he had no money. Sultan quicky apologized and said, “I'm so sorry to ha

Sultan's search for the man was fruitless. He didn't see him anywhere, and he was beginning to lose hope. Finally, he decided to head home, planning to carry the gold card with him wherever he went, just in case the man asked for it again. Perhaps, after the occasion he and Jerry would be serving, he might hand the card over to the boss in case the owner of the gold card returned to the restaurant to retrieve it. "Hmm, I think I should just go get ready," Sultan mused to himself. Without any further questions swirling in his mind, Sultan decided to take the most shortest route home. As he walked, he veered away from the main road, cutting through some secluded areas. When he reached a particularly dark and secluded area, despite it being daytime, he came across a group of three young boys smoking and having a good time. The boys' faces were all hidden - one of them had a hood pulled up, and the others' hair covered their faces. Sultan shook his head, thinking to himself, "Oh Go