[ WP ] you have the ability to see everyone 's physical manifestations of their greatest fear . You can interact with them but no one notices , you 've befriended yours . While at the bar and the man sitting across from you buys your next round . When he comes over , you notice that he has no fear `` shadow '' ...

`` Another round for my good friend here!'' The man hobbles over. His short, white hair looked as if it had slowly migrated to his chin over the years, leaving wrinkles and spots in their place. He looked friendly enough in his ratty gray suit, but for some reason, did n't seem to have a manifested fear. The bartender ( and the beautiful woman that shadowed him ) slid a shot of whiskey to me with a smile. 
 
 Max, a large, humanoid spider and my closest confidant, tapped me on the shoulder. `` I would n't let him get too close.'' 
 
 I scooched to the other side of the barstool as the old man sat, thankfully, two chairs away. I kept away from the whiskey for now, playing it safe. Besides, I was feeling a bit sluggish from the four or five shots from earlier. When your world is filled with fear, drinking is a surprisingly good escape. `` Thanks, but I do n't think we've met.'' 
 
 `` No worries, my son, I'm not trying to drug you. It's just a promise I made.'' His eyes almost glaze over as he gets a faraway look. `` Do you know fear?'' 
 
 `` More than you could ever know.'' I grinned and downed the shot. Max clapped three sets of hands at once, waved two fists in the air, and hooted. 
 
 He smiled a tired smile, one that crinkled his eyes. One laced with sadness. `` It's strange that in times of loss, we find the generosity within ourselves. In gratitude to a higher power. Or to complete strangers.'' He turned to me. `` But perhaps I should n't ruin your night. You've got a good mood going. Another round.'' He slides a folded note on the counter and drops a twenty in the tip jar. The next round comes out lightning-fast. 
 
 I was a pretty heavy-set man and it had been about an hour since I had started. Figured I was good for another, so I downed this one too while fist-bumping Max. `` Hey, if you're paying, I'll listen to whatever story you want to tell.'' 
 
 He sighed, resting his chin in his folded arms. `` No, it would n't be fair. It's rarely ever fair. Just know that once, I was in a very bad situation. Unimaginably horrible. And I swore to the one person who would listen, that if I ever made it out alive, I would rescind my ways and become a generous man. And against all odds, I found you tonight, here at this bar, in need of good drink and good company. So I hope I have not failed to provide.'' He stood up to leave and offered his hand for me to shake. 
 
 Now this shot actually burned going down. Drugs? I glared at Max, then glanced at the bartender. He shook his monstrous spider head. He had n't seen anything with all those eyes. I coughed as I got up. The room spun. 
 
 `` So what happened to your friend?'' Too late, I noticed the Star of David monogrammed into his cufflink. I barely heard his response as I coughed again, bloodily, and fell to the floor. 
 
 `` He was gassed.''
