"Put it all on the lucky star!"
"Hell no! that old centipede won't even finish the race for sure, I bet he will get dementia before even reaching the line."
"How long do they even live?"
"Saw one older than 200 let me tell you that."
"Still lying like always old man."
"I never lie brat!"
The boy turned around and walked to the young woman that was holding a small leather covered notebook while trying to notebook something as if her life depended on it.
"Hey Xio still writing everything in the diary l see. Did the boss say anything about the next mission? It is kinda late l didn't expect him to take this long we just need food for a few days at max... he has something up his sleeve right? Don't tell me that he went ahead and got us a carriage! Would have been really good, imagine having one of those short millipedes. Ughhh it could have been peak."
He continued speaking without acknowledging the sharp sound of Andre's slippers hitting John. Xio looked at the talkative boy with her classical emotionless eyes. She tried speaking but stopped as if she remembered something. After biting her lips as she normally did she started speaking.
"He didn't say much but l can say that it won't be a carriage. He said he went to see an old friend but that's about it."
"Ohh well I didn't expect a cheapskate like him to get something like that."
Xio's voice changed to an almost sarcastic tone, a smile appeared on her emotionless face. Diarmuid took a step back and was about to say something until her voice covered the office so loud that it scared Andre causing him to stop.
"Well wish it was him paying your hospital expenses too!"
"Yeah... but come on they just have to pull things out and give me painkillers l doubt my bills are more expensive than his life, and shhhhhh even Andre heard that are you trying to kill the old man from a sudden heart attack?"
"Who is old huh! Damn brat do you think you can just disrespect me? Go get my cigarette rather than flirting with Xio!"
Diarmuid wad already tired of waiting inside the office with nothing to do. Unlike Xio who enjoyed writing things about others into her notebook he was the type that got bored pretty easily and felt like the office was a rather choking place especially with the lack of windows in the bathroom which was the only place he could be alone.
"Yes sir as the humble soldier of your's l shall bring the package intact even if my life depends on it!"
John clicked his tongue before looking at Andre with a smug smile.
"Cut him some slack commander poor boy is still traumatized after you stole the legs from him yesterday."
"Should have had his eyes open then."
Diarmuid left the grumpy man, John and the today's weird Xio behind.
Streets were pretty dark especially compared to an average day. The thick mist in the air must have been the reason why. In the last few weeks mist became a daily part of everyone. He was forced to walk from the alleyway the office was in towards the residential area before reaching the crown road which had a lot of stores and was on the opposite side of the industrial zone which wasn't a good thing for nearly everyone. Hive was a city known for it's industrial zones and offices all around it which scouted relics from the previous eras which Diarmuid didn't really care about. After walking for a few minutes his hands went into his pockets in hope of finding something.
"In Xio l trust...."
After a minute or so of him pulling candy wrappers and receipts from the pocket of his trousers. After finding a few elo alongside a crumbled piece of paper he smiled.
Well l can get one of those ice tea people have been talking about nowadays, Xio would like it l guess. Well I even heard her voice in a shape other than a whisper today such a blessing indeed thank you all loving mother.
Diarmuid loved Xio more than just a partner of course. The reason he had for this was no more than childish. He knew that she definitely didn't feel the same too yet he still couldn't do anything but live his life for this weird woman. She was rather enigmatic too unlike other she didn't share much about herself which made her more alluring. His love was more of an obsession rather than anything else which he would have rejected of course.
He smooth out the paper and looked at it for a few seconds before looking around.
I think l passed it
He walked back and searched for the turn he was supposed to go. After a few minutes of staring at the undetailed map and talking to himself he reached the crown road while running through the residential area scared that he would get mugged. He always carried a knife but it was always strapped to his ankle and especially with these trousers it was hard to lift his leg up to pull that out or to bend down and pull it out. Even outside that he wasn't that strong by any means. He could take 2 people at most but his soul didn't give a clear advantage when it came to strength so anything higher would just be a torture for him. His guess was that the old man had something that either allowed some type of information gathering based ability or just gave him enough luck to actually get his hands on them. John controlled or at least created fire which they only used as an effective way of scaring some of the bugs but he never witnessed him use it more than that. Soul is something you shouldn't rely or can't even if you wanted to.
After a while he found himself outside the residential are and just a few stores away from the usual one. He didn't have. Reason to buy from then of course but it was the one that had a tab for the office which included Andre too. Diarmuid wasn't the type that liked owing someone money let alone have the courage to look at their hands for something else without paying for the previous one. For him it wasn't a matter of pride he just felt guilt inside him when it happened.
"Well well who am l seeing here?"
"You forgot me already? It is me Diarmuid, you know the guy from the other day? The beer guy."
"Oh yes yes come in come in what do you want today?"
It was an old man probably in his 60s and had a weird voice which must have been like that because of his smoking addiction. He was wearing a coat which wasn't a bad choice the weather was rather chill for some reason but the boy refused to take his trench coat thinking that he should be alright and cold is better than being covered in sweat. Because of how expensive water was even someone that worked in a job like his could only bath once a week because of how expensive water was. Economy became worse and worse with the development of steam machinery. The soul machinery that came after it reduced the rate of unemployment but even that wasn't enough and the crime rates increased. Human life became no more than an expendable recourse.
"He told me to get some cigarettes for him today."
"He? You mean who?"
"Do you remember the old guy that was here with me the previous time? Sorry l just couldn't remember the brands name he bought some cigarettes here last time so l thought you would remember."
The guy lifted his hand up probably to his face before speaking again.
"I think l do...wait a bit."
"Well don't worry as long as you don't see me running here that means it is fine."
"Don't worry I doubt that old man even knows what he is smoking. I heard he used to be an addict until a few years ago, living on the streets like the most. l was in a factory back in the day and left my shift around morning so you couldn't see the homeless since they would rush at the docks to work in daily jobs. By the way when did you switch to that office?"
"Switch? Sorry l really don't remember... to be honest with you I don't remember much of anything before the 14th of the last month."
Should l even be talking about this? I doubt telling him would cause any trouble.
He scratched his neck and looked at the ground before speaking.
"I still don't know what happened. I remember running on the desert trying to escape from something, there was someone infront of me too at least if I remember correctly. After that they told me that they found me and I continued working for them. I never even questioned it you know, if l was working for them before or not. Don't get me wrong they pay me relatively good and let me stay at the office too but... well it is not like l am not curious."
After continuing to talk without taking a breath he stopped and leaned down before panting for a few seconds.
"No need to be all excited it is not like anyone comes here during these hours do you need some water? Here here give me a second."
"No no it is ok it is just that...can you just tell me the offices name? If you know it of course."
Why am I even asking this? It is not like it will change something.
"I don't know the name but I know the place. You know it is one of the well known ones I heard they even get contracts from the aristocrats all the time. They seem like weird people especially that bald guy but other than that they seemed like your average marauders."
"Bald guy?"
How bad can he even be? I mean most marauders like me are weird people for sure l got this weird tattoo for example but this just gets me curious.
"This guy who was like 2 times my size pulled up and bought like a 2 packs of candy paid like 60 elo."
Old man placed 3 boxes on the counter.
"Did he leave before you..."
"Yeah he did what a weird person right? Just take the change but well maybe he felt generous. I haven't seen him after that maybe he died but I doubt the desert must be pretty safe for someone like him."
"Yeah they probably have those new lights they market on the radio that keeps the bugs away."
"Their office is just behind the restaurant right there."
He came out from behind the counter and walked outside before pointing at a restaurant that was only a few meters away maybe 50 maybe 100 but Diarmuid didn't look at it directly instead just passed the old man with the boxes he placed on the counter under his arms.
"Thank you sir he will probably pay at the end of the month. See you later!"
After a few minutes of walking he find himself walking into the alleyway next to the restaurant. He turned back after coming out only to see that there was just a wall.
Well it should be here somewhere...there it is.
He walked past a few more stores and found himself standing infront of an office. It looked far larger than his but even outside that it looked professional, like one that is worth someone's attention. Considering where it is it must have had 3 floors or maybe 4.
I wonder if they let others rent one of the floors or something. If they did l am sure it would be a lawyer for obvious reasons. I wonder how much those lawyers get paid for making those contracts, they must be earning enough at least.
Even when he was standing infront of the only clue he found out about his past he couldn't lift his head up to see.
Even among his self thoughts something was hiding. He was refusing to accept or even acknowledge it but he was scared. He was covered in fear, he was biting his lips as his body continued shaking. He kneeled down and put the boxes on the ground before hugging himself.
I just have a few weeks at best what am l even scared for? What will even happen when l enter inside? Maybe I will learn a bit more and then what? Only to give then false hope and take it away when they find my mutilated corpse on these streets resembling nothing similar to that of a human? How dare I? Why would I? I am already going to leave Xio behind so why am l trying to cause more pain to these people too? I should be forgotten, yes I must be forgotten it is for the better after all.
After standing there for a few seconds hyperventilating he saw something at the edge of his sight. Armor plated boots on his left that took a few quick steps back and dissappeared, walking inside an alleyway next to the office. Diarmuid wanted to follow it yet he couldn't. With his whole body shaking in fear he took the boxes and ran away.
"Well you came at last now gimme those babies!"
After placing the boxes down on the couch he stepped inside letting the smell of meat fill his lungs.
"Well well well look who is here come down come down we have been waiting you know."
The office had 2 floors with the top floor being made of 2 small rooms which were Diarmuid's and Aaron's room and the lower floor was just a small kitchen and an office area with one small office and the rest being two worn out couches, a wooden round table in the middle and a radio which was one of the older models and sat on a small coffee table. Diarmuid wanted to sit next to xio but John and Andre already had her between them so he sat on the smaller couch. Four relatively big paper bags were on the table which had the plates stacked on top of each other and utensils. After realizing Aaron will sit next to him he put the boxes behind the couch.
"So what did he get? Hope it is those fried ants."
"I think he got some worm dumplings."
"Wait really? You can smell even that?"
John looked at Xio probably shocked after hearing that.
"She definitely asked Aaron you know what kind of nitpicking a**hole he is. Thanks to him I can't even buy myself some premium..."
"I can heard you and as you might know you are the sole reason why we lost the previous deal."
"Not my fault! They have no idea what it meant to transport oil between 2 cities."
"And that was why me and Xio were about to scam them out of what they had if it wasn't for you starting a fight calling them "brainless rats"."
"Wait was that the reason we didn't get a bonus that week?"
"Duh of course it was now let's dig in...Boss what are you waiting for we are starving here."
"Coming coming"
Plates were filled, eyes were locked on the meat and the salad which no one really had an eye on other than Xio who definitely wanted to finish early and get back to writing. Meat was worm belly and cricket leg pieces one saute one fried. As the one that was left with only the belly before Diarmuid charged in for the leg only to see that he was too short to reach.
"Hey can you..."
After seeing that no one heard him he went for the belly instead. Texture was relatively better tham he expected, the meat was cooked better compared to the day before since they ate canned food at the desert yesterday before arriving at dawn.
"Here here."
Aaron leaned forward to get some leg and threw some to the Diarmuid's table.
"Milk is for the ones that cry."
"When you put it like that I just feel worse than l am supposed to."
"Don't worry after we finish this contract we will be well off for a week."
John poked Andre a few times with his elbow before talking.
"With him information gathering is easier than..."
"Hey you see this? First time seeing him unable to finish a sentence I think he realized he was about to compliment him."
"Shut up I just thought..."
"What? Are you amazed by me a of a sudden? That's it young blood know who is doing everything here."
After a few seconds of silence Aaron spoke after stuffing his mouth with some belly.
"A missing person.... didn't expect someone like them to choose us..."
John looked at Aaron annoyed.
"Boss swallow that before you choke out like him drinking water."
"I was coughing got it? How can anyone even choke on water otherwise?"
"They are asking us to find clues about the missing sir Ronald Reverie. According to his butler he dissappeared 2 days ago when he went to the club. He never returned and after waiting a day his butler reached the marauders association and asked for help."
"So you just jumped and got it? Everyone would know that this is good money how did you even get this job?"
Diarmuid looked at John after his statement.
"He must have put a few people in between to get this job or l doubt a small office like us would get this. What if they did it bidding style? I doubt since it isn't an expedition or courier job. Maybe this Ronald has a bad reputation but I doubt it would be that bad."
Before Diarmuid could ask if sir Ronald was a hated individual Xio started speaking as if thinking her time came.
"He is known as a big shareholder for multiple corporations that work in the field of iron mining and the procession of it. You can say that he has a lot of control over this particular line of job which is the main reason most people hate him."
"So did he do anything before this so called disappearance of his?"
"His butler said that he went to the club which he visited frequently so I went there and took permission to investigate the room he frequently used."
Aaron got up to wash his hands leaving the others behind.
"So miss xio isn't it weird? I mean according to his butler no one saw him exit because it would have been solved before all this if that was the case, right?"
"Yes probably or maybe someone saw yet got paid enough to shut up. This disappearance might even make a lot of people lose their jobs and the whole industry to shift."
Andre got up next and went to get one of the boxes before sitting on Xio's chair. After sitting he put the box on the table and started rolling the tobacco with the paper and the filter inside. Before smoking the first. John got up after him and opened the window before going to the bathroom and returning a few seconds later.
"I will be taking my leave for today there is a play l want to see."
"Never knew you were a play person... you always seemed like the pub type."
"Is it bad to change once in a while?"
After goodbyes he left leaving the rest behind.
"Are you gonna stay here for tonight?"
"No just a bit more for the night and l will leave for today. Can you put the boxes under the stairs?"
"Yeah yeah got it..."
After a few seconds Aaron returned which seemed to be the reason which caused Andre left in a hurry. Aaron hated him smoking inside the office after all.
"Hey maybe you should slowly change his tobacco with normal grass i doubt he can even feel the difference and it would be helping us all too."
Diarmuid was alone in the couch so he slapped the spot next to him.
"Come on boss I haven't seen you all day and Xio is waiting to write about it too sooooooo."
Without even waiting for him to sit down he started talking with genuine curiosity.
"I think people as rich as them would at least give you some things to eat so l was curious..no we were curious, how was it?"
After sitting down Aaron did all the buttons of his jacket which were only half done when they were eating.
"Well as you know I see myself as distinguished gentleman too so l will be guiding both of you through what a tea time in the house of someone as distinguished as then feels like. We started with some tea from palenight which is probably the name of some far away town but I always go for suns hometown when it comes to tea, which had a rich but almost choking aroma because of how intense it was. I was offered crackers but I prefered taking the carrot cake which wasn't to my liking because of how hard it was, maybe it was left out I don't know. They offered me more but l refused as the gentleman that l.... what was that for."
A pillow struck his face before he could finish his sentence.
"I am not waiting here just for you to talk about some tea who cares about that? Ohhh miss Xio does... yeah..."
Aaron slammed the pillow next to him to his face before getting up.
"There is someone l will meet, an old friend of mine."
His voice changed from the annoying mr gentleman to his normal voice.
Aaron is weird. It is not like l know him for a long time or that l remember much about him but he is weird. Sometimes he is like a captain that is so good at his job that his entire crew is ready to die for him, sometimes he just feels cold and sometimes he is just humorous. Well at least he is a good person to live with and does the laundry once every week. Oh wait l forgot the get something for Xio. What should l do now? I can go ahead and ask about her notebook like always or try to read what's written in it. Maybe I should talk about something but what? I can go for a different topic well here l go.
"Hey Xio weird question but where do you think the souls even come from?"
Xio's movement slowed down as she started talking with her classical monotonous voice.
"I doubt souls are even souls but maybe a gift from God's or just our will. It just feels funny how everyone's souls have different powers as if it is their destiny. Boss can command John can fight and you can survive. Maybe it is just the evolution of humankind against the monsters outside. Sometimes l wonder, why does some of the insects outside have powers similar to souls. Maybe they are as same as us and have their own souls and urges."
"You sometimes feel that the whole situation is just a war between two sides right?"
She stopped for a while as if this question was hard for even her to answer.
"I thought about it a while ago but we know nothing about them. No matter which way we went both the desert or the mountains we were unable to find anything that resembled a civilization of them. Small nests but nothing more."
"So believing that they are just mindless beasts seems better at the moment."
She looked at him with a blank face before a small smile appeared on her face.
"Yes yet we never saw eggs of them. So mysterious maybe they are just beasts sent by a so called god."
"You don't believe in a god too right? I do but l am more of a non praying weirdo."
"Even if a god exists they never cared about us in the first place. We are just worthless insects under their foot. Or maybe they hate us and this entire world is the battlefield between the so called gods and humans."
This is the first time I saw miss Xio talk so enthusiastically. Maybe she likes these type of more existential topics. I am ok with this yet I appreciate every type of conversations even if it is just a daily talk.
"Xio it is a weird topic you know...hey Xio do you believe that l am an egg?"
Xio looked at him with a puzzled look before smiling.
"So you think l am not real. Even if I wasn't would you really want to learn that?"
Diarmuid took a step back with an almost emotional look on his face. He was shocked but more importantly he was scared after realizing something. He was looking at her face. Before he could say something Xio continued talking.
"Hey do you know why l keep this notebook? Here l will show it to you."
She turned the notebook around and started going back page after page revealing sketches of everyone in the office with small notes.
"I met with Diarmuid today and we went to get tea together. John wanted to come too but he started moving his eyebrows and eyes in a weird way causing John to change his mind. Such a goofy person."
She flipped to another page. Which had Diarmuid with his arms open with a huge smile on his face. He was wearing a fake mustache with a monocle and a funny little almost miniscule top hat on his head. His hair was rather long with the front being short and just on his brows and the sides being on his shoulders. His tattoo was covered by a band aid on his face.
"This is from the time you decided that you had to look very gentlemanish when boss decided upon taking us to a proper restaurant to accompany him during the deal. You made everyone laugh even chef who waiter called after you said their juice is really good and you want to compliment the chef for it."
Her eyes which held a look of obsession locked onto his. His hands were covering his mouth as tears fell onto them. His entire face was wrinkled and pale, covered in primal fear. He couldn't even breathe let alone think. He took a few quick steps back with his entire body shaking, unable to control his own body. His bloodshot eyes darted around as his right hand went to his forehead. Blood trickled down from his forehead as his nails dug into his skin. Xio had a new look on her face now, one that he has never saw before. She looked worried and almost scared. She extended her hands yet she pulled them back again as if thinking that it wouldn't do anything good if she tried to pull his hand away.
"I will never forget you or anyone ever until the time l die! All of you will stay as a part of me until I take my last breathe! Because I am a disgusting person who wants to record everything on this world because everything that ever happened is important. Even the slightest expression is something l am ready to kill hundreds for. This is who l am! What is it in your eyes? I will accept you and record you as what you are so say it!"
She shouted as if she wanted to state this to the whole world thinking that these words of her would make him feel better. She looked at him with her arms open and her voice filled with pride. Yet the thing she saw infront of her was no more the a shriveled bug. His right hand slowly lost its grip as he looked up. His face was something Xio has never recorded. She wanted to pull her notebook and record it all, sketch it all yet she couldn't, something held her back. His eyes were filled with despair. Between the fingers of his left hand drops of blood slipped. With a primal fear he started running away. Xio moved forward yet failed to grab him as he crawled up the stairs and locked himself in his room.
"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? How dare you! How dare you say all that? How dare you! Am l hoping for much? I am fucking dying and want to go out in peace and not in pain. I don't want to be more than just a co worker that died. I am not scared of dying but leaving things and people behind that will carry my marks is it that hard to see? I passed out in your arms 3 days ago vomiting blood and you think l am just ok? Of course l am not! All of you are ignorant fools. F**king fools that don't care about me! I should just run away and die in the streets if being here causes more pain...yeah l probably should."
Before his eyes was a scene that awakened a primal fear inside him. Neon light, asphalt road and the warm hand of her. Wearing a yellow cloak he continued walking when suddenly a wild wind flew away his umbrella.
"You really wished you could grab it in the air right? You wished that you could just fly up there and grab it."
"Even in this moment he didn't have the courage to look up. Was the umbrella even there? He didn't know yet the primal fear that broke his soul was real. He knew what was going to happen, he knew it yet he couldn't do anything."
"I can give you those beautiful wings that you always desired."
"Don't you want the courage to look up?"
"Don't you dream of billion different light out there?"
"Yet you don't have the courage."
"Yet you don't have wings to fly up there."
"You don't have the determination to keep going."
"You lost your meaning and now you are no more than a rotting corpse."
"Can't you feel the maggots in your body?"
With sudden urge he vomited on the floor with a mixture of blood and saliva gushing out of his mouth as he fell on the ground unable to move. Even if he could he wanted to rest until the pain of maggots eating him inside out passed. It wasn't even real after all.
He could see maggots crawling in his vomit even with his blurred vision.
Why couldn't she just forget about him.
"I just want to be forgotten after l die becoming nothing but past."
He closed his eyes hoping that he would feel better when he opens them again. Even now he couldn't lift his head up.