“For the last time you can’t be here!”
Maxwell took a deep breath. This was his last try, if he failed this he would be out of options. He clasped his palms together. He stared directly into the stall-owner's eyes.
“Please, can I get a job!”
The black-bearded man scowled. He gingerly pinched one of the skewers between his burly fingers. They were speckled with white scars long healed and deeply calloused. They were the hands of a working man. handed one of the doughballs from his side to a customer. A child no older than seven. A dribble of saliva ran down the corner of their mouth as if the lights were on but nobody was home. The stall owner knew a good place to pick, the park had always been populated whenever Maxwell stumbled upon it. The kid was probably from one of the many families that visited the park.
The stall owner gave a brief smile to them, waving as they left. It was all a bit pretentious considering he had been cussing Maxwell literally the moment before.
“You’re scaring customers,” he seethed from the corners of his mouth. “I told you for the last time go away1”
The man walked out of the stall window. It was more like a kiosk than a stall as it had a door to the side and proper wooden walls. Maxwell could hear scuffling and scraping of perhaps a chair. The man appeared outside. He wore a well fitting yellow robe. Maxwell noted several stitches around the elbows as well as several patches here and there that had been replaced. The stall owner jabbed a furious finger out of the park.
“Get out of here!”
He proceeded to try and pull Maxwell off of the stall but Maxwell’s vice-like grip had grabbed a hold of the corner. If his situation wasn’t so dire it might have been humorous. The stall-owner had grabbed ahold of his legs and was tugging so hard on them Maxwell was practically vertical. He likened a dog that wouldn’t let go of a chew toy despite any and all reprimands by its owner.
Dammit why is he being so stubborn, I’m just asking to work for him.
“Why don’t you go bother somebody else,” said the stall-owner, heaving Maxwell's loose body.. “I don’t have time to be playing games with you!”
“Do you think I’d do this if I didn’t have to!” He retorted. “Ow, you’re gripping me too hard!” he complained. “Ease up!”
“Ask someone else for a job, surely there’s something else you can do. How about an apprenticeship, ask an artisan like a carpenter.”
“I already asked around and they said they already had one!”. Sweat was slowly building up on his palms making it harder to grip on. The burning in his forearms and wrists weren’t helping either.
“What about the wheelwright? They’re always looking for someone!” the man said before tugging on Maxwell’s tattered pants.
“You don’t think I tried that! They said the same thing as the carpenter.” His pinkie fingers had lost hold from the counter. Damn, this guy is strong! He cursed.
“Stop using me to search for jobs,” said the guy. “IS getting a job the only thing that will get you to leave?”
“Yes!” said Maxwell resolutely.
“Uggh,” the man grumbled. He inhaled sharply before rapid-firing.
“What about a restaurant?”
“They shooed me off, thinking I was begging.”
“Bakery?”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“Said I was too dirty and stunk.”
The two of them were attracting a lot of attention. The weather was pleasant and families with their kids out on the grass were having relaxing picnics. More and more heads in the park were turning.
“What about a farmer, they’re always looking for extra hands.”
Maxwell’s ears perked up. A farmer? Maybe he could work with that, quite literally in fact. I hadn’t thought of that, of course that would work. Sure it might be physically gruelling but it wouldn’t be any worse than the suffering I’m already going through. Even if it was the same my body is already being chipped to pieces by this oh so lovely city. I might as well get paid for it.
“Is that true, will they let me work?” He said looking back at the man.
“That’s right,” The man grinned. “About a 5 day walk from here you might find an employer.”
“Stop mocking me!” shouted Maxwell. “I hope your stupid stall and your stupid dough balls burn to the ground and that you never get another customer!”
“They’re called Caldera everybody knows that and how dare you say that!” shouted the man.
Maxwell’s grip finally gave out and he fell to the floor. He groaned, picking himself up to his feet. He dusted himself off.
“Well, well if it isn’t the little street rat.” The voice that said that was certainly not the stall-owner. The tone was more sinister and seethed with ill-will. Maxwell turned to the voice. The two figures instantly sparked recognition in his eyes.Standing there poised like school bullies were two distinct figures. The one on the left was short and stout, a smattering of uncomfortably long stray hairs dotted his shiny dome. The one on the right wore a vest made of some sort of animal hide that wasn’t uncommon in these parts. His face though was entirely uncommon, he had a sharp jawline but it was sharp in three places instead of one, as if his face was entirely made of right angles.
“You two, those pillaging thugs!” Maxwell exclaimed
“See, I knew you were part of the Blood Rams!” said the stall-keeper at the sight of the two men. He wasn’t wrong for thinking that. The thugs looked out of place as well. The men’s clothes looked unwashed and faded. Their faces were bruised and bandaged much like Maxwell’s although they had significantly more redness and inflammation. Perhaps his lower body temperature and ice abilities helped stop it from forming. If there was no heat inflammation wouldn’t be able to form. The fact that the three of them were in a nicer part of the city only served to make them stand out more. Maxwell with his ragged clothes seemed far more similar to the thugs than anyone else there.
“For the last time I’m not part of them!” retorted Maxwell to the guy. So these guys are part of a gang. The blood rams. Aren’t Rams herbivores, there’s nothing really bloody about them. He supposed it made sense for the crooks to be part of a gang. That probably meant Sveno was part of the gang as well. He had said the crooks were his subordinates after all. It was the entire reason why Sveno fought Maxwell after all. They were just doing honest work, Maxwell scoffed.
“What are you smirking about!” said the crooks in unison. The tall one fingers twitched in anticipation. “We’re gonna tear you limb from limb.” he grinned.
“You guys aren’t looking too good either, surprised you got out of that alive. Maxwell retorted. “Thought you’d be dead by now!”
“What can we say,” they said again in unison like some abandoned acapella duo. “Margaret fixed us up pretty good!” they boasted.
“Tell her to do a better job cause you look like you were run over,” snickered Maxwell.
The thieves seethed at the comment.
While speaking Maxwell focused on stopping his voice from wavering nervously. How could he forget how they had toyed with him so easily back then in that alleyway. The last thing he wanted to do was underestimate them. A normal person wouldn’t be fine pillaging dead bodies. He was also in much worse condition now than he was back then. He couldn’t let them know they brought fear out of him. Everything seemed more connected then he initially thought. Maybe it also had to do with why people were so hostile towards him? There were pieces to the puzzle yet to be brought to light. With time he was sure he could figure it out.
“What are you zoning out for,” said one of the thugs. “We’ll be generous, we’ll give you three seconds to run,” said the short one.
These guys have got to be kidding me. Why do they love toying with their victims so much. Why do I have to deal with this, I don’t even know if I can beat these guys now.
“Come on guys, we’re in a park, are you really going to do this now with all these people? What if Imperial soldiers come?”
They grinned wickedly. The tall one turned to the shorter one. “What do you think? Should we just pack our things and go home?”
Kur scratched a hairy forearm. “I guess you’re right Null, I meeean, If the street rat says so.”
The bolted after Maxwell.
“At least give me some time first!” yelped Maxwell taking off.