“No, please don’t!” cried his girlfriend.

“Don’t what?” I said as I wafted the gun smoothly in his face.

“Do it!” Gina was clapping and laughing as she took the front seat to my play of torment.

“Please, don’t…you were right I...I was wrong…y-you should be Pilot, you’re made for it.” He was grovelling on his knees with his hands up. If I was him I’d fight back, damned be the consequences. A man who begs for mercy deserves none at all.

He had decided to run his mouth and spoke about how Andrana would be the Pilot because I was too soft in the head for it. He doesn’t look so confident now. Watching him quiver made me detest him more.

The sound of clicking consecrated from down the hallway, we all looked to see who it might be, I knew though, her polyrhythmic heel-toe clacks created that undeniable piece of music. My wife-to-be. Andrana.

Her outline fizzled and the resolution of her uninvited appearance was made apparent by her husky tone of disdain. “Showing off your authority again?” Her rebuke was frothing with contempt, why wouldn’t it be? She was to be the Navigator and me, the Pilot. I couldn’t resist stirring her glass of seething jealousy.

“Teaching the subordinates respect, it’s my right.” I smiled as the worm struggled to catch his breath through light sobs. His girlfriend was holding back her wails the best she could, sucking in her half-howls.

“It isn’t decided what our roles are to be yet,” said Andrana. “Maybe he’s right.”

Gina folded her arms, she wasn’t impressed that my “fiancé” was openly questioning me, and she’d certainly be turned off if I backed down now.

Ironically, in her righteous attempt to prevent the trigger pull, she had pulled it for me. Something I wasn’t planning on doing. I held the gun to his head and watched Andrana’s face. I wanted to see every crack break in her features as I imposed my authority, as she did at the dinner table when I first met her.

The gun let out a shriek as if a hole pierced a vacuum.

His girlfriend screamed. “Why?!” She sobbed on her boyfriend's lap. I stepped back to take account, looking at his body and then at Andrana, she had turned her back on me and walked down the hall. Nothing would impress her.

“You’re a monster!” His girlfriend's words didn’t affect me, but she quickly covered her mouth.

He sat up slowly, looking at us all and smiling blissfully. “Hello,” he said.

His girlfriend ran away with her hands cupped over her face to catch the tears.

“Hello, your name is Craig,” I said.

Craig smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Report to the janitor bay for assignment,” I said.

Craig stood up and walked away silently.

“He’s a good boy now, eh?” Gina hugged my arm and kissed my cheek while I studied the gun.

“Yeah…real good.”

My eyes shuttered before locking open. I awoke not in a fit of fear but in a pool of guilt. Which one was worse and which one I deserved was up for debate.

Sitting up I was reminded of the melee my body had been pressed through. Every arch and twist made my skin feel two sizes too small for my body. My sheet was pulled up with me, the dried blood from my back had bonded to the fabric. I reached back to tear the leech from my spine as I stood achingly. I wanted to coil back up in my pit. Looking at the floor reminded me I had a duty to more than just my comfort. Yesterday was just the beginning.

My feet slapped as I wandered into the dining area, it was a tip, I hadn’t noticed last night. Those freaks had been through every empty packet and box in the place in search of Leena. It made my God-given freedom all the sweeter. They had underestimated me.

Sunlight daggered through the blotchy yellowed panes of glass, stabbing at my eyes as I prepared a meal. They hated the sunlight, they wouldn’t reveal themselves during the day, but they’d still shine a light on me through other means. I had to remain subtle. I was safe, but my assets…my crew…weren’t.

I ate my paltry breakfast with one hand, the other played with the stolen I.D snap. I had made the switch against all odds. I needed to visit Jovik to finish up the changeover.

Then all I needed was a medical officer, reunite with my best friend whom I betrayed, and convince Skars to let me drag her to Yunar. My time was running low and my to-do list had become a tyrant of its own.

My device demanded my attention. I knew who it was.

“D Four Delivery—Den speaking.” Old habit.

“Where is Leena?” I could taste Vizers' anxiety.

“I’ve just woken up.”

“Sleeping on the job? You slept in the maiden.”

“I’m sure you’ll get acquainted with it soon enough.” I let him hear my smile, even if winding him up might come back to haunt me.

“Bring her back or I’ll make you pay first.”

“Doubtful. Not by a stepchild like you.” My freedom was no mistake or chance. It had been granted to me against Malikus’ wishes. Vizer could go fuck himself.

“Soon they will release the Glory Seekers.” Vizer was chuckling now.

Another loophole to defy Mother’s will. It worked though. They would use every dirty trick in the book. Lost in thought, I hadn’t realised I was keeping Vizer waiting for a response. I closed the line.

I lowered a day’s worth of food into Leena’s bunker, I told her I loved her. She replied in snores but that was good enough for me, she only snored like that when she was comfortable. I placed my palm against the cold steel door. The idea of the outside world was suffocating, the sky was falling and only I could see it. I slid the door open and that sweet air embraced me, drawing me onto the warmed pavement outside.

My first port of call would be Jovik’s, I wanted to tie a bow around the I.D snap. A job done, complete, ticked off, a foundation laid, something to jump from.

The public monitor was surrounded by the usual rabble. I joined them, only to feel like a person for a brief moment. Maybe a denizen of Delph, going about his regular day.

The news was on. Doctor Tolvuld was speaking candidly and sharply about his son on Yunar. He was pleading with authorities to re-establish connections. Poor fool. Poor, pathetic… fool. An old doctor from old times.

I walked towards the gate, first looking behind me for that block hopper, then I remembered about his accident. I sighed in relief, he wasn’t waiting to bash my head in. I looked behind me again, this time for those who’d be assigned to me and my movements.

A guard was stationed at the gate—not a coincidence. I pressed my access card to the door plate, holding the rusty bar inside my fist to push, but it did not yield. I tried my card again and still my attempts to dislodge the prison gate failed.

The guard approached me, wrapped up in his trench coat. I imagined a tiny weasel face under that mask of his. I gave him my best working-class shrug and shake of my head. “Bloody pass not working.” I nodded to the door as if he didn’t know what I was trying to use it on.

“Then go to your block’s council office to query it.” His modulated voice was emotionless, pre-programmed responses for an imbecile with no initiative, these guys had an answer for everything.

“C’mon pal.” I pushed my arm between the bars, fingers pinching my I.D to show it off. “I’m a delivery flyer, I need access through these, check it with your peers, my company reference is well known.”

The guard took my wrist and bent my arm around the bar, forcing it up against my shoulder. My pass tumbled through the air as my fingers tried pathetically to catch it by wiggling.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I groaned and tried to pull away.

“Don’t cross into other blocks.”

“My council office is closed.”A pointless protest…might score me a broken arm.

“Take the tram, like everyone else.”

The guard released my arm from its entanglement and thrust me back. I caught myself with my hands behind me as I landed on my arse. The guard flicked the card onto my lap and returned to his post. I inspected the pass for a moment. “Well played Vizer,” I muttered. To the tram, like everybody else then I suppose.

I needed to make space and time; if they saw who I spoke to they’d kill them. I stepped onto the sky tram and looked down the bleak corridors, left then right. Three guards, more than usual but as much as I expected.

My idea was shit.

I’d been pushing myself to do things I wasn’t happy about and with little to lose my choice seemed appropriate. The guards had situated themselves down each end of my carriage. An oldish chap with a ragged hat sat a few seats down from me. Perhaps it was paranoia or I was the smartest man on the tram, but I didn’t trust him.

I watched each of the men as I sat frozen. This was going to be my stop. It wasn’t my usual destination. I felt the tram slow. I made no indication of leaving, timing was going to be everything.

My knee bounced up and down erratically, the older gentleman had taken note of it with a glance at my leg and a kind smile. I kept focused and took deep breaths. I was going to do this.

The doors opened with a juddering slap. Before they had opened fully, I heaved myself upright using one of the bars. I whipped myself ninety degrees and dashed towards the exit. I practically flung myself onto the platform. I didn’t look back, I was certain at least one of the guards would have followed me out.

I went flat and rolled back towards the tram. The gap was just big enough to squeeze down into. I gripped the plasticated trunking that ran down the edge of the tram to prevent myself from plummeting sixty-foot onto a children’s playground situated below. I shouldn’t have looked down.

My arm shook from the strain. I looked up at the undercarriage of the tram, searching for anything to hold onto. I swung my arm up to hook a blackened pipe. I gripped the equivalent of a cattle brand. I let out a muted gasp and released it quickly. My body weight hanging from one hand. I swallowed a scream of agony and spat up instead, drool ran down my chin as I dangled frantically and gracelessly.

I could hear the engine exploding into motion, the tram was about to dash down the rails with me hanging underneath it. Sweet release kissed my neck. If I just let go, all the pain would go, and that to-do list would haunt me no longer. Vizer wasn’t having it that easy though.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I saw an inviting, steel-bevelled box. I wasn’t sure what it was for or if it’d take what little skin I had left on my hand away, but I had no choice. I launched myself at it and caught hold. The weight from my aching arm died down. I rocked my body up to wedge my boot under the pipe, they’d weather the heat. I found my other foot a home in the series of pipes and caught my breath.

To my left were boots and shoes, they hadn’t seen me roll under. If they were looking for me, that is. I smiled widely. I hated taking the tram, like everybody else. The tram shot down the rails. I felt like I’d been fired from a gun. I longed for those soulless bracketed chairs inside the carriage now. Pure luxury in comparison.

My cheek was pressed to the warm plate of the carriage’s underbelly, from the corner of my eye I could watch the city repeat itself under me. I relaxed a bit once I had climatised to the speed and the fresh air whizzing under me, however, the passing of a particularly close support beam underneath me caused a great puckering.

The tram stopped at several platforms before it reached Jovik’s. Each sudden stop jolted my body. My foot had come loose several times through the fragile journey, it caused me to panic until I found a foothold once again.

I worked myself towards the platform, avoiding the hot pipes. I didn’t have long and the manoeuvre back onto the ground was somewhat trickier than I had anticipated. My elbow kissed the burning pipe which caused me to audibly hiss in anger. I took it personally that time.

I worked my leg up and over the edge of the platform from beneath the tram. If anyone could see this, they’d reconsider their sanity I was sure. I brought my arm around from under and wormed my body between the tram and the platform. The engine of the tram vibrated my skeleton as if my parasitic latching had caused it to shudder.

The tram moved off quicker than I was expecting, it pulled my right leg away from my torso, threatening to tear me in half or simply letting me drop away like dandruff. I heaved and rolled free onto the platform face down with a sigh.

I rose to my knees and scanned over the two women whose faces were agape with fascination. “Dropped my key card,” I said as I stood. They looked at each other muttering as I limped away towards the platform's exit. My hand screamed, the adrenalin had seeped away and I was left with the aftermath of my decisions. I didn’t want to look at it so I kept it in my pocket, gently caressing my palm against the fabric to soothe it.

I moved quickly through Jovik’s block, twisting and turning to avoid my usual route. How long had they been tracking my movements? I bet they knew me by heart now, subtlety had already abominated into brute force. I don’t know how much more my body and my mind could take, I’d flirted with death too many times and we were beginning to have chemistry.

I approached Jovik’s door, making a note to look at the grate beside the steps, there was no movement inside. I retrieved my hand from its pocket and instinctively hammered at the anvil. My wince of pain from using the burnt hand retreated behind a moment of dull confusion. No slit opened, no crazy eyes, just a slow submission as the slab of steel parted ways with the frame for me.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think it abnormal for that door to be unlocked, was Jovik going senile? I peeked around the door to see if Jovik had opened it—perhaps he was expecting me today and just opened it when he saw me coming on one of his cameras.

“Jovik!” I walked through the living room and bedroom. One of the hanging bulbs flickered pathetically as it tried to stay awake. The place was a wreck, books were strewn about the place, and a table was pushed over. “Jovik!”

A response beckoned me towards the bathroom, it didn’t sound like Jovik, it didn’t sound healthy. A sort of scratched garble. “Here, Den…”

I edged closer to the bathroom door. The mouldy wooden plank wobbled on its hinges as I eased it open. “Jovik, you in here?” Sitting on the sickly olive toilet bowl was Jovik, he was hurt. “Jovik, what happened?” He looked at me, his head was slumped back against the wall.

His face and chest were stained with claret. His lower lip trembled as he ebbed into sorrowful weeping and flowed back into fear.

“It was a monster, I don’t know…he hurt me Den, I think am dying, I don’t want to die.”

I knew what was here. “Did you tell it anything?”

He just shook his head at me. “Didn’t ask me anything, Den.” Must have been a feral swelling from the pits, it was a relief to know he hadn’t told anyone important about my snap switch.

I swooped in and moved to his side, his help was the only way I knew I could get this snap working with Remsher’s ship, I wasn’t about to lose him. “Alright, you’re going to be fine.”

He shook his head at my words. “I need you to take me to a doctor,” he pleaded. His complexion was reaped of any colour, he wasn’t wrong about needing a doctor, he needed me to save him.

“You’re going to be fine, Jovik, I can patch this…” I shot up and fumbled through his cabinets aimlessly.

“I need help Den, help me, get a doctor.” I ignored him, we didn’t have time for that.

I found the medical adhesive gel and amateurishly applied it to the wound on his throat and chin. As I sealed up the gash I noticed his ear was hanging off and he had a missing finger on his right hand. He coughed and spluttered up some of the paste before it dried up.

“There you go Jovik, you’re fine.”

“I need a doctor, Den,” he spattered at me, speckling my face with his blood. I almost got annoyed before I considered his predicament.

“I need you to do the I.D snap for me Jovik, then I’ll take you to a Doctor.” Jovik looked at me blankly, he must have been processing my selfishness. I felt as if I’d broken some unwritten rule with this, but I was bound by no instructions. We all had to make sacrifices.

I didn’t wait for his blessing. I tossed his arm over my shoulder and dragged him to his computer desk. He was limp and cold, moaning like a whore as he held onto the last strand of his mortal coil.

I positioned myself awkwardly and dropped him to his chair, he slunk down into it. “C’mon Jovik, get this sorted and I’ll get you sorted.” I waved the snap in front of his mangled face, he couldn’t keep his mouth closed to stop the drool and blood oozing down onto his stomach.

“Den…,” his wispy voice was desperate and decorated with disappointment. Dutifully, and for what his life was worth, Jovik meandered through the task, lurched over, coughing over his keyboard as he programmed the snap.

He spent the next twenty-five minutes working through the transfer. I perched on his shoulder, watching like a pet parrot. I hadn’t the faintest idea what he was doing, I just needed to make sure he remained awake to do it. I had to shake him a couple of times as he slipped in and out of eternity.

His head nodded forward. “Done it.” He managed to croak those words out.

I snatched the snap from the machine and stuffed it away in my pocket. Jovik looked at me and waited for my help.

It wasn’t going to come, there was no way a doctor could save him, no way I could reasonably get him to one now. “Thank you, Jovik.”

He just stared at me, he knew I’d let him die, for that brief moment I wish I had the time to explain why. Silently he dozed off into blackness.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I cleaned my face with the remaining water in Jovik's daily allowance tank. I was liberal with the application. I had lost weight, lost face, I was rotting away it seemed. Was that due to my recent batterings or my moral choices, who knew?

My gaze was dragged away from itself when the sound of the front door wheezed open. Had it returned, had it smelt fresh meat? I pressed my back to the door of the bathroom to hold it closed from the inside, my eyes shut as I focused on the sounds. Light rustles, something plastic skittered across the floor, perhaps it was kicked?

I waited for what must have been half an hour, the sound of the door opening and closing repeated itself. For the last five minutes, I stood in silence but for my breath. It had marched up and down the hallway, tried the door I stood before. It was strong and sounded big.

It was time to leave, I couldn’t cower in this bathroom all day, it must have pissed off by now. Carefully I opened the wonky bathroom door and I peered out into the hallway that led towards the main room that Jovik’s corpse inhabited. Knowing he was down there was enough to raise the hairs on my body.

I moved slowly down the hall after a good minute of watching. Toe first as I lowered the rest of my foot down, wincing in frustration at each creak and groan from the random filler boards that had been slotted between the stonework under the sodden carpet.

Jovik’s chair was facing away from the computer and angled to the exit, he’d moved. The exit was just there, all I had to do was walk through it and I was out, no ghoul would follow me into the blazing rays outside. It was clear.

“Hello.” The voice came from behind. I felt cold metal press to the back of my neck. I raised my hands.

“Hello, mate,” I replied in kind.

“I’m not your fuckin’ mate.” I opened my mouth to respond but was halted. “Sit down…”

I obeyed and took residence on Jovik’s armchair, turning to face Remsher and his pistol. Jovik’s gaunt corpse sprawled on that chair behind him. “Weren’t all those confiscated?” I asked, trying to make small talk.

“Not mine.” Remsher wasn’t in the mood for our usual discourse, his brusque responses offering not a single ounce of sympathy, even if I did look like I had crawled through a bed of razor blades.

“Found Jovik’s place then.” I tried to break the silence, Remsher’s ginger mass was simply heaving over me, he was like a bear that was about to let me know if it was hungry or not.

“Observant, looks like you found the little prick first, and mutilated him, eh? Some sort of weird pleasure of yours, is it?”

“I didn’t do that.” I took an indignant tone, I was no monster.

“Right. So he did it to himself then did he?”

I leaned forward to bow in submission. As I lowered my arms, I matched my tone to my demeanour. “A feral feaster did it.”

Remsher wasn’t impressed with my finger-pointing. “A feral feaster? He jabbed the gun at me, I was sure he considered letting off a round and switching me off for good.

“They live under us, a whole society, and soon they’ll be up here, eating the lot of us.”

Remsher let out a worrying guffaw. “You’re a fuckin’ crack pot, pal, you’ve gone off the end, eh.”

I shook my head as he mocked me. “Remsher, I haven’t, why do you think I want to get us all of this rock?”

Remsher took a moment to process. “Who knows? You haven’t told the truth for a long time, our whole business is a lie, you’re a fuckin’ lie, now I suddenly have to believe this?”

I drummed my fingers on my knees, nodding in agreement with everything. “If you let me explain, give me time, I can save us.” I had nothing, there was no ace I could pull from my sleeve, no rabbit I could pull out of my arse. Remsher was resourceful for sure, I’d underestimated him, I thought I could approach him on my terms.

Remsher lowered his weapon and backed off slowly. Had he believed me? He stuck out his bottom lip. “I ain’t gunna melt you Den, I’m gunna turn you into the officers and they can deal with you.”

I went to stand. “Shoot me now then!” I slapped my chest to dare his will, I’d rather eat a bullet here than be handed back to Malikus, which is what would happen.

Those big ginger eyebrows raised in what I could only describe as perplexed pity. I didn’t even resemble anything of my former self to him now. “It’s over Den, com…”

We were interrupted by a flurry of noises from the kitchen, the room across from the bathroom.

Remsher stood back and raised his gun. “Who else is with you?” He held the gun to the hallway entrance, glancing at me for any potential attempts at mutiny.

“I think you woke him up.” I closed my eyes. “I hope you’re a good shot, Ray.” I clenched the arms of the chair, knuckles white, as I waited for the wretch's grand appearance. The tension gripped my throat, Remsher was uneasy.

I watched his hand tremble lightly. It was creeping, we could hear the light presses on the floorboards, it thought it would perhaps have the jump on us.

“Show yourself, I’m armed.” I closed my eyes in disappointment, big-mouthed bastard. The squawk of the boards silenced. It had stopped to wait. I opened my eyes up at Remsher, he looked back with that fear slapped face.

The room was hushed as if it too was watching, only the breath of humming machines could be heard. It was stalking around the corner, out of our sight. Remsher and I were crystallized in its aura of terror, not daring to move an inch. Remsher hadn’t even seen it yet.

Stilled footsteps became violent thuds, a guttural roar accompanying them. The feral creature raced around the corner. It was naked with a deep royal purple hue to its skin. Its eyes would have been yellow and beady had it not been for them filling with blood, two red orbs locked onto Remsher. He hesitated, always a mistake.

The feral hurled itself at Ray, knocking his larger mass back into the wall. The room shook and the rendering between the bricks rained on us from the impact.

“What the fuck is this?!” I watched Ray struggle with the ghoul's wrists as it snapped at his chubby face, the animal's mouth watered for a fill of his ripe cheeks, now flush with blood ready to be burst between its gnashing splinters. The gun had skittered to the floor between their feet.

Should I leave him to his fate? I could make a run for it now, that gun did look tempting. “C’mon Den! Get it off!” There is a time and a place when to let an asset go. I dived between the pair and slapped my palm down on the gun. I rolled onto my back and pointed the weapon up between them both, their heads nodding and jutting erratically.

I aimed the gun, my eyes narrowed as I focused, squeezing that trigger to release the bullet. The supersonic crack of the escaping round forced my eyes shut and pulled my mouth back into a grimace. My face was gifted a warm shower as a body landed on my legs in a still flop, like a puppet that had its strings cut.

I blinked my eyes open to flick away the blood, the liquid had travelled through the deltas from the corners of my eyes, rounded my cheek and kissed my lips. It tasted like off milk. I spat at it and wiped my face with my free hand.

Ray looked down at me, heaving as he leaned against the wall, silent for once. I kicked my way out from under the rancid cadaver and sat up against the wall, my gun hand resting on my knee.

“You were supposed to shoot it, Ray, not kiss it,” I said with a half-smile. Ray laughed as he made his way to the armchair, crashing down into the soft cushion and staring me down.

“Looks like you’re in charge now,” Ray said as he nodded to my gun. “Are you going to shoot me?”

I inspected the weapon a moment and then pushed myself off the wall. I walked toward him and held the gun out. Remsher’s face was painted with an unknowing timidity which soon morphed into that frown of his usual sceptical self.

“You’re trusting with me that?” said Ray. he looked over the hilt of the gun which I’d offered up to him.

I nodded solemnly. “Take it, Ray, I have to trust you, if you want to live you have to trust me. If only this once.” Ray’s eyes bounced between mine and the gun before he grabbed it. I stepped back and waited patiently.

“What next?” asked Ray.