The skyscrapers and the red flickering light blurred as Florence hurried through the streets. She squinted her eyes as the sun rose over the eastern horizon. Her palm sweated, smearing it on the handle of her leather briefcase. The crowds emerged from the skyscrapers, flooding the street like nothing had happened in District Nine. However, from a distance, the pillar of black smoke still filled the sky above District Nine.

Aisling carried Yuze and Stella, gripping and dragging Florence by the wrist. Stella still clutched on the duffle bag and the toolbox, swinging from left to right. The guitar strapped on her back wobbled.

“Pardon me? Aisling, you really have to explain yourself,” Florence said.

Aisling weaved through a dense group of people. “Yup, if you couldn’t tell, they want Stella.”

“How would you rate this heaviness from one to ten?”

“Rude.”

“How?”

“You gotta be kidding me. Weren’t you talking about Stella?”

“Of course, I am not only speaking about her.”

Aisling spun around with a sweat trickling down her face, staring back at Florence.

“You do not look fine,” Florence said.

“I’m fine,” Aisling said.

Stella covered her face behind the duffle bag. “I want to… I mean, could you put me down or something.”

Aisling turned at the corner of the street, dragging Florence past the Wellor Tower.

“Pardon me, but I am a bit lost here?” Florence asked.

“Don’t worry about it, you’re gonna be fine,” Aisling said.

“Where are we going?”

“The coast… kinda.”

“How is it going to help?”

“For our job.”

“How does it… Never mind, if I have to assume, the salt from the ocean might work for the exorcism.”

“Close enough.”

By the time they weaved their way through the street, taking a step on the coast made of concrete. A salty and sulfurous odor twisted Florence’s stomach. The tides crashed against the seawall, running parallel to the shore. In front of Florence, two islands stood alone in the ocean. One with a lighthouse. The other has a wall of skyscrapers packed close together but rusting on the edges.

Florence turned towards her left, where a guard post and fences surrounded a staircase that led underground. Amongst the crowds, groups of pink androids marched around the area.

A bloke with a television for a head stood near the top of the steps, leaning against the large cluster of steel beams. He wore a wrinkled orange polo shirt and olive shorts. His thin hands rubbed his lower back. In front of him, a pink android held onto five wooden crates.

“Right over there,” Aisling said. She dragged Florence towards the stairwell, getting closer to the bloke with a television for a head.

Florence blinked, tumbling past an empty truck and a group of patrolling pink androids.

“Jack, this was part of the deal,” the pink android said to the bloke with a television for a head.

“Yes, I know.” Jack tilted his television for a head up, crossing his arms. “But we couldn’t avoid it.”

“This is not enough.”

“But if the Wellor System doesn’t—”

“No more excuses. This is unacceptable.”

“None of the NPC will survive if this keeps going on.”

“What’s up,” Aisling said. She shook the fence, tugging Florence along. “So could we kinda not do it here or something?”

“You know what will happen if it doesn’t happen,” the pink android said. “Especially if you disobey us.”

Jack knocked his knuckles on the clusters of steel beams behind him. “This is all we’ve got. I know this is only one-tenth of the required steel beams. And also, there are still some missing things, like the glass panels.”

The pink android’s arm transformed into a rifle, pointing at Jack’s face. A humming electricity charged within the barrel of the gun.

Jack raised both of his hands up. “Yes, I agree. I’ll follow your instructions.”

“Good,” the pink android said, handing over the five crates to Jack.

Aisling shook the fence again.

“What is the matter?” The pink android turned around, looking at Aisling.

“Could you let us in or something?” Aisling asked.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because we work here.”

“Makes a lot of sense considering how pathetic your stat scores are.”

The pink android opened the fence, letting them come in.

“What is happening exactly?” Florence asked, tugging at Aisling.

“Well, if I’m correct, those androids store everyone’s data in their database. So, in other words, they can identify us with our biometric information,” Aisling said.

“Where did they get that from? By the way, I am actually asking about the other one.”

“What?”

Florence furrowed her eyebrows, biting her lower lips.

“Excuse me, could someone please help me?” Jack asked.

“Sorry.” Aisling releases her grasp on Florence’s wrist, nudging her. “Florence, I’m sure you know what’ll happen next.”

Florence’s upper eyelids relaxed, dropping her jaw open. She turned back at Aisling.

“Please?” Aisling asked.

“Pardon me, how are you certain this is part of the job?” Florence asked.

“Yup.”

“You cannot be serious? How did we go from trying to investigate and perform an exorcism on a ghost to this?”

“Well, because this isn’t work related to occult detective stuff. But a part-time job instead.”

“Since when?”

“It always has been.”

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“Why were you not being honest with me in the first place?”

“Well, I was kinda telling the truth. You just didn’t ask me if we have another occupation.”

Florence snatched the crate from Jack, throbbing her inflamed forearm. She bit her lips, holding her breath in. Florence yawned, dropping her eyes closed. She lost her balance, falling and rolling down. The crate flew out of her hand, thudding to the end of the staircase.

“Are you alright, Florence?” Aisling asked.

Florence groaned.

“I guess that’s a nope.” Aisling breezed down the stairs, with Jack following behind.

A ringing echoed in Florence’s ears. She stared at the ceiling, and her vision blurred. She pushed herself off the ground and stood up, brushing her dress.

“You ain’t that careful girl.” Jack shifted the crates in his arms.

“Absolutely,” Florence said. She rubbed her body, aching in pain. “Ouch.”

Aisling hopped as she went up to Florence’s face. “Gonna be honest, you might not want to look behind you.”

Florence wheeled around, stumbling into a cobwebs-filled room. The lamps above her head dimmed as Aisling leaped over the turnstiles, strolling under the archway while still carrying Yuze and Stella.

“Florence?” Jack rested his head. “So, you’re new here?”

“How did you know?” Florence asked.

“Aisling always brings someone new every week or month.”

“What… happened to them?”

“I ain’t sure. They just disappeared.”

Florence knelt down and picked up the crate lying on the ground, squinting her eyes at Jack.

“Guys, could you kinda hurry up a bit?” Aisling jumped up and down on the other side of the room. “What’s taking so long back there?”

Jack stepped forward, pushing aside the cobwebs. “Okay, we’re coming right now.”

The crate in Florence’s arms wobbled as she followed suit. She went underneath the turnstile and entered through an archway into an extended platform.

Aisling and Jack leaped off the platform, landing and clattering the crushed rocks beneath their feet. They walked into the tunnel, where several pipes snaked above their heads.

Florence quickly followed them. “Pardon me, but why are we here exactly?” she asked.

Yuze nodded with her eyes half-opened. “Already?”

“Charity… I guess,” Jack said. “Just have to deliver these crates.”

Yuze nodded with her eyes half-opened. “Already?”

“Yup, Yuze, could you now help us or something,” Aisling said. She coughed.

“Aisling, you should apologize to her,” Florence said.

An eerie rumbling reverberated through the tunnel.

“Don’t worry about it,” Aisling said.

Florence shuffled past a metal door with an electric warning sign. “Are you certain?”

“This happens occasionally,” Jack said.

“I want to go home.” Stella shoved her face into the duffle bag. “I don’t want to be here.”

“Same,” Florence said. “Honestly, how did I even get dragged into this?”

Aisling chuckled, shaking uncontrollably.

“So, Florence, feel free to ask me anything if you need help,” Jack said.

“Do you know how to get to District Nine?” Florence asked.

“Hey.” Aisling spun around. “I’m gonna be honest. Could we do something fun later?”

“For you Players, it might be difficult,” Jack said.

Florence tripped over a random wire running across the tunnel. “So there is another way in?”

“Nope,” Aisling said. “There isn’t another way.”

“Actually, there’s sort of a way,” Jack said.

“What is it?” Florence asked. “How am I supposed to do it?”

“Jack, could we talk about this later?” Aisling smiled, furrowing her eyebrows. “We gotta focus on the stuff we’re doing right now.”

Jack stopped in his tracks, facing an intersection, rubbing his lower back. “We’re here,” he said. “Go deeper into this underground tunnel, and you should be able to reach the Walled Island. Then, island hop to Beacon Island. And then from there, you should follow bubbles from the Prince Underground Railway to District Nine.”

“Is there something else?” Florence asked.

“Do you guys like chocolate?” Aisling kicked some of the crushed rocks into the air. “White? Milk? Dark?”

“We don’t have any,” Jack said. “Did you hit your head or something?”

Aisling coughed.

“I guess that’s a no,” Jack said.

A rumble rang above within the pipes.

“How are any of you feeling?” Florence shifted the weight of her body from left to right. “Are there any potential problems you want to say?”

Jack looked down from one tunnel to another. “Splitting up sounds nice.”

Aisling shook her head. “Could we talk about chocolate instead,” she said. “Everyone kinda likes chocolate, isn’t that right?”

“This sounds fine to me,” Florence said.

Jack whistled. He marched towards the left intersection. “I’ll be going this way. Both of you go the other way.”

“This is bad. I don’t think we wanna do this,” Aisling said. “Jack, hold up for a minute. Are you trying to slack off?”

Jack dove deeper into the left tunnel, waving one hand while the other held onto the crates.

“Is anyone gonna listen to me at all?” Aisling asked.

Florence shrugged, making eye contact with Aisling.

“Whatever.” Aisling strolled over to the right tunnel. “I guess I’ll do what he wants.”

Florence followed Aisling. The crushed rocks clattered as Florence dragged her feet across it. More humanoids with unusual features coated in soot and thin to the bones sat on the side. With their damp, gleaming eyes, some of them stared at Florence carrying the crate. But others glanced with sharp intensity as the muddled whooshing echoed within the pipes on the ceiling. Some of these people had mechanical implants, others had animal-like features, and only a few were chess pieces made of stone.

“Pardon me, I know this might not be the right time to say it,” Florence said. “But what happened to these people?”

Aisling winced. “Don’t call them that.”

“Why? How would calling them people be considered inconsiderate?”

“There’s no such term like people here. If you’re talking about them, the closest thing will be an NPC.”

“This is slightly balled up.”

“I don’t see anyone kinda balled up here?”

The pipes shook and rattled above their heads as Florence and Aisling stopped.

“What was that?” Florence asked.

Aisling scanned her surroundings. “Nothing,” she said. “Florence, you might wanna open the crates.”

Florence nodded, lowering the crates onto the crushed rocks. She opened it, revealing a bountiful of oranges stored inside. A fragrant sweetness floated out, tickling Florence’s nose.

A female NPC crawled on the ground, grabbing Florence’s dress. “Food. Give me food.”

Florence handed over a single orange to the female NPC.

“Food has arrived,” a male NPC said. He crawled towards Florence. “Please, give it to me now.”

“No! These fruits are mine,” another NPC said.

The mob of NPCs crept closer and surrounded Florence. Together, the NPCs piled on top of the crates, pushing Florence and Aisling aside.

A fist out of nowhere smashed into Florence’s nose. She gritted her teeth, cupping the spot where she got hit. “Could all of you form an orderly line?”

“Could you guys kinda listen to her,” Aisling said.

“Give it to me.” The female NPC snatched an orange. “I need it now.”

“Everyone calm down,” Florence said. A kick slammed into her face.

Above her head, the ceiling hissed. Droplets of muddy water splashed on the back of her neck. A screech echoed from the bulging pipes, popping the screwdrivers out of their place. It swelled, getting bigger by the second. A river of muddy water exploded from the pipes, drenching Florence and everyone around her. The tide alone pushed each individual deeper into the tunnel. But, still, all the NPCs fought each other, hoarding as much orange for themself.

“Yuze,” Aisling said. “A little up here will kinda help.”

Florence stumbled to her feet, scanning her surroundings. The mob of NPCs stopped, turning their heads to stare in horror at the rotting hands bursting out from the muddy stream. It grabbed and pulled Yuze’s leg. The rear of Aisling’s feet dragged across crushed rocks, wrestling back Yuze.

Stella fell from Aisling’s shoulder, plunging into the mob.

All the NPCs screamed and scattered away from those rotting hands.

Florence pushed her leg, her arms wrapped around Aisling’s waist.

“A bit of help would be kinda nice,” Aisling said.

Stella held onto her duffle bag, scrambling and tripping. She breathed heavily, pointing at those decaying arms. “It’s not… I mean… I don’t think that’s it.”

“About what?” Florence asked. She clutched harder around Aisling’s waist. “Hey, answer me?”

Florence and Aisling levitated from the ground, pulling closer to the muddy stream.

“Stella, help us a bit,” Aisling said.

Stella wheezed, pointing towards where the hands clutched onto Yuze.

“What was it,” Florence said.

A body wearing an olive helmet emerged from the water leaking from the pipes. The skin on its face peeled, exposing the fractured bones below. It chewed, grinding his teeth against his tongue. Its hollow red eyes stared at them. The collar of the tattered coat wrapped around his neck.

Florence froze, releasing her hold on Aisling’s waist.

The body dragged Aisling and Yuze into the spewing muddy stream, but all of them disappeared.

Another bundle of arms lashed at Florence, digging his nails into her skin and yanking her into the falling stream with a splash.

Florence sank. The weight on her chest grew heavier. The hands still clenched onto her, dragging her deeper into the abyss below.

Her vision clouded.

She closed her mouth tight. But, still, bubbles of air escaped up her lungs.

She kicked and punched with little effect. The liquid around her sapped her body’s warmth. The silhouette of her sister lingered, stretching her arm out and grabbing onto Florence’s dress.

Wait… how was Florence’s sister here?