6 Reek

I pulled my pants back up, satisfied by the sweet relief of having just voided my bowels, using an empty can as target practice as I went about my business, intent on finding some degree of joy whenever I could, even while preoccupied.

Fluke's words still rang in my head. A part of me was inclined to discard them as I'd learned to do with so much else of what he'd said over the years. There was something about the way he'd spoke though, some urgency inlaid in every word he'd said. I couldn't see any way it could be false.

Or hell, I thought, thinking on it. Maybe he's just that good an actor.

I shook my head. I guess we'd find out sooner or later. I still had doubts upon having Fluke meet Miro. I guess I could just listen to what Fluke had to say and take it to Miro myself. It certainly would make me look better in the process. But then there was the possibility, slim as it was, that this could finally be the chance I'd been looking for.

Watching from the sidelines, playing the neutral party for so long, Fluke had never considered himself a joiner. Same as he'd try unsuccessfully over the years to sell me "absolutely vital" information, I'd tried with similar success, or lack thereof, to finally get him to join along with the Rats. It was clear he favored us, he admitting to such on more than one occasion, but then again, I considered, its likely he did the same for the Hornets as well.

But one way or another, I'd always believed that if he found himself having to choose sides, he'd join the Rats. We were the better option, we treated our people well, and he had friends there. He had me. Listen to me, I chuckled, wiping my hands against my pants. Catching myself sounding like I have a crush on him or something.

The history of our friendship, it seemed, had been us unsuccessfully trying to coerce the other. And here I was, going ahead with introducing him to Miro, giving him an inside look in the efforts of ensnaring him, myself quite possibly being the one he's playing.

Some risks are just worth taking.

I stepped out of the side alley into the primary one that ran perpendicular to the Grain Street, turning my head both sides to search for Fluke. There was no sign of him. I couldn't blame him. I had taken quite a long leak after all. He was probably just on the main road checking things out, no doubt bored of just waiting for me to finish up.

Maybe I should have asked him to hold my hand after all. Save me the effort of looking for him.

I exited the alley, returning to the main road, now once again cramped by passersby, the late afternoon activity of the slums more than prevalent. Any number of character roamed through the streets about their own tasks, but among them, Fluke was nowhere in sight. The hell? I hadn't taken that long.

I turned back into the alley, facing its winding corridors. "Hey, Fluke!" I called out, but was met with no response other than the echo of my own voice bouncing along the walls, muffled by the sound of street activity behind me. "Fluke, you there?!" There was still no response. "Fluke!!" Nothing.

I turned back to the Liángshí Road. He had to be there. He was just out of sight somewhere. I maneuvered my way past the denizens of Taisho's filth district, looking to any direction in sight of the gray-eyed boy, but couldn't find him anywhere.

"Luke!" I called out again, rendered desperate enough to go out screaming in the middle of a populated road.

He'd been right there, I thought to myself, turning to face the corner of the alley where he'd perched himself waiting for my return. Where are you?

I turned to look at the other end of the street facing the alley entrance. There was nothing there save for some beat-up looking building with a sign I bearing characters I couldn't formulate into meaning.

I hurried back to the alley, making another effort, looking around, above, in every direction available to me. "Luke!! Come out, this isn't funny!!"

Why? Why won't you answer? Where the fuck are you, Luke?!

I dashed out back onto the main street, nearly crashing into a passing man as I did so, met with a curse that I found myself responding to in not equivalent antagonism, but rather, a pleading question of, "Please help me. Have you seen a boy around my size? He has brown hair and gr-"

"I haven't seen your friend, now get lost."

Damnit, no.

I turned to somebody else, a woman leaning against that derelict building who seemed like she'd been here a while, prompting me to approach her next in asking, "Have you seen my friend? He's my height, brown hair, gray eyes. He's-"

"I haven't seen nothin', kid. Scram."

Please. Somebody.

More time, more questions, but no answers, only disregarding comments if they chose to even pay initial attention to me at all. I was rendered alone in a sea of strangers, nobody there to help me, nobody caring to do so.

Please Luke. Please just show up.

My head turned back to the alley. He'd been right there. He didn't leave. He wouldn't do that. Not when there was a payday in for him. He wouldn't just leave me. He wouldn't do that!

I practically crawled back to the alley where he'd been, people stepping over and around me calling me a filthy rat not for my allegiance, but simply my appearance in that moment.

There was nothing left of him. He was just gone. I'd only been away for a few seconds. How did-

The eyes caught the sight of red, just the color, red, against the floor. I turned my head towards it, drawn by the color.

Is that?

A dip of my finger into the shallow stain sent a shiver up my spine. It's still wet.

Oh no.

His words rung in my head. "I was at the Hive and—"

Why? Why didn't I just listen to you then? It was just an execution. We'd seen dozens over the years. Why did we go?

"I was at the Hive and—"

At the Hive and what? What did you find, Luke? What did you fucking find that they didn't want you to tell me?

I could already feel the moisture growing in my eyes, just stared straight at the blood on the ground as my tears added to the growing puddle, deconcentrating the red liquid on the surface.

You can't be dead. They'd just leave your body here. Please don't be dead, Luke.

I looked up, sniffing. I knew. There was no other way. The Hornets had him.

Luke, what the hell did you find?

The Hornets were holding Luke. Why, I had no way of knowing, but they had my best friend, the person I was closest to in this world. I could lose him.

Spirits, please don't let me lose him.

I had to find him. It didn't matter what I had to do. He was my best friend. I had to find him. No matter what.

Please don't die, Luke. I'm coming.