Zoey and Peter started following the road down towards the gates. As Zoey was dragging the man on the walking road back, Peter was getting anxious. He kept glancing at the numbered band strapped around his wrist.
They sky was starting to get darker. Luckily, or maybe predictably so, there wasn't any movement along the roads at the moment.
It was quite peaceful, save for the sound of the man's muffled agony as his skin was being torn apart along with his garments.
Zoey spared him a quick glance, then deemed it unnecessary to turn back and stop.
"Relax, Mr. Plump. There isn't any person here around now to see your torn garments. Talk about a bad presentation! Not to worry, I won't tell this to anyone. Your secret is safe with me!"
A sinister smile appeared on Zoey's face as he placed his index finger on his broken lips. "I promise you that not a single human will hear about any of this."
Peter gave out a quiet sigh. "Zoey, please consider his mental health. Coin wanted him in tippy top condition, and we are already lowering our pay by dragging him across the road."
"Hey, he said it was optional to even bring him alive. Bringing him back clean and pristine will seem as if we are trying too hard. You know how the others get when they see you being too proficient."
The man flinched again when Zoey replied. He was in no position to be surprised while being dragged by a rope, but he was. Maybe he didn't expect Zoey to answer Peter? But why not? Strange…
"The last thing we want is all of the circle after us."
The two of them kept walking. As they started to approach the tall walls, the wooden fences gave way and disappeared, while the road followed and continued in two separate directions, creating a crossroad. The road up ahead cut through towards the gates.
They dismissed the splitting roads and just followed the gate. Right before they reached the gates though, the odd pair stopped and turned to the river.
"Alright Mr. Plump, we will be taking a slight detour now."
Zoey proceeded to walk down the slight slope, dragging the man with him as they descended. The river continued for a while until it reached the bottom of the walls.
They started walking with the river upstream the walls, sometimes walking over the floating garbage on top of it, until they finally reached right below it.
They could not take the outer gate, since those are for officials. And they usually never have any official business to be outside the city walls. So, the only alternative was the sewage system.
Peter grimaced as they started approaching the sewage system.
"I am never getting used to this."
Zoey chuckled, while the man on the floor, who now looked just like them (just bigger), started gagging because of the smell.
Zoey tilted his head as he stared at the man grovelling in the ground.
"Come on Mr. Plump, it can't be that bad. You will get used to the smell in a minute or two."
After that, Zoey decided that it was now or never to finish his bread. And so, he took the moldy bread in one palm and shoved it down his throat.
After a while, his lunch (and dinner) and dinner was finally complete. All he needed now was something to drink. That was fine though, water can wait.
Zoey let out a long sigh, then turned to the distinguished gentleman and grinned.
"Care to go for a swim, Mr. Plump?"
Peter stood up, sighed and stretched his limbs. He then started hopping from one piece of floating garbage to the next, inching closer to the entry of the sewage system.
Zoey took the rope around his waist and struggled to pick up the man on his back. He then tied the both of them together and then started slowly walking towards The entrance as well.
Zoey grimaced, remembering things he swore not to. His memory was a bit hazy, but not hazy enough.
'Ah... my head hurts.'
They reached the entrance of the sewage system. The water was flowing outwards, so they would have to swim against the current. But there seemed to be a piece of makeshift rope swishing with the current.
That rope made of multiple torn clothes was their way back.
"Take a deep breath Mr. Plump. We're going for a dive."
Peter promptly disappeared into the murky waters without making a splash. Zoey hesitated, before jumping in himself, disregarding the useless plight of the struggling man.
He pulled the rope as quickly as he could. The water reduced the weight of the fat man so that it was slightly less unbearable.
They emerged inside a wide tunnel, which seemed to be void of light. The stench inside was so maddening, that one could literally die from it.
White foam started appearing at the corner of the, now drenched in sewage, man's mouth.
If he looked anything unlike that of the outliers Zoey and Peter were, now he looked right at home with them.
Zoey untied the rope from his waist and threw the man on the floor. His graceless fall did not sound good. The ground was smoother here, so it was relatively easier now to drag the unfortunate mister.
Even though both their sense of smell and sight were constantly assaulted, it seemed the two knew exactly where they were going. As if they had done this ritual several times before.
A small light could be visible at the end of the dark tunnel. They quickened their pace as they started approaching the exit, or more so the entrance of the sewage system.
Three things emerged from the river. Two looked like scrawny children made of mud, and the other a big blob of flesh.
As they got out of the river, a distant voice could be heard resounding throughout the place.
[Citizens of Camp N-229. Please proceed to your designated locations.]
[Citizens of Camp N-229]
"Welcome home, Mr plump. Ah.. it looks like we are running out of time. We will be dropping you off to the circle now."
Zoey sounded forlorn as both his and Peter's Number straps started flickering a yellow light.
Climbing the slope of the sewage system, they could see many people scrambling to get into a building facility further upstream. It was the sewage centre.
They made their way further away from the river until they came to a metal fence. There was a small opening cut into wiring with a bit of ground dug up as well, to accommodate more space.
Zoey quickly popped through the hole and pulled on the rope of the heavy man.
It didn't take that long to get the man to the other side with Zoey pulling from the front and Peter pushing from the back. Although, Zoey had to really put his back to it.
They had to pause for a moment and catch their breath.
"I'm… surprised… he didn't choke on the muffle and die yet."
Zoey was checking up on the poor man, when he replied to him.
"Yeah well, we did remove the cloth after we got out. Thankfully he passed out, so we didn't have to deal with his stupid chatter of a mouth, ptui!"
Peter silently thought that he would never see to the end of Zoey's callousness. He shook his head and kept going.
Zoey untied the man and flung one of his arms over his shoulder. The state of the man could not be worse. One of his legs was caught in the wires and now it left a bloody gash.
"Mr. Plump? Try not to stand out too much anymore. We're almost there."
Peter took his other arm, and they started to make their way towards some square complexes of buildings. It was the border of all the buildings. As a result, it was the closest to the walls as well.
As they came closer to the complex, movement started to become visible. There were sounds of talking here and there. Distant speakers could be heard reverberating throughout the place, motivating the workers and such. Zoey and Peter didn't pay much attention to these things though, since their job was up ahead. And they have already heard these things a million times already.
The yellow flickering light on their wrist seemed to subside as they moved closer to the lonely building.
They were approaching the circle.