Screech. Rattle!
The light overhead flickers in the large chamber as a large metal cylinder comes to a grinding halt.
Mr. Tendo, the Head of the second sewage plant, covers his nose and mouth with one hand, and with the other, gestures to the clogged filter. "Ya see. It's all trapped in 'ere. An' none'a my employee's will do it."
"I can see why." Rancid mutters with a wrinkled nose. His nostril hairs burn at the pungent smell. "You leave it to us, Mr. Tendo." It's a good thing he came with his thickest pants and long sleeve shirt. They're both patched up with stitches where holes had once been, his boots lined with rubber to keep out the wet.
"Double the pay." Farron demands from beside him, "You see how many layers of shit that is?" He squints his eyes at the thick gunk. He'd rather not put his face so close to it.
Mr. Tendo grumbles under his breath, "Double pay? Ya know how much-"
"Double the pay." Rancid agrees with his friend. He puts a hand on Farron's dark hair and shoves his face closer to the clogged filter.
"Damn it-" Farron jumps away, his eyes watering.
"Or you can just buy a whole new filter-" Rancid snickers as Farron falls back on his butt with a wet splat. He gags as he pushes himself up, flicking the wetness off.
"A'right, a'right. Double pay." Mr. Tendo mutters. "Jus' get it done quick." He turns and climbs the ladder back up to the first floor.
"Jeez, why'd he wait so long to get this done?" Farron pulls his steel chisel out of his overalls and taps it against the hardened gunk on the filter.
Rancid digs through his tool bag and pulls something out. "Do you want nose plugs?" He holds out a pair for him.
"Why? So I can breathe through my mouth and taste it?" Farron smacks his lips together, "I'm good."
"Pft," Rancid laughs before sticking them in his nose.
"You wouldn't happen to have a full coverage mask on you?" Farron asks as he leans over to peek inside of his sack.
"If I did, I'd be wearing it." Rancid snarks. "Let's get this done quickly."
***
Rancid can feel the weight of the silver coins in his pocket. Mr. Tendo offered to switch them out for a gold coin, but hearing the clinks of them in his pants gives him peace of mind. It's not often he does a job that offers so much pay.
If he were anyone else, maybe he'd have been robbed by now, but Rancid is well known in Sekacity, the young man willing to take on any odd job, along with his good friend Farron: who ran off as soon as he was paid.
He runs a hand through his blonde hair as he debates going inside of the small, one room shed that has been his shelter his entire life. The hut is nestled between other small ones, all rusted and flimsy.
Is she inside right now?
A gust of wind blows and he gets a deep whiff of what he smells like, toilet water. His boots are crusted over with sewage sludge, and the cuffs of his worn out pants are caked with feces. He really needs to change now.
Sighing, he pushes the single door open with a loud creak.
"Get out!"
Glass shatters on the wall behind him. A little more to the left and it would have hit him in the face.
So, she is home today.
Guess he'll have to change later, his nose wrinkles. He really doesn't want to stay in his work clothes though, ugh.
His mother is curled up on her makeshift bed mat, facing the dirty wall. Empty bottles of bootleg liquor litter the floor around her, the scent of alcohol thick in the air. He should tell her he made some decent coin.
He should, but he won't. She might take it all and binge on more drink. He'd rather buy food.
"Where's Palik?" Rancid asks, his figure blocking out most of the light coming in through the doorway.
"I said get out!" She looks over her shoulder at him, dark brown hair covering her spit stained face. Her dark circles are deep with fatigue, her eyes red from the alcohol consumption. "I don't want to look at you!"
Do you ever?
Rancid is her first born son, who looks too much like his father. The man she most despises. He doesn't know who he is, how they met, why he left or why she hates him, or if he even knows that Rancid exists. Hell, he doesn't even know if the man is still alive.
So, he tries to go home when she's either working, or passed out in an alley because she drank too much. That way, she gets a sense of peace of mind, and Rancid isn't at risk of getting stabbed just because he happens to exist.
"Palik-" he tries again.
She cuts him off with a scream, sitting up so fast she almost topples over, "Out!" Another glass hits the wall beside him.
Running a hand through his hair, Rancid steps out and lets the door clang shut. Did her new job let her go again? Is that why she's drowning herself in bootleg?
"Rancid!" Farron runs up to him, his black hair knotted and wild. He leans forward, his tan hands resting on his knees as he tries to catch his breath. Like Rancid, Farron is still in his dirty work clothes.
"Was Folly not at home?"
"There's a team of hunters in town." Farron doesn't answer him as he pants. He swallows and straightens, his brown eyes wide.
"Really?" His pale eyebrows raise. He didn't know it was possible for hunters to come to Sekacity. They were a sewage plantation town, highly stinky and not pleasant to the eyes. Hunters usually avoid places like this, they prefer others, like Skycity, where the air doesn't stink of feces and bad hygiene.
"Palik stole some of their rations and got caught-"
His eyes go wide, "Where?" Rancid cuts him off, his voice urgent.
"This way."
Rancid follows Farron, his hand in his pocket to keep his coins from making noise. A crowd is starting to gather, and the two push their way to the front, ignoring the dirty looks shot their way.