Chapter 48: Side Tails, Vol 1 Fluggels Mr Wuggels
We've all come to terms with it… I guess. It's not like I can just bash my head open and turn it off. We were robbed of that long before we were born.
My eyes always feel heavy, like they're filled with wet sand but at least the headaches have gone away. You really learn at a young age to adapt, or you don't grow up fast enough to rebel.
"Hey, Nina," a voice said from a distance.
I turned to face her. It was Rina. She always seemed so… what's the word,sticky. Not like gooey sticky, honestly. I mean rigid and stiff, tight-laced, like a stick.
"Hey, Rina. Can you borrow me five chits? I'll pay you back, I promise."
Not even ten seconds into our conversation and you're asking me for money. Come on, Nina. We work the same hours and shifts,how are you already falling behind?
"Come on, Rina, it's not like it's "real money". We both know that's bullshit. I fell behind last week 'cause of my cold and it's affected me a lot."
"I just need an hour to bump me back into the swing of it. I'm dying here," I said desperately.
"Well, that hour you want will cost you three," Rina said smugly.
"I swear, Nina, if you just followed the rules, none of this would be happening to you."
"The rules?? The ones that work us all the way to death's door,and then ask for even more?"
"I like how you suddenly become a freedom fighter when you want to guilt me into lending you some chits. Here, take it. Pina won big at the Gambino yesterday and shared some with me. I'm surprised she didn't give you any yet," Rina said, puzzled. "Did you guys get into a fight again?"
"No, it's not like that. It's probably 'cause she knows I'll waste them on something dumb. She's probably saving them for when I crash hard or something. I love her for that."
"Anyway, thanks, Rina. I'll pay you back one day," I said, gratitude in my tone.
"No you won't," she said dryly. "I have an early shift. I'll chat to you later." She turned to walk away.
"Wait…we just won big at Gambino and you're still going to clock in? Why?" I said, confused.
She giggled. "And that's why you're never going to be able to pay me back, dummy," she laughed as she walked away.
The street was as busy as always. People always had somewhere to be. After all, it's crazy…ten thousand Elves live here between all three regions. Each one has a life, a thought, a dream, and a path.
One has to think about so much happening in their life. What am I going to eat in the morning? Oh, I have to go see Julia today. I like bacon. It's tasty.
It's crazy that just here, on Glass Beach, there are ten thousand people who may like bacon, who have someone they need to see. All of them have a life they live. And then even beyond that, when you zoom out, there are millions more people out there doing the same thing…
I wonder how many of them like bacon.
I think it's kinda dry. Still tasty though.
No one talks here. I wonder why. It's just buzzy work,people buzzing around from home to the mines to the pods for rest, when they're lucky. All that buzzing around makes it hard to stop and take a moment to live.
And that's what I hate most.
"Happy morning and hii miners! Remember that even you can shine your way to the top! Keep working and Valley High will open her arms to you!"
A hologram shouted these words out.
So annoying.
Propaganda fluff.
As I walked down the street, I reached the Despair Board. Usually I'd just walk by it,I mean, we all know what's written on there 90 percent of the time.
But a cute picture of a cat stopped me today.
Fluggels Mr Wuggels.
Besides the strange name, it's funny that even in this work-or-die world, someone still has time to name and raise a cat with a stupid name.
A man passed out, causing panic a street over. We always act so surprised when it happens, but it'd be too cruel to ask them to just accept it as reality.
Thinking makes me thirsty. Damn, what I would do for a bottle of water right now.
I pulled out my wallet. The dream tally was all I really had in there. What use would anything else have? With the chits Rina gave me, I can get some sleep and then have a few snaps for lunch later. If I stop at the pods, I can get this week's water stipulation for the house too.
Walking down the same street every day taught me to block stuff out.
I no longer take in the pods that line Sleep Square, how odd they look, just placed there in a long line, row after row, out in the open.
"Hey, get the fuck out, old lady! I don't have time for this!" yelled a guard. Her hair was tied back in a tight bun, so tight you'd think it was restricting blood flow. How wasn't her hair tearing out? …..Ouch.
"Please, please, just another ten minutes. I've no more chits to spare. I'm so tired, please."
"You know the rules and so do i. I just work here, lady. Don't drag me into your pathetic life. Go earn your keep," she shouted back, shoving her out of the pod and making room for the next one to rest.
I guess I really didn't get used to it.
Walking further down the street of Restville Manor,better known as Beggar Keeps…I couldn't help but think of that dumb cat poster.
I wonder why.
"Spare some chits, young lady…"
An elder woman shoved into me, almost knocking me down into the street.
"Hey, watch where you're going, are you insa…"
I paused, looking up at her.
She had tears in her eyes. Her hands trembled. Black bags formed under her eyes, red from tears and exhaustion.
"I don't want to crash hard. Please help me."
A pit formed in my throat.
"I'm sorry. I don't have anything," I said. Tears formed in my eyes. "I can't…"
I needed to go anywhere but here, and fast. I shoved past the busy crowd into an alleyway.
I couldn't breathe.
What the hell? Why was I so scared?
No, this wasn't fear.
I can't breathe.
What is going on?
I'm used to this. That old lady is going to crash hard and die, and tomorrow we'll all just walk past her. Corpse in the street until one of the guards cleans it up.
It's just life.
Those who can't work, die.
Then why the fuck am I crying?
I can't breathe.