Fios feet. She moved so fast for something that had little to no visible animation other than a wobble like motion that presumably gave her momentum.
Through the ground floors of abandoned buildings, a plank bridge over a wide shallow drain.
A narrow passage made even more narrow by over grown bamboo, stopping to open a gate and press on past a little shack with a rusty tin roof and a pipe chimney that gave a slither of smoke with a devil dancing erotically to it… in the yard a bare blossoming ornamental cherry skited at the bottom by a patchwork of poultry.
Up over large step like terraces of concrete, across parkland and then down a dark alleyway. “Time to climb.”
“Okay.” Fio said panting “mind if I catch my breath?”
"You will be lost without me. Don't do it. Almost there I promise.” She replied as she resumed climbing the ladder.
Her pace had now slowed to a walk pressing on down another path there was a tall glass windowed building that had a square block of concrete in it to one side the other side was a shambled garden with blackberries growing over its tall and aged wooden paling fence that was tin patched in places. “We are here. We come in at the side, it's tidy and the people here are warm, and so are the fires." Walking underneath the building she pointed out more. "Come this way, come on. Everyone has their allotted space I will find you one, near mine. I have four.” She said with a smile and chuffed expression. "Come on over here!”
“I'm coming.”
Fio put all her stuff down and his stuff, he was honestly so relieved by the end of it, he didn’t feel lost anymore and his journey for now felt like it had made a point, it was over for now. “We eat in about an hour if you want something it will be on the fifth floor. Here this is yours.”
“Sure.” He said looking at his spot it had white markings either side like all the rest. He wanted to lay out his stuff and just collapse.
"Water is over there. Not bad eh, third floor up." Her gestures were flippant. Looking up at him and shuffling a little closer to hand him a mug of water, only to scuttle off. “Come on over here.”
Wandering over to what was the outer edge he noticed he was peering out across the plain he had come in from that morning; well presumably. He stood as the sun went down behind him. He noticed the hill of rubble below it was almost level with the 2nd floor. He didnt need to ask about it he knew what it was and guessed its bloody history. A war or even a few battles it was an epic barrier like a snake encircling the city asleep for centuries now buried.
The very out skirts of the city must have been worked with machines it’s why the desert was so flat surrounding the cities parameter; what used to be. He guessed all this because the barrier was similar to the great ditch surrounding the Exgruin city which once a year he would be given orders to clean out every slave was; hard rain, blistering cold, didn't matter all the slaves were given a shovel and told what to do with it or die.
“Fio! Dinners ready!” He heard coming from above him.
“I’m coming!” He yelled now jogging looking for the way up pursuing the clamour of people congregating. The building was now lit up with torches and a few light bulbs in the harder to reach places hanging from weaved wires sprawling about the place.
By the time he reached the large serving area everyone had got their food and were sitting about large wooden tables surrounding one massive hearth. “Over here Fio!" The lady beckoned from amongst the clamour. "Don’t bother I got you a bowl already." She beamed and he sat down to a thick warm soup and scrumptious crusty bread.
“Wow this is nice so good, I am sorry I don’t even know your name.”
“Mmm nice ha. And yours? Oh my name it’s Bridgette.” She stood a little to peep at his bowl of stew.
Fio woke up with nothing in between him and the hard cool concrete floor. Peering up he could see the sky a large blue horizontal line along the building. Stiff from the concrete floor but well slept all the same he got up with a meek yawn stretching. He moved about but did not really know what to do with himself, he was kind of lost in a sense; the old man sitting across from him could see it. “I spoke to Bridget and she told me she brought you here.” He was sitting on a stool fiddling about in a bucket.
“Whats that sorry?” Fio said brushing his eyes from the light.
The old man stopped a bit and gave a sideways glance at Fio. “It’s baby octopus or lunch if you like.” And he got about cleaning it again. He talked a bit with Fio, with a vague sense of gruffness.
“Whats this journey you speak of boy?” He said cracking open a can of fruit.
“Well… its a long one but I dont mind sharing I have no place to go.” And so Fio shared most of his tale.
Still throwing words from the other side of the building the old man called him to come closer. “Come over I will show you something I got this a long time ago.” He beckoned him once more as Fio got up. He stood quite straight and tall as Fio approached and there was something hidden about him, his face was very undistinguishable it could be the beard and scruffy hair he wasnt sure. He pulled out a map and pointed to it describing what was what after which he handed it to him. The map consisted of Lougo City and its surrounds. Fio looked down at the map and then at the man again. “Well I am off things to do.” He said as he sat back down with what Fio thought was a smile, his face and body in general gave off quite a hollow feeling like a shadow, he also seemed well built.
It was about his twelfth day roaming the city and walking to the tavern one morning along a route he hadnt been before he came across a narrow lane amongst a small string of markets. As the markets began to dissipate there became to his surprise a rise in banter stepping around a corner there was a big harbour of trade a loading bay with tall junky metal robots standing alongside what was apparently called a train it looked and sounded powerful. It was only the front of it you could see the rest was hidden through barriers and crowds. Guards also moved about at its head where a lot of bargaining was going on and crates were being hauled it was bizarre it reminded him of a bizarre.
“Morning Fio.” The barman waved grabbing a bowl of chicken and stringy salad and sliding it to one of the waiters knowingly. Some others waved or winked.
It was the same everyday in the diner an uncanny symphony; it played non-stop; people roamed, and chatter leapt about the air with the occasional yell, the sweeping humidity that was kneaded by the fans, the slow hum of glowing pheasant wire covered lights hanging for the buzzing crowd beneath, the way its banter materialised itself as if in no way related to the diners sectioned layout but one of its own that moved like the tide.
“Ahah Fio! Just who I wanted to see I am in a bad mood today so I must warn you things may get a bit heated, best not to get any soups eh.” His expressions, gestures and vigour as always were humorous and slightly unsettling. This was Yod.
“Isnt that your weakness? Letting things go to your head.” Fio said sliding into his usual seat for chess.
“Toohhh you rascal!” he said Clenching his fists and waving off the rock paper scissors “You first.” Fio knew Yod was laughing inside, although he’d never show it, maybe once he’d boiled over but he seemed to prefer to refrain from jest all together.
d2 to d4
d7 to d5
c2 to c4
c7 to c6
e2 to e3
g7 to g6
...
e8 to O-O
f3 to e5
d5 to c4
And so the game went on...
h1 to c1
Yod took a tearing bite out of his bread after dipping it in his curry without taking his eyes off the board.
Etc…
“Oh sneaky bastard!”
“Well I think thats a game” Fio said leaning back noticing there were a couple of people looking in one giving him a pat on the back.
After two more games Fio wandered over to where people were more social less chess and got talking to Gilli who had, had a similar idea to Fio. “Hey Fio are you fr
ee this arvo I tell you what I will show you a place it’s not much, but it’s more the journey maybe but it’s very nice.” He gave a slant of his head for reassurance as he said this.
And it wasn’t long before they were scurrying over derelict skyscrapers, over their crippled scaffolding and pockets of jungle only to reach the ground and pass through communities that would stop dead their sense of childlike discovery.
It was always very moving coming home everything would be still but somehow alive in the torn concrete jungle, far off echoes of children playing, the nibbling of animals in the trees. Walking up into home and then peering out at the desert horizon.
Fio and Samson would talk a lot, when he was to be found that is he wasnt one for lurking he just sort of appeared then went away again. He didn’t know nor ask what he did but he got a strong impression he too was a vagabond he certainly didn’t hide his lust for travel. Their chats were long, relaxed and observing not so much thoughtful but worldly he was also always gruff or maybe it was just the combination of a beared and beer. Every now and then not often he would drop something that was valuable possibly information handy to know or something as simple as a bottle of his homebrew.
Fyodor was winding down after a long day of making things for the buildings community part of his contribution. His sleeves were rolled up and arms resting on the barrier. He was looking out back into the city at an eclectic mix of levels, glass and concrete, a yard below of brambles, haggard