Camping Threadbares crash through concave halls. Blind and begging for Snow to ease their calloused crosses and minds, they withhold their silences. Concrete walls aglimmer shatter on sight. Blessed be this memorial to sinking dregs.
The oven-lit room discords death throughout the encampment. "It's ready!" Etec declares, pushing into the wall to allow their arrival.
"What are we feasting on today?" Idir jabs at her friend's side.
"Roast birdstrike with salt."
Idir circles the seated, devouring the sight of the hungry as she passes the plates around.
"It's a wonder they let you cook," she says to Etec as she takes her own seat. "But then, others might have forgotten the salt." She continues, letting out a small laugh.
Moonlight soon disturbs and the gas lights dim. Sanctuary is no stranger to the dangers peering in from above. This unsightly blemish might do well for those high politicals. Entranced, Etec aids Idir in the cover-up.
"I need more debris over here, Etec!" She calls through a derelict vid-set. "I see light shining through the ceiling over here."
Etec stumbles triumphant to Idir's quadrant and lays down a pile of discarded fantasia.
"Thank you, Etec, you can go sleep. I'll finish the rest."
"Are you sure that your back can handle all that weight?" Etec asks, lifting an eyebrow.
"You go to sleep. If you want to help, you can uncover this again in the morning."
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At Idir's wake, the sun's rays barrel through the open sky. Pupils wide, she forges a path through the Threadbare sleepers to find Etec looking at the tall buildings of their surroundings.
Idir places a hand on her friend's shoulder. “As long as we have this place, we have somewhere to survive.”
"Yes," agrees Etec, "if they don't see us down here."
"They haven't yet," Idir soothes. "They're too busy amongst themselves to see us."
Calmed, Etec retreats to the concave halls and crouches near a Threadbare man. "Flake of Snow?" He asks.
A creaking nod.
"I hope this will do for now. Our supplies are running low again."
Before Etec can return to his feet, the man speaks up. "Thank you, my friend." He says offering his only belonging, the grand smile.
Commotion grinds all movement in the communal home to a halt. The Threadbares surround a man holding a lavish vid-set in both hands. When Idir finally declares herself leader of the commune, the man lets loose a commanding voice befitting only the highest entrepreneurial standard.
“I hereby declare this— hovel— property of Plume Enterprises. All occupants are to depart the establishment within two hours of this reading. Any concerns may be brought to the direct attention of our office for client satisfaction. If all is understood, please begin your— vacation— immediately.”
Idir hollers at the trespasser. “You have no authority to steal this place from us!”
“Oh, but I do,” the man responds, bringing the vid-set up to Idir’s eyes. “As you can plainly see, this material has been purchased on behalf of Sir Malvm. Now please, begone at once.”
The Threadbares drain through the exit. Etec searches for any stragglers remaining inside.
“I won’t allow this!” Idir shouts at the man. “This is our home. We have nowhere else to go. Without this place, most of us will die!”
The man snorts. “Those are concerns best directed at Plume Enterprises’ representative in the city. Now, leave before I have security escort you out.”
Idir stands his ground. “We can’t get into Cloudlight proper!”
At her insolence, the man commands mechs to drop down from waiting ships. Idir is held firm, ejected out of her home headfirst into the dirt.
Threadbares gather a thunder as they watch their home fall to flame and flood.
Etec claws at the mud of tears, his hands bloody and worn. Without hesitation, Idir brings him to his feet.
“They take because they have power. As long as they expect no resistance, their domination can only grow stronger.”
“But there’s nothing we can do, Idir. They have access to the law. To arms. To politicians. We have nothing.”
Idir gazes to the high towers, her eyes gleaming. “We have our voices, Etec. Those are all we need.”
She began to walk straight to the height of the beast. Etec slumped in tow behind.
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For hours they ascend on foot to the city, a shatter of light beyond sight. When the dogs deny them passage, they scour for meat. When the looters demand their shoes, they bleed with every step. When the border calls for ID, they advance no further.
“We can’t continue, Idir. We’re as far as we can go.” Etec says, succumbing to the sweet bed of grass.
Idir turns, a glare cuts across her eyes. “Are you one to give up so easily? It is our right to speak to the representative.”
Exasperated, he cries. “But we can’t make it into the city. There’s no way for us to meet them!”
Idir takes a step. Another step. Foot after foot beats the ground below until she's in a sprint. Clearing the barricade, every guard on patrol falls into the city in chase.
Against his will, Etec calls a guard to attention with a right hook to the face. Within moments, he is completely surrounded. His body is beat dry long before Idir returns.
Thanks to his distraction, she feels the tail dwindling, falls to the ground, and collapses into reality. Etec’s shouts carry along the back of Idir’s neck and push her back into action. Despair cuts, but her legs march onward.
“Excuse me,” she yells. A man jumps back in fear of the disheveled woman. “Can you point—”
He scowls. “How did you get up here?”
“I’m just looking for the Plu—”
He turns on his heel. “Get out of my sight or I call security to come and get you.”
Idir obeys, stashes herself into an alley.
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“Thank you, Rutherford. That blighted place shall make an exquisite theatre.”
Rutherford bows. “It was no trouble. Come see me again, should our services align.”
Nerev Malvm listens as his partner’s heels fall into the sunset.
“Is it ready?” He shouts to empty space.
A floating voice blumes. “The camp has been de-materialized, sir. Materials are currently being relayed to their new position.”
Malvm waves his arms in the blank air and makes his way to a view-lounge. He watches as the materials are decayed and reformed into a black cubed compound that is distributed out into the city. In the distance, a form sprouts from fertile ground. Wings of gold flow brilliant into the sky until blocks of city are shadowed under its wingspan.
“Construction of theatre completed.”
“Yes, I can see that,” he whines. “Please arrange transportation. I would like to see my structure up close.”
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The Threadbares fell to their fires. No one had seen Idir since her departure, and Etec had long ago been felled by security. The community's roots wither and sever. Featureless corpses further knot the tired land.
Few live to watch the eagle collapse. Fewer still catch the towers drifting into the wind, a memory smelled only by far away anchors of the investment offices.
For so long, they have been scouring the city. Disturbing the long dormant dust. Sleeping under roofs built for the old gods. This ghost of a forgotten past, a proof of their future triumphs.
The Camping Threadbares began again to crash through concave halls. Begged blindly for Snow to ease their calloused crosses and minds. Together, they withheld their silence. Glimmering concrete shattered on sight, for they blessed these walls memorial to sinking dregs.