Hurried, I walk out of the bar that already forgot what just happened; hoping to spot Pild. And I do, and he seems to have taken a different exit.

  Climbing up, using the moss and any crevice he can find. The fat man shouts at him from below, shaking a fist full of vines. He seems to have everything covered, so I walk back in and relax.

  Triss sits down next to me, starting an awkward conversation with a sigh.

  "... So, how much do we actually have?"

  I sit there, thinking. "Not enough. I can probably get another bronze drop before tomorrow morning, maybe even a bronze and a half. But Lil not showing just halved today's -"

  Triss slams her fist on the table and keeps it there, her arm twitching from the strain.

  "Triss, we both have savings. We can figure something out here, we'll make it out."

  "We can't keep this up forever, Raph. Maybe it'd be better if I-"

  I turn to face her, her eyes damp. "No. No you won't." I sit there, my mind reminding me of my savings. My goals in life. My friends. "I'll stay up and get the bronze drops. Get Pild and Lil to do the same. Between us we should get 3 bronze drops. Once we do, we can ask for a little more time. Flitch is old, and he won't bother to get others to rent if we don't do this too often."

  My mind blanks, as I sit there for a few minutes. Thinking over the same calculations I make every month. Assuming no one steals from us, I can make nearly a bronze drop in a day. Triss makes a little less, Pild maxes out at half a bronze drop. Lil's a wild card, I've seen her take home nothing for a while week or a silver drop a day for several days straight. We need 3 bronze drops, and on average we make... Two and a half? Everyday rent is one-bronze one-drop, so three silver drops and change a month. I have half a silver drop saved over the last four months, I thought Triss had some saved but I don't think she does anymore.

  So, solution? I don't know. All I know is I won't be sleeping tonight, an-

  Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep-Beep.

  Oh fuck it, I walk off without warning Triss before grabbing the first pouch I see and dash.

  I run, I duck, I avoid him grabbing my hair, I slide, I get outside. I see guards. Once I don't recognize.

  They stare at me, then the pouch in my hands. They hear yelling from indoors.

  I run and jump off the stairs, to the side. Brushing up against the wall, I run and grab - gaining height. The guards point their spears at me, one jabs. He hits the vine I was about to grab, I fall.

  Not wasting any time, I keep running, as my thigh gives in with a searing pain. I keep going, running with a limp.

  Everything blurs around me, I only see that what I need.

  I hear metal impact stone, something hits my ankle.

  I make it to the turn, I spot a crowd. They look at me in horror, I keep running.

  Using the crowd, I try to climb again. Slower this time, my leg feels warm and isn't responding normally.

  The guards try to get to me, but their spears stop them from weaving through the crowd as quickly.

  I keep climbing, as my leg gives. I keep going, I expected this.

  Something hits my back, I barely hold on. A rock impacts the wall near my hand, rock dust clouds my vision.

  I make it up and over, as my leg scrapes against the walls with a weirdly metallic sound. I look at it.

  A dagger.

  There's a dagger in my leg. All... the way through... I hear myself scream.

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