Chapter 10
"Ettie and I's apartment had been cleared out before I got there," Fredricx exclaimed to his friend. His chest heaved, feeling air slowly fill his lungs again.
Lucas coughed in response. They sat in the middle of the market, eating lunch. Lucas would be due back at the shipyard in a couple of minutes, and Fredricx longed to have that same calling.
"You and Ettie can stay with me for as long as needed." He fell into another coughing fit. In order to subdue it, Lucas banged on his chest with a closed fist. It must have worked because within moments, he stopped the seizing.
Fredricx stretched his back, spine clicking. The night had been rough. His bones ached. "I need employment."
"I know. You'll find something. There has to be other construction work or a mason that requires assistance. Maybe, you could drive a carriage or be a footman for an aristocrat."
Fredricx had spent the morning searching. It was the entire morning searching as Ettie's typical rousings woke both men. "No one seems to have use for me." Fredricx was angry.
"You need respect, Fredricx. More than money, I think. I'd like some too. I am incurably sick with no family, living in a moldy apartment and working in a rotten shipyard in a rotten city. Let's do something about all of this."
"What can be done?"
XXXX
It was late afternoon. However, it wasn't as expected. Instead of a light sunset over Yharham, streaming light down its narrow, often crowded streets, a hunt was pending. The moon hung low in the sky already at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was quickly waning, and the rats and hunters were scurrying.
There had been little warning. Streets were filled once again with angry townsfolk, brandishing clubs and other such things. Streets were filled with hurried pedestrians, carrying coin bags. Incense had to be purchased. However, the onset of the hunt without warning, drove up prices. Fredricx was among this crowd, waiting in line behind dozens of others.
The dark would bring on beasts, and he wanted to be tucked behind a door with Lucas and Ettie before the sun had completed faded away. Yharhamites in front grumbled back and forth to another. What would stop a riot against this incense vendor? Nothing
"Nice to see you, Fredricx."
He looked, staring eye to eye with the hunter. "Good evening, Adullam."
"What are you waiting in this line for?" he asked in a comical, sarcastic way. He gave a chuckle to himself, holding a pistol in his hands with a sword of some kind sheathed on his back.
Fredricx shook his head, but still bothered to answer the pointless question, "An incense lantern."
"Have you found work yet?"
Fredricx's jaw tensed, fists clenching against the shillings in his hands. A blood vessel above his eye started to pull tight. "No."
Without a response, Adullam started off down toward the front of the line.
Fredricx turned over the coins in his hands, eyebrows knitting. Would he have enough shilling?
A few minutes longer still, and Adullam merged, but this time instead of carrying his gun, he brandished two lanterns. "A gift for you, Fredricx."
"Why?"
Adullam offered them again with an exasperated look. "Accept my kindness, Mr. Vinge," he breathed out.
"What do you get in return?" Fredricx questioned, pocketing the shilling and accepting both lanterns. He stepped out of line, locking eyes with Adullam, who still wore the tricorn hat. He had a dark mask around his neck that Fredricx imagined could easily be pulled up around his mouth and nose. He started down the street, expecting Adullam to follow, and he did.
They walked side by side. Fredricx was in black trousers, suspenders, and a collared shirt that was damaged from sea water. Adullam was in grey trousers, a golden stitched overcoat, and an embroidered red shirt. This shirt had white ruffles underneath.
"Do you want me to pay you for them?"
"No," the hunter retorted, "Do you often pay for gifts?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"I desire to."
Adullam walked with Fredricx to Lucas's apartment door. This was the best part of town to be in when the hunt started. It had paper thin walls and doors as well as narrow corridors and an overpopulation of sick Yharhamites.
"You live here?" Adullam inquired, a single eyebrow raised. "I can hear people coughing and vomiting inside their own homes. You will be trapped between beasts outside on the street and beasts inside the building."
"I am staying with a friend for now." Sitting down the lanterns, he crossed his arms.
"What happened?"
Fredricx sighed and internally debated on lying to preserve his dignity. "Ettie and I didn't have the shilling to cover rent for the quarter."
"One hundred gold pieces would buy you more than a house." Adullam smiled.
Another sigh was let out. He knew. Fredricx was well aware how even just one hundred pieces of gold would change his life.
Fredricx spotted Lucas as he rounded the street corner. The man looked particularly disheveled with clothes askew and hair flattened and protruding unevenly. His pace was unsteady and face was flushed. His staggering came to a sudden halt in front of Adullam and Fredricx. At once, he hinged at the waist and vomited on the street. It left a dark puddle on the stone. Following after, Lucas fell into a storm of coughing. That whooping sound seemed to reverberate down the street. Standing straight, Lucas looked bewilderedly at the blood on his shirt sleeve and then between Fredricx and Adullam.
"Where is Ettie?" Lucas spat out his words and some additional red.
The hunter unclinked his weapon, sword gliding seamlessly from the sheath. The sword was brought back swiftly, but it seemed oddly slow. Slowly enough for Fredricx to lunge.
XXXX
Leaping forward, Fredricx grabbed Adullam's weapon bearing arm. The sword halted mid swing, but Fredricx did not, yanking forward Adullam's arm and body, so that they were now both facing the same direction. Using his free hand, Fredricx yanked the pistol from Adullam's holster and cocked the hammer, digging the end of the barrel between Adullam's ribs. "You might want to reconsider your position," Fredricx hissed.
Author Note: This chapter is short because I have been and will continue to be busy this week. Thank you, VexEchoUmbra, for reviewing! You are awesome! Your reviews make me very happy.