…
Within Reach
Chapter 8: Into the Jungle
It had only been a few hours since the city of Nolybab had been stirred into a frenzy by sightings of an alleged blue skinned Mudokon. There had been a lone report of a spotting of an unknown cargo blimp leaving the city around the same time, but security had not pursued it, and as such the blimp was currently making its way across Mudos unhampered.
And in the cramped entrance passageway of the blimp, said blue skinned Mudokon was currently sitting with a map spread across his lap and an amulet dangling above it. One question passed his stitched lips.
"Where's Vykker's Labs 13?"
Only to receive no answer. His guide clearly heard him as she was as awake and attentive as usual but made no move to illuminate and show him the way to where he needed to go. Abe frowned a little and tried again.
"…Is it not on the map? Flicker once if it's not on the map, twice if you don't know," he said, holding up one and then two fingers. There was no response at all.
After a moment, he lowered his hands with a sigh. He then gently took his amulet and guide into his cupped palms and looked down at her. She peered up at him with a contented smile as though he hadn't asked her anything at all.
"It's okay. I'll… I can figure it out, I guess… Maybe it'll come to you later," he quietly assured her. He continued to look in at her though, taking in the comfort he could receive, even if he couldn't get her help at this time.
He didn't realize that he was being watched as Vesper was doing his best to not be obvious about it. Abe had said that he needed a moment before leaving the cockpit- and leaving his new guest with his two old friends- and when he didn't return fast enough to avoid Alf's constant shifty looks, Vesper went to check on him. He decided not to interrupt him once he realized what he was doing, instead leaning against the wall by the open door and waiting for him to finish.
He didn't like that unsettled frown on Abe's face, but he didn't feel like it was his place to barge in between the Mudokon and his guide. So, he instead decided to wait it out, listening to the other's quiet whispers with a concerned look. His right ear pricked up when the cockpit's chilly silence was interrupted by Toby's soft voice.
"We're gonna be landing soon. We're almost there," he said to Alf, who nodded.
"Right. I'll go get Abe," he said. He then turned and headed to the door only to notice the position Vesper was in. He sent him another suspicious look before stepping to the side to see past him. Alf noticed Abe with his hands cupped and his head bowed, and his face dropped. "Is he talking to his bee again?" he asked in a mutter.
"He is. He's trying to figure out where Vykker's Labs is," Vesper said. Alf sighed, a sentiment the Chiromor shared. "I wish he wouldn't do this. He hasn't even given himself a moment to breathe and he's already jumping on the next project."
"Well, that's Abe. Once he gets his mind on somethin' he ain't gonna change it," Alf said with a shrug. For a second it felt like they shared a moment of mutual concern, until he proceeded to brush by. "Stop staring at him like that. It's creepy."
Before Vesper could retort with anything more than his brows shooting up, Alf pressed the button on the other side and shut the door in his face. He continued to lean there against the wall for a long moment, silently mulling over the hostility.
"Don't worry about Alf."
He was almost taken by surprise at Toby's voice, almost shocked that the Mudokon was actually talking to him. He turned to look towards the pilot seat. "What do you mean?"
"Alf. I know he's acting all tough, but he'll warm up to you. It takes him a little time to trust people," Toby said. He couldn't look away from what he was doing, but his tone was genuinely friendly, and this had to be the most he heard him say since he got here. Vesper pushed off the wall and walked over to the pilot's seat to take Alf's place at his side.
"I have trouble believing that. I think he would've tossed me overboard if there wasn't a risk of Abe jumping out after me," he quipped. He folded his arms behind his back and looked out through the front windows. "…But I get it! How could I not? He's trying to protect Abe. I'd do the same thing… I plan on it. That's what I came here for," he said as though reassuring his point to himself. "That is what I'm here for." Toby nodded but had nothing to add.
On the other side of the door, the conversation was much briefer. Abe had heard that last comment before the door shutting- he would've been deaf not to- and gave a gently disapproving look to Alf as he started to stand up.
"You could be a little nicer to him," he suggested.
"Yeah, whatever. We're getting ready to land, let's go warn the others," Alf said, pointing a thumb at the door. Abe decided not to press him and instead returned his map to his bag and his amulet to his neck.
Then he followed him into the hold where the other Mudokons were waiting. They all perked up when they saw Abe coming in, some of them elbowing each other to rouse them from the lull the long trip had brought them into.
"Alright, listen up! We're coming up on our stop up here, so getcha stuff and get ready to hop out," Alf said to them. The Mudokons were mostly excited by the news. Maybe one or two looked a little nervous, but most were abuzz with murmurs about how they were tired of being cooped up in the blimp and ready to get some fresh air. "Now Abe's gonna bring you up to speed."
"On what?" Abe thought. It was the only thing he had a chance to think before everyone's eyes were on him. That was always a little intimidating. He worked with what he had. "So, uh… We're going to meet up with the others and they should help you get settled in. We haven't seen 'em since we left, but they know more of us are coming," he explained.
"When do we get to eat? I'm starving," one chimed up from the back.
"I guess… as soon as we get there?" Abe tried. The Mudokons seemed satisfied by this, thank goodness. Alf gave him an assuring pat on the back and the two stepped back out to give the Mudokons time to get ready.
Or more so, to give Abe a little room to breathe. Alf knew he had to still be tired from the last two days and him already looking to his amulet for guidance didn't exactly bode well for his chances of rest. At least he could take the pressure off a little, because once they landed it was all going to be out of their hands. The thought of it threatened to give Alf a headache and he adjusted his hat while thinking about it.
"D'you think we should've told them about why we really went to Nolybab? You didn't tell 'em, right?" he asked.
"Not yet. They've been through a lot. It's gonna be hard enough figuring out what they're going to do now without them worrying about what we're going to do," Abe said. He gave a tired sigh and looked away. "And we don't even know what we're going to do."
"Eh, we'll figure it out. We always do! Don't go sweating the details," Alf assured. He slung an arm around the blue Mudokon's shoulders and gave him a more confident smile, which Abe returned with a smaller one. "Now let's get this thing on the ground. The sooner we're out of this metal deathtrap, the better."
Within the next short while the blimp arrived at its destination, the scraggly fields on the outskirts of a massive forest. The line between the flattened land and the flourishing wild was so clean cut that one could've imagined exactly where the blades mowing it down had stopped. Maybe at some point the land was cleared out for a reason, considering that industrialist complexes were never far away, but for now it was a plot of land left abandoned.
The forest was of significant interest though because this was where they had left the other Mudokons. Finding shelter was nearly impossible with a group of their size and with the alternative being wandering without direction, this was the best that they had been able to come up with before Abe had left with the others to find the cargo ship. All things considered, a healthy, thriving jungle wasn't the worst place to call home.
The blimp landed awkwardly but successfully, circling around the field before dropping heavily on its landing gear. It was just jarring enough to give everyone a firm shake.
Toby released a long-held breath and collapsed against the pilot seat. Alf cuffed him on the shoulder with a proud smile before turning back to Abe and Vesper. His smile flatlined as he looked between them, then looked to Abe for direction. He took the hint and turned to Vesper.
"We're gonna go get the others out of the back. You can head outside and wait for us if you want. Get a look around and a little fresh air," he offered with a friendly smile.
The corner of Vesper's mouth pulled into an impish grin. "So, I don't scare the others?" he asked amused.
"No-."
"So you don't get in the way," Alf said aloofly, much to Abe's dismay.
He slumped his shoulders and gave a slightly exasperated, "Alf, no," before sending Alf a tired look. Though before he could say anything more, while he was still looking at Alf, Vesper caught him off-guard by putting a hand on his shoulder. Since Abe wasn't prepared for it, he barely resisted the tingly shiver it sent through his shoulder. He hoped Alf didn't notice because he was still looking directly at him when it happened.
"Relax, I get it," Vesper said. He waited until he turned to head out into the passageway to get his bags before letting his smile drop. He was growing more tempted to retort one of these times, but the last thing he needed was to instigate a fight with Alf, because no matter who won he would lose. "He just has trouble trusting anyone who isn't a Mudokon. Just be patient with him and remember that you're the intruder," he told himself, swallowing his irritation.
He managed another smile as Abe passed by before briskly heading outside. Almost immediately those feelings were abandoned as he finally got a good look at the forest that lie before him, and he was in awe.
In contrast to the dead lands surrounding the city of Nolybab, the forest was overflowing with living greenery. A thick canopy of leaves and vines ensnared the entire forest like a protective shield, making it impossible to see what lay beyond. A few towering palms managed to reach through top and must've towered at least one hundred feet tall, maybe even more. It was hard to tell when looking up meant looking a little too closely towards the sun.
He shielded his eyes with his hand and continued to look out at the scenery, his smile returning in full. He had never been so excited.
Abe felt almost opposite. After a few days away from the others, he was nervous about what they were going to find. Or if they were going to find them at all. Another raid could've transpired, and they could be coming back to find them all gone. He knew in the back of his mind that he was overreacting, but he could never be too sure. He managed to push it all back further to focus on the job at hand.
"Let's go, everybody!" he called in to the other Mudokons. They eagerly hurried out to follow him and he couldn't help but smile at their eagerness. It was exciting to think that for some of them this would be their first-time feeling grass underneath their feet. He led them out of the blimp and out into the Oddworld wilds waiting outside.
That first breath of fresh air was always the best. His lungs craved it after the thick air of the city and the thin air of the sky, and it was almost enough to get a little more of a bounce to his step as he escorted them out onto the grass. Their voices became notably more excited. One gave a delighted, "Oh wow, look at that!" Another a, "No more scrubbing floors, no more beatdowns, no more twenty-two hours shifts!" Someone said, "It's so… BIG out here. I'm kinda- I'm a little scared."
Then the eventual, "Wait, wait. Who's that guy?"
Abe knew exactly who "that guy" was. As though the Mudokons suddenly staring past him wasn't any indication. He hoped this would go over a lot better than with Alf.
"He's a friend of mine. Don't worry, he's with us!" Abe assured with what he hoped was a convincing smile.
Apparently, it was, because other than a "Huh," and someone else's blunt, "He's weird looking," nobody had real protests. None of them were going over to see Vesper though and he did notice a few wary looks. Which wasn't great; he had been hoping that at least one of them would be curious enough to spark up a conversation with Vesper, encouraging the others to do the same.
That was fine. Abe would go over there himself since they were still waiting on Alf and Toby anyways. He headed over to the Chiromor, drawing his attention with a chirp-ish, "Never seen anything like this either, huh?"
"Are you kidding? I've been living in a cave all my life," Vesper said. He sent Abe a welcoming smile, glad to see him return, and pointed off towards the trees. "I'm assuming you know those guys?"
Abe came to an abrupt stop and looked over quickly, for some reason again assuming the worst- as though Vesper was going to be this nonchalant about Sligs walking up- but found to his relief that a few Mudokons had come out of a break in the tree line and were jogging across the field towards them. It didn't take him long to recognize them and his worry was quickly dashed.
"I know 'em alright, they're friends of ours. They're more Alf's friends than mine, but we get along okay," Abe explained. He rubbed his neck nervously, noticing how badly he was already fumbling up over his words. He thought he had gotten over this with Vesper, but somehow it was only getting worse. He cleared his throat and pointed them out, "The guy in the hardhat's Stoopy, the tall one's Theo, and I think that other guy's Benny. I've known him too long to ask him."
Stoopy was the one who stood out and he assumed the other two were Theo and Benny mostly because they hung so closely to him. Stoopy was close friends with Alf and, if not for him and Toby, probably would've been the next closest Mudokon to him. He was a hard worker, an idealist, but a low talker with a hushed voice. Unlike Abe, who was quiet but could raise his voice if needed, Stoopy's vocal issues seemed to be some kind of birth defect.
Theo was a tall, lanky sort of guy. Was known to hit the brew a little too hard but was the first to overeagerly kick the stuff when he learned about the withdrawal effects. They barely got him to take the antidote when it came his time to do so. He seemed pretty sociable, and when Alf wasn't speaking up for Stoopy then Theo was.
Abe didn't know a lot about Benny except that he used to always borrow moolah off of the others back at RuptureFarms. Alf called him a mooch, but he seemed like an alright guy. Wasn't like moolah was worth anything out here anyways.
"Hey!" Abe called to them and waved. He then twisted back and called towards the blimp, "Alf, Stoopy's out here!"
Vesper noticed the small crowd of Mudokons at this moment, most of which were now looking in his direction due to Abe's call. Having heard their earlier reactions and wanting to make a better first impression, he sent them an underplayed smile and raised his hand in greeting. They looked more confused than comforted. The only one that dared to raise a hand back looked like he was only doing so out of fear.
Vesper's smile tightened as he lowered his arm and turned his focus away from the group. Moments afterwards, Alf was out of the blimp with Toby at his heels, and eagerly came out to meet the approaching Mudokons.
"Abe, Alf, you're back! You had us worried when you didn't show up. I thought you said you'd be back yesterday," Theo said. Stoopy nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, well, whaddya expect when you go to a city full of Gluks? We got hold back an extra day, big deal. Point is we're here now," Alf dismissed in a good-natured way. "This ain't much of a welcome party."
"Hey, Abe said to keep it lowkey until the heat dies down," Theo said, pointing at Abe. He then turned his attention towards and waved to the blue Mudokon. "Hey Abe!" Abe raised a hand in greeting with a smile, one that grew as tight as Vesper's when, once again, the Mudokon went right past him to the stranger at his side. "What's-?"
"Yeah, yeah, long story. We should prob'ly get a move on before something flies over and spots us. There's nothing subtle about thirty Muds standing beside a stolen blimp," Alf redirected.
This seemed to cut any reaction short. Stoopy especially nodded and pointed at him, showing his agreement, and then beckoned them before turning back to the trees.
"Thanks for that," Abe whispered to Alf. He gave him a thumbs up, and Abe then turned to the rest of the Mudokons. "Alright guys, stay close and follow me! You don't want to get lost in there!" Especially since he himself hadn't even been in there, having left almost immediately after bringing the others here to get the blimp. He then looked to Vesper. "You too. Stay close, okay?" he asked in a gentler tone.
To be honest, Abe could've asked Vesper to spend the night in the blimp with that tone and he might've considered it. He shook it off and gave a nod. "I plan on it. As far as I'm concerned, it's the same as Nolybab. I lose sight of you and I'm as good as dead."
Abe chuckled a little and began to follow alongside Alf after their three acquaintances. Vesper did as promised and stuck close to his side, though he wasn't sure if it was out of fear of the unknown or how unpleasant this whole thing was. Even in Nolybab he had never felt this singled out in a group and especially never in the colony. He was just going to have to grin and bear it and stay close to Abe, so he wasn't pushed away from him.
If the forest looked intimidating from outside, it was only magnified once making it through the protective tangle of vines and brambles. It was like they had stepped into another world, one where they were swallowed up by plant life. Abe hadn't even seen this many trees in Paramonia, and the ones there hadn't been this leafy. The ground was covered in Spooceshrubs and ferns, and a bed of dead leaves that still seemed more alive than anything on the outside.
The trees, both palm and not, were wound together by fuzzy vines and the space between them filled with fan leaves from smaller plants struggling to reach the thin beams of sun that made it through the canopy. There were even flowers, which Abe spotted with wide eyes and reached out for. Its large, pink petals tickled his hand as he lifted it to look inside better. There were yellow veins running through the inside.
Abe smiled a little and looked to see if anyone else noticed. Everyone seemed to kind of be doing their own thing, more focused on making it to their destination than these little details. As much as he wanted to show them this beautiful thing he found, he could already imagine their dismissal. Them being disappointed with their supposed savior slowing them down with something so insignificant.
If not for Vesper standing right behind him, and looking around at the canopy with fascination, he might've let it go entirely. His smile returned with cautious optimism.
"Hey Vesper, wanna see something pretty?" he asked. Vesper's ears twitched and he looked over, with Abe stepping aside and lifting the flower more so he could see it. "Do they got anything like this over in Horromog?"
"Nowhere I've been, but it's a big continent. The only flowers we see back in Caul are the ones printed on the furniture," he quipped. He leaned in a little more, eyes opening more to study the complex patterns of veins on the inside of the petals. "It is rather fetching, isn't it? You wouldn't think something so colorful could grow in the wild."
"It's probably safer here. Might not get as much sun, but nothing's going to mow it down," Abe pointed out. Vesper reached out for the flower and ran his claws gently over the petals. Abe expected them to graze over his hand and was almost let down when they didn't, but not when the other's eyes were wide with such intrigue. The Mudokon opened his mouth to speak.
"What's the hold up?"
Only to be interrupted by Theo's voice from the front. Abe turned back to see everyone staring at him questioningly, even Alf silently quirked a brow. He flushed in embarrassment and fumbled out an apology.
"Sorry, just looking at… Stuff," Abe said. He released the flower and grabbed Vesper's wrist in one smooth motion before tugging him back towards the group. Vesper almost forgot how strong Abe was and barely grabbing up his suitcase before being dragged back to the others.
The other Mudokons weren't really interested in what he had been doing and didn't ask. Though that didn't mean they didn't have anything to say. Some of them complained under their breaths; one of them was bold enough to speak out loud.
"Come on, I'm starving! When are we gonna get something to eat?!"
"Shut your yap, we're getting there!" Theo snapped back. "Just stay close and keep up. The village ain't too far."
His wording caught Abe's attention and his head snapped up, him snapping out of his embarrassment. "Wait, did you say village?"
"Yeah! You gotta see it, you're not gonna believe how much we got done!" Benny boasted with an excited smile. He was nearly bouncing with each step as they continued their trek through the trees.
Theo was the one who explained, "We've been working since you guys left. Some of the us went scouting and found a construction site out at this old windmill, so we snuck in at night and cleaned out the place, and we used that and whatever we could get out of the woods to start building huts! They ain't looking half bad either, but we're starting to run low on nails. Here's hoping the guys find some in Sorrow Valley."
"That's grea- wait, what? Sorrow Valley? Who went to Sorrow Valley?" Abe asked, his excitement dashed and replaced with alarm. The emotional whiplash was evident in his voice. He had brought them all here to be safe and now he was hearing someone went back- which would've meant covering miles on foot through lands covered in Sligs to caves filled with Slogs. It was a horrifying thought.
"Some of the guys that you got outta there. I think there was about twenty of 'em, but they said they'd be back once they got some stuff."
"Did anyone else leave…?" Abe asked worriedly.
"Yeah, there were some others."
"Eli took a bunch of guys and went to go explore outside the forest. After finding the windmill he thought he might find something else out there," Benny said. He gave an almost carefree shrug. "His funeral."
Abe really didn't appreciate that wording. He tightened his grip only to realize he was still holding on to Vesper's wrist. He looked down at it, then up at the Chiromor who was looking at him attentively, apparently expecting this reaction from that wording. The Mudokon quickly released his arm, not sure if he would appreciate him doing this in broad daylight.
"S-Sorry," he mumbled.
"About what?" Vesper replied unbothered. Not expecting an answer to that, he then asked, "Where's Sorrow Valley?" wanting to know why it bothered him so much.
"Place I made the antidote," Abe said, averting his eyes shyly and gripping his backpack straps. Vesper gave a knowing 'ah'.
"Wait, you told him about that?" Alf suddenly asked, turning back to look at them from his position beside Stoopy. Abe met his gaze before giving a nod, to which Alf looked more than a little uncertain. "…How much did you tell him?"
"Oh, all of your deepest, darkest secrets. Anything you didn't want to know, I know it," Vesper said. A slow smile stretching across his face at the irritation that came onto Alf's. "Only enough to know what I was getting into," he then clarified.
Alf was definitely not content with this answer, but Stoopy must've said something as he looked in his direction like he was listening. Vesper could hear his voice rather faintly, but he decided to tilt down his ears and not pay attention.
The group continued onwards into the forest. It was as they got deeper that it got a little more treacherous, finding cliffs and crevasses hidden up by the foliage. The ground seemed to have a degree of layers, which seemed to spread as the trees as some matted parts of the canopy looked thick enough to walk on. They ended up taking a path alongside a small river weaving through the underbrush and under the fanning leaves.
The river was surprisingly clean, lacking the oily glaze that they had expected to find and ranging from crystal clear to a soft blue. It was too tempting for some of the Mudokons who stopped to drink. They took an unannounced break to regain their bearings and cool down from the muggy hike.
Vesper was especially grateful for this as it gave him a moment to set down his suitcase, peel off his trench coat, and roll up his sleeves. His fur was already growing damp with sweat, which he should've expected wearing so many layers. It was insane to him that in this amount of shade it was hotter than standing in direct sunlight in the field. Apparently, he wasn't the only one feeling it either, seeing as Toby was pouring handfuls of water over his briefly uncapped head.
Abe was playing the part of the caring leader once again, taking a few empty bottles out of his bag, filling them with the cool water, and covering them with bent caps before handing them out to the Mudokons he had saved. The only bottle he kept was the water bottle that Vesper had given him the night before, which he refilled and capped. While it he was glad to see Abe finding use for it, he felt less than helpful in the grand scheme of things.
So far, the only thing he had done of any benefit was carry his own bags. No wonder everyone was so skeptical of him, he hadn't done anything. He wasn't even over there helping Abe, and he didn't get the idea to do so until he was getting up and coming back. If Vesper was going to earn the trust of the other Mudokons he was going to have to prove that he was a viable asset. He just had to figure out a plan.
"Want some?" Abe asked, dragging him out of his lapse into thoughts and offering the water bottle. Vesper appreciated the gesture, but didn't like the idea of drinking untreated water, especially not when it was taking Abe's water.
"I'm good, thanks," Vesper said. He picked up his suitcase again, now carrying his coat under his other arm. It must've looked like more than it was.
"Want me to carry anything?" he asked helpfully.
"No!" Vesper said a little too quickly. Abe looked confused and the other forced a smile. "No, no, no. You've got enough on your hands. I have enough hands. I can handle it."
That was bad. Not just bad, but not convincing at all. The only reason Abe smiled and gave a simple, "Sure," was because he was being nice, and Vesper knew it.
The Mudokon then turned towards the group of newcomers and called over, "Let's get moving, guys! Not much farther now!" This managed to excite them enough to drag them away from the cool water and back onto the humid path.
Which mercifully only lasted about another thirty slightly more treacherous feet before they were out of the trench, away from the river, and finally able to spot a glimpse of the would-be village. Though village was a little bit of a stretch, the sight of the huts was enough to give Abe a look of awe and Alf an eager smile.
The budding village was built in a sizeable area of flat land located only a stone's throw away from the river. Most of the bushes and shrubs had been cleared out, making it look notably more spacious even with the trees. The huts were basic, one-room structures both round and square in shape. Nothing fancy, but well-made considering that they were built in only a couple of days with limited supplies. Some of the huts were unfinished, noticeably leaning against, tethered to, or built around the sturdiest of the trees. There were also a few narrow buildings that were either sheds or outhouses lined up in the distance.
Along with the huts there were also a couple of platforms built up in the canopy. They were secured to the thicker tangles of branches and had tarps stretched above them as a makeshift cover. They were probably made so they could keep a lookout of the surrounding area, and they seemed to work well enough as they hadn't gotten too close before they started hearing voices calling out.
"It's Abe! Abe's back!"
"He's here?!"
"He's finally here! I knew he was gonna come back!"
Abe was blindsided by the overwhelming number of Mudokons that suddenly swarmed him. They didn't just come out of the huts, they seemed to come out of everywhere and every direction until he was completely surrounded. Alf knew well enough to step aside and yank Toby alongside him by the shoulder before any of them could be elbowed or trampled by the excitable crowd. Both of them sympathized with Abe, but they knew they couldn't save him.
Vesper didn't have this foresight and since he was staying right behind Abe, he soon found himself circled. Normally this would've been intimidating but not an issue, as the Mudokons had shown that they were too wary of him to get closer than a couple of feet, and it wasn't the numbers that bothered him. It was the sound. It was the dozens of voices, some of them jarringly loud, suddenly assaulting his ears.
He got out a mere, "Oh Odd," as he staggered back behind Abe, and at that point the blue Mudokon lost track of him entirely. He was swamped in excited voices, too many to count, too many to name, and could barely get a voice in edgewise. There were just so many questions.
"Didja reach Nolybab?"
"How'd you get back so fast?!
"What took you so long?!"
"You're just the greatest, Abe!"
"Did you bring any food?"
"What's with the suit?"
"You had us really worried!"
At this point, someone finally managed to break through this string of questions. Some Mudokon who Abe couldn't see or identify by voice suddenly chimed in, "Let's show him the hut!"
Suddenly all of the others clung onto this idea excitedly. Cries such as, "Oh yeah, the hut!" and, "Yeah, yeah, let's show him!" broke out. Before Abe realized what was happening, he found himself being led by the group into the makeshift village. He could feel some resistance from his backpack and look back to see Vesper behind him, eyes squinted and mouth in a grimace. At least he hadn't been swept away.
Alf and Toby were another story. They watched their friend be absorbed by the crowd and skirted off as they were left behind. Even Stoopy, Theo, and Benny followed after them, seeming to be in on whatever this hut was that they wanted to show Abe. Alf was glad to see him getting the attention he deserved, but he wasn't sure how long he could handle it. The whole thing left him feeling strangely mixed.
He looked to Toby whose look showed that he probably felt the same way. The shorter Mudokon shrugged as though in questioning and Alf sighed, then followed after the group in a weary trudge, the other at his heels.
Abe couldn't get much of a look at the village with this many Mudokons around, and he especially couldn't get a clear answer on if Eli's group or the Sorrow Valley Mudokons had gotten back, with every effort being cut short by a comment on this hut that he just had to see. From what he could see, the huts looked rather good, so he wasn't sure why this one would be that special.
"Here we go! Take a look at this!" an excited voice cried. The Mudokons in front of him dispersed enough- one or two being forcibly dragged out of the way by the others- and revealed that they had stopped in front of another hut.
The hut looked similar to the other complete huts; moderate sized, one room, and round shaped. The only real difference being that the hut was on a platform elevated a few feet off of the ground, with a few steep, wooden steps leading up to it. This made the hut look distinct from the others, but Abe could've believed that maybe they had just decided to forgo the design on the others to save resources.
"Well, go on! Go look inside!" the Mudokon at his right said, lightly punching him in the arm. Abe nodded and climbed the steps, feeling a little weird at knowing they were all watching his reaction. They must've been really proud of this hut.
He could see why once he drew back the curtain covering the front door, which felt like it was stitched out of a sack-like material. He looked around inside and found his eyes widening.
Even without much inside, the hut was pretty well made. There was a wooden post in the center of the hut which reinforced the roof and even a good-sized window in the back, opening out into the untouched forest behind it. The only furniture was a cot made from wood and covered with a blanket that looked like it was also made out of recycled sacks. It was a little crude, but impressive to Abe who didn't realize the Mudokons were up to making furniture.
He could see why they wanted to show this one off. Smiling, he stepped back outside. "Ya'll did a really good job!"
"Aww, it was nothing!"
"Ya gotta thank Sal, he's the one that found all those nails."
"It's all yours!"
It was the last line that sunk in. His eyes widened a little. "It's… What?"
"The hut's yours! We made it for ya because, y'know, you got us all out. It was the least we could do!" one of the Mudokons who had been leading the front said.
Well, that explained why they were so eager to show it to him, but Abe still found himself reeling. It was the last thing he would've expected. Even if he thought well of the others, he never thought they would go through this much effort for him. It was supposed to be his job to make sure they were safe and sheltered.
"But- But what about you guys? There's not enough huts for everyone," Abe pointed out.
"Well, we'll build more!"
"We got it covered. Don't worry 'bout it!"
"But I can't take a whole hut if you guys are gonna get stuck sleeping outside!" he protested.
"You're starting to take the fun out of this."
"But-."
"Abe, it's okay. They made this for you," Vesper spoke up. His voice finally getting a chance to reach above the other Mudokons'. "They did this for you because they wanted to. Don't overthink it."
"Yeah, what that said," one of them agreed. "It's not like one hut's gonna fit more than like ten guys anyway."
Abe was kind of stuck. He just wasn't entirely sure how to handle this gift. He felt like he couldn't accept it, but their faces showed that they really wanted him to. He wasn't going to let them down.
"I- I don't even know what to say… Thank you. Thank you so much. It's great- no, it's the best- you're all the best. I couldn't ask for better friends," Abe sincerely thanked. He stumbled over his words a little, but his tone showed just how much he really meant it. He wanted to hug every one of them, but it would've taken forever, and they probably would've thought it was weird, so he showed his appreciation through words alone. "I'm gonna go inside and take another look around."
The Mudokons cheered this and watched him disappear back into the curtain of the hut. Looking around it was like he was seeing it with completely different eyes. A few minutes ago, it was just a nice little hut they made. Now it was his. It was his window and his bed, his curtained doorway, his own little space. Ever since Abe left RuptureFarms he had never really felt like he belonged anywhere he stayed, but maybe this could become a home.
Abe smiled to himself. They really did care, didn't they? Here he thought they would just be disappointed with how long he took, and they had actually been using the time to do something nice for him. It made him feel good. It made him feel…
Guilty.
If it wasn't for the sound of someone coming in behind him, he would've sunk into that feeling and gotten stuck in it like a sludgy pit. He turned back and brightened up again when he saw Vesper coming in and looking around.
"What do you think?" he asked, spreading his arms to gesture to the space. "I know it's not big like your apartment but look at it! It's even got a window that looks right out at the trees!"
"I've got to admit, it is pretty nice. Especially considering that they managed this in a matter of days," Vesper complimented. He tested his weight on the flooring and found it surprisingly sturdy; they had done a good job securing the platform. He asked with a smile, "How does it feel having a place of your own?"
"It feels great!" Less than a month ago he was living in slavery at RuptureFarms and here he was now with his own little house that he could do whatever he wanted with. He could make all of the decisions. "And this means we don't gotta worry about where you're going to stay. You can just stay here with me!... We'll work on getting more stuff in here. Can't be that hard to build chairs."
"Are you sure about that? Don't get me wrong, I'd love to stay with you, but I don't want you to feel obligated to have me here just because I let you stay with me," Vesper said. He just barely managed to cover how relieved he was, as the idea of sleeping out in the woods wasn't an appealing one and the others were way too skittish to coerce them into sharing sleeping quarters. Abe quickly waved his hands in dismissal.
"No, no! Nothing like that. I want you to stay with me… If I didn't, I wouldn't have brought you all the way out here." His voice grew quieter for the last part, and he got a more subdued smile. There was that look again, that soft look that looked a little coy and a bit more friendly than usual. It was the only thing that could make Vesper feel totally flustered.
"Then I accept," he said, returning the smile with one of his own. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be." The room was suddenly much warmer, and Abe's heartbeat quickened for that moment.
Then skyrocketed in alarm when Alf suddenly walked in. They hadn't even been doing anything and Abe felt like he had been caught. Vesper simply slid his eyes over to Alf, silently daring him to make another snide comment even though he had no intention of doing anything if he did. Instead, Alf looked around at the hut and whistled, planting his hands on his hips.
"Hey, this is pretty nice! Kinda small, but looks sturdy," he said. He leaned over and thumped his fist on the wall, which held up well and without much shaking. "That's really something!"
"I- I know! Look, it even has a window!" Abe chirped. He headed over to it and looked out, with Alf joining him a few seconds later. Vesper kept himself busy by putting his stuff down on the empty side of the room, then knelt down and started going through his suitcase as the two Mudokons looked outside. "I would've killed for one of these back at the farms… The view probably would've sucked."
Vesper smirked a little and Alf agreed, "If we weren't getting choked by the smog, we'd be having to hear the Scrabs raising hell outside."
This was when they heard others coming in and turned back to see Stoopy, Theo, and Toby coming into the hut. From the former two's smiles, it was clear that they had been in on the gift, as expected. Toby stood by the door and looked around, then started to peer curiously into Vesper's suitcase as he rifled through it. The room was starting to feel a little crowded.
"So, whaddya think?" Theo asked.
"I think it's great!" Abe said.
"Yup," Alf agreed. "So, where's mine?"
Those smiles dropped pretty quickly. Stoopy stared silently and Theo made a hand juggling motion as he struggled for an excuse.
"That's what I figured," Alf muttered. He pushed off the window with a stretch. "Welp, I've got nothin' else to do. You guys up to helping me throw together something I can sleep in?"
"Sound's good. We're gonna need to get more wood though, and maybe look for something we can scrounge up to use less nails," Stoopy said. The first thing he had said loud enough for everyone to hear. Or maybe it was because they were all standing closer in a mostly closed-in room. He beckoned Alf and headed out the door with Theo in tow.
Abe started to follow them when Alf caught him with his arm. "Whoa, where're you going?"
"With you?" Abe asked in confusion. Vesper's ears perked up at this.
"No, you ain't. This is the first time we've stopped in days; you're gonna get some rest. Look, you've even got a bed waiting on ya," Alf pointed out. Abe looked back at the bed with a disagreeing frown.
"Helping out isn't the same as running from Sligs. I can handle it," he protested. Alf crossed his arms, unwavering, and Abe knew he was fighting a losing battle. "…You're not gonna budge, are you?"
"Nope." Abe groaned and Alf got a twitch of a smile. "Eh, you'll be fine! You just break in the place. There's plenty of guys out there who can help out."
Abe reluctantly nodded and headed over to the bed before shedding his backpack and setting it down on it. Alf headed towards the door, passing behind Vesper whose hands were resting on the edge of his suitcase. His claws lightly tapped on some of the stuff inside as he considered his next move. Then he took a deep breath, steeled his nerve, and stood to face Alf.
"I could go. I don't have much experience with construction, but it might be worth having an extra set of hands. What do you say?" Vesper offered. Toby's brows raised and he looked between him and Alf, who sent him a dubious look.
"…No."
"No surprises there," Vesper thought. He was about to turn back to his suitcase and give up when Abe suddenly caught on and chimed in.
"Wait, Alf! Let Vesper go with you. He's just gonna get bored hanging around here anyway. He can help!" he said. He came over to stand beside Vesper, smiling encouragingly. The other Mudokon wasn't impressed.
"I don't need his help," Alf said with little enthusiasm.
"I don't know, Alf. If all of them out there've been working all day and night, they might not feel like helping," Toby pointed out. Alf looked to him with startlement and confusion, baffled that he was hopping on board with it too. Seeing that even this wasn't enough to break that resistance, Vesper decided to try a different direction.
"Alright then, let's make a deal," Vesper said, raising his hands in defense and taking a diplomatic tone. "I'll come with you and offer my support, and if it helps then great, and if it doesn't then you have my permission to ditch me in the woods."
"Right!... Wait, what?!"
"Deal!" Alf agreed a little too eagerly, much to Abe's dismay. "But if you fall behind, I'm ditching you early," Alf added in before turning and heading out. Toby gave Abe a half shrug, as though saying 'it's something' and followed him out.
As soon as they were out the door, Vesper's face broke into an eager smile. He excitedly clasped his hands together and turned to Abe saying, "Time to go make some connections! Get a little rest and try not to worry, we have it covered."
"You know he's gonna try to ditch you," Abe warned.
"Trying to ditch me and actually ditching me are two entirely different things. With how loud he is, it's not going to happen," Vesper assured confidently. Abe didn't look as certain, but it also didn't seem like that was what was bothering him. Probably it was more that he was getting left behind. "When I get back, we can unpack and see how much of my stuff we can use to brighten up this place. What do you think?"
"Sounds good. Just be careful, there could be Fleeches out there," Abe said. He managed a smile that Vesper returned before hurrying out after Alf and Toby. He probably didn't even know what Fleeches were, but he probably would be safe. Alf might've been stubborn, but he wasn't going to let anyone get hurt.
Once he was gone and the curtain fell closed, Abe returned to the bed and sat down on it. After a long pause, he pulled off his amulet and cupped it in his palms again, looking down at his guide once more.
"…Anything yet?" he asked. Once again, he received no answer. His guide simply floating in her amulet cocoon and blinking up at him with that look of serenity. Like she knew something that he didn't.
He really wished that he did.