Mable: Sorry this took so long. As you'll probably notice, the chapter is lengthy. This is because I decided to combine two chapters to try and get the pace moving a little better… Well, that and I couldn't find a good spot to break. XD Enjoy!
Within Reach
Chapter 10: Eaten Up Inside
By time Abe and Vesper returned to the village the sky had started turning a soft yellow as the earliest phase of sunset began to creep in. It had taken them a while to get back, not just because they wanted to avoid the Fleeches but because Abe himself didn't seem that eager to return to the village. Vesper supposed that being out here was a good distraction for him.
During their time in the jungle, Abe had decided to tell him more about what he knew of the old civilization. In a way it wasn't much, simply devolving into more detailed stories about how he got his scars. About a temple in the desert, one in the forest, and hollowed out halls deep under active mines. About a mask faced shaman, who he had mentioned before, and an old blind keeper living in the depths. Fascinating stories that, honestly, almost didn't seem real.
At times it felt more like he was getting it off his chest than actually telling Vesper about his lost culture, though the other was transfixed by the words and listened eagerly. He seldom interrupted, and it was only to ask questions. Typically, about the things that Abe was leaving out. It wasn't hard to notice when he told him that the scars gave him powers but then failed to elaborate on what those powers were.
Vesper had a hunch that it had to do with whatever Abe did at the tram station back in Nolybab. He held his tongue, unwilling to push beyond his boundaries in this case. Eventually he would figure it out.
Though he did cross that established line with one significant question: "Why are you afraid to get another one? Because it was painful or because you don't want to have to learn another power?" He meant the scars, obviously.
Abe knew the question was probably going to come up eventually, but he still felt a little nervous answering it. "Both. I kinda just… I'm happy how I am, y'know? I don't want to mess that up."
"No, I get it. You feel comfortable in your own skin, literally," Vesper agreed. He hesitated, walking alongside Abe with his arms crossed. "If it's anything, I think you're making the right decision. Once they're on they're not coming off, so why not wait until you're absolutely sure you want them? You've got a choice."
"Yeah," Abe agreed.
"You do. You've got a choice, Abe," Vesper said a little more firmly.
"I know, I know." Once they were on, they wouldn't come off; that was something he knew very well. Especially since they were all so fresh. He suddenly felt the urge to shift the conversation. "So… What's Horromog like if it isn't like this?"
Vesper wasn't ignorant, he picked up exactly what Abe was trying to do and more than willingly took the bait. "If you're talking about the continent itself, I haven't seen too much of it. Caul's sort of self-contained inside of a large cave- Caul being the name of my colony- so you don't get a good glimpse of the outside world.
"I think I've heard that name before. So, is it like a bunch of connected tunnels or is a big pit like Nolybab?"
"More like Nolybab but not in a pit. The cave is massive, and the colony is built on its ceiling, so there's not much of a view. On the inside it's all smoking rooms, ballrooms, tea parlors, and ornate staircases. All very ritzy."
"Can't even imagine it."
"And I couldn't imagine anything but it. Other than its port the whole thing exists in itself, and nobody has much reason to leave," Vesper admitted, a little less enthused by the last point. "To be honest, it's nothing compared to this. Leagues above Nolybab though."
"Do you miss it?" Abe asked. The other gave a sort of dismissive shrug and the Mudokon smiled knowingly. "There's gotta be something about it you miss if it's not as bad as Nolybab. Maybe… Your friends?"
"I did have a lot of those, I'll admit," Vesper said cheekily. "Didn't flock to me quite as much as they do to you, but I had some of my own."
"Was that a bird joke?"
"No, but I'll take credit for it."
"I'll give it to ya… If you tell me about them," Abe pried with a smile.
"You drive a hard bargain, but I love talking about myself, so I'll bite," Vesper quipped. He uncrossed his arms and folded them behind his back. "Let's see. There's Flint, who was my best friend through schooling. Then there's Ciaran and consort Babette- Before I get ahead of myself, it's not like with you and the Mudokons. We're just friends, not family. Our families are dictated by bloodlines and last names."
"So, you don't all have the same mother?" Abe asked with quiet surprise. Vesper's nonchalant "nah" seemed to stick with the Mudokon longer than it should've.
He had purposefully tried his hardest to not think of his mother since he left Vykker's Pavilion. Largely because he knew it was going to upset him dwelling on her when he didn't have any leads to go on. Though now Vesper's comment made him think about it again. The Mudokons had been told they had mothers who abandoned them, he had heard radio programs talking about families out there in Oddworld, but neither actually existed.
Were Mudokons the only species that had a single mother? Were they just mass-produced like the products they were forced to help create? Was that why they had been enslaved, because once the cartel had their mother, they were helpless? He had never seen a native as young as any of them. That had to mean that they were all coming from this one source, and if she was never freed then eventually they would all get old and die out.
Maybe this was the masked shaman meant when he said they weren't yet free. They were out, but as long as the Glukkons had their mother they would never truly be free. Every new Mudokon would be born a slave.
This realization was so jarring that Abe slowed to a stop and found himself staring at the ground blankly. He didn't know how to process this. It was a weirdly existential thing, to be worried about things that would supposedly happen after he died, but the thought that all of their work could suddenly be erased was surprisingly sickening. There could've been escapes and rebellions in the past and none of them would've ever known. Everything he had ever done erased.
Vesper got a few steps before noticing Abe wasn't beside him. He looked back at him, saw the look on his face, and his ears shot up in alert.
"What? Did you see something?" he asked with growing dread. He looked down at the ground like he expected to see whatever it was. This snapped Abe out of his thoughts, and he shook his head.
"No, just… thinking about what you said. Sorry." He hurried to catch up. Vesper noticed that look on his face and paused a second, then winced as he realized he unintentional steered the conversation into a sore spot. He opened his mouth to apologize when he was beat to it by Abe, who didn't notice and asked, "You've met your mother?"
"…That's right." Vesper regained his earlier posture. Continuing the conversation while keeping a closer eye on what he said and Abe's reaction to it.
"Sooo what's she like?" Abe asked. His eyes looking especially innocent and pleading in this moment, which put Vesper directly on the spot.
Which of course he was. Abe wanted to know about mothers, wanted to know about families. This was going to be his first and so far only impression of motherhood and unfortunately Vesper knew his mother wasn't a great example. He hadn't even lived with her since before he could remember. Vesper entered his explanation with the hesitation of entering an active minefield.
"She's a high society lady. Very ritzy, very posh. Likes her tea with a touch of sugar and no cream, and yes, that is an exact measure," he said with a smile that was definitely more strained than amused. Abe nodded and continued to look at him with complete focus, eagerly soaking it in. Vesper's ears folded back. "…Alright, I'll level with you. I don't spend a lot of time with my mom. I was raised by Coakley, so he's the one I had the time to bond with."
"Oh…" Abe said. His disappointment was evident, but he only looked down for a second before looking back up. "What about Coakley?"
"Now him I can tell you plenty about," Vesper said with his confident smile returning. "Coakley is one of the most influential members of the colony, one of the smartest investors in his field, and still manages to be one of the warmest people you will ever meet. As long as you don't meet him on the wrong side of a meeting room. He's well-read, knows more about outside the colony than anyone else inside, and he even plays the organ! Anyone else would be too lazy to learn, fine with letting someone else play for them. That's a sign of dedication, I tell you."
"Uh… Which organs?" Abe asked with a suspiciously furrowed brow.
"You know, the ones that play music."
Abe stared. Vesper didn't notice.
"But I may be biased. Coakley has been everything to me. In fact, he was the only one who was supportive of me coming to Mudos… Wasn't entirely on board, but didn't stop me, and as my partner he very well could of."
Abe was still reeling from the last comment- knowing something must've gotten lost in the conversation- but was still paying enough attention to notice the wording. "When you say partner…?"
"We have equal share in our investment firm. Though he has seniority, meaning that he very well could take more control than he does," Vesper explained.
"Oh, okay. So that means you're pretty close."
"Right," Vesper agreed. His look of pride started to fade. "I… Probably should've called him before we left Nolybab. If I would've dialed him as soon as you came in, I might've gotten through to him before we left… No, we really didn't have time. It's fine, I've gone a while without calling before. He won't notice for a while."
He couldn't hide that remorseful tone. Abe gave him a sympathetic look and then a shrug. "Then we'll find a phone. Won't be long before we're on the move again, we'll come across one… You're coming with us, right? To Vykker's Labs?"
"Of course! You can't get rid of me that easily," Vesper said, regaining his coy smile. He gave a dismissive shrug of his own. "It's probably for the best. I've got to keep my eyes peeled and my ears up. I can't do that if I'm stuck on a phone."
"Yup!" Abe agreed. The mood starting to brighten again, the two continued on their way back to the village.
Though the village wasn't in the same state that either of them remembered it in. Many of the Mudokons who had been scattered throughout the jungle had migrated back to the huts and with it revealed their true numbers. They were everywhere, either doing chores or standing around chatting. For example, the lookout platform with three Mudokons on it now held a solid seven or eight of them.
While it offered a welcome amount of protection, it was almost a little overwhelming. Both for Vesper, who came from a colony that was so socially adept, and for Abe who had been leading the whole lot of them up until he left. While he wasn't swarmed like earlier, he did receive plenty of greetings.
"Hey Abe!"
"Oh wow, it really is him! He made it back!"
"Heya Abe! What's shakin'?"
"What's up, Stitch Lips?"
That nickname again. Abe inwardly cringed at hearing it but returned a friendly smile and wave. He hadn't heard that nickname since he was back at RuptureFarms. While some of the Mudokons recognized it as an innocent moniker, Abe remembered it having originated from the Sligs, when they were calling him out for messing up or just needed a name to call him when barking orders. Sometimes he could've sworn his friends would say it more when they were upset.
Before he really thought about it, he blurted out, "Some of the guys call me Stitch Lips, but you don't have to," to Vesper. He inwardly swore at how weird he sounded, but Vesper didn't notice. Probably thought he was nervous of the crowd. Abe looked around at the Mudokons and suddenly remembered Alf, and looked back to Vesper to offer, "How about we go see how Alf's holding up?"
Vesper tensed a little. "Eh… I don't know," he said, ears sliding back again. "I'm probably the last person he wants to see."
"Somethin' happen?"
"Yeah, I made an idiot out of myself trying to show off and got laughed out of the building crew," Vesper said with a small frown. Sort of looked like he was pouting, brought a smile out of Abe.
"I bet it wasn't that bad! Accidents happen, y'know. You laugh and move on, long as nobody got hurt," Abe said. Hinting with the last part, and when Vesper gave a reluctant nod- and no admission of injuries- he put a hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, it'll be quick."
"Alright, fine," Vesper agreed, again somewhat reluctantly. The things he did for this guy.
It took a few minutes to find where Alf was building his hut. Mostly because they had to maneuver their way around the mass of Mudokons to find them, eventually spotting a hut going up close to Abe's. Sure enough, this was Alf's hut, and by now he had wrangled in about ten Mudokons to help him in building it. Not too much progress had been made yet.
Alf was currently standing aside with his hands on his hips, looking between the structure itself and then down at a Mudokon who was stirring a mixture up in a bucket. From the gloopy texture and whitish-clear color it seemed to be some sort of glue. Probably to make up for the lack of nails. He noticed Abe and Vesper walking up.
"What're you doing here? I thought you were gonna lay low," Alf asked in mild disbelief.
"I wanted to see how the hut's going. Think you could use an extra set of hands or two?" Abe offered with a smile.
"Nah. These guys are already trippin' over each other," he said. He then looked to Vesper. For the first time he had a look other than a glare, and that was only so he could replace it with a smirk. "How's your ass?"
"Not too shabby," Vesper said aloofly. He looked to the hut and folded his arms behind him, hidden fingers tightening together. "Considering that I almost got eaten by a bunch of carnivorous worms, not too shabby is an oddsend."
"What, you mean Fleeches?" Alf asked. His smirk dropped and was replaced with a look of disbelief. "Wait, wait, so you went out into the jungle? What didja do that for?"
Vesper nodded towards Abe. "Went out to find him," he said.
Alf's head snapped to Abe, and he knew exactly what was coming.
"What? But- Abe you were supposed to be in your hut! What happened to you chilling out for a while?!" he scolded. Stitched lips tightened into a guilty line. "…Ya ran off the second we walked off, didn't you?"
"I… Walked off," Abe agreed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. Alf crossed his arms. "I needed to stretch my legs, a-and if I went to sleep now, I'd just be up all night anyways!" Alf quirked a brow. After a pause, Abe gave a defeated sigh. "I'll go back to the hut."
"I ain't trying to punish you here, Abe. I'm just starting to get that feeling I get when you're about to burnout. Feels a lot like indigestion."
"That's one kind of sixth sense," Vesper muttered. Alf shot him a look and his eyes slid over to meet it before raising his hands in defense nonchalantly. "I'm not disagreeing with you. I told him the same thing."
"Yeah, sure," Alf muttered. He looked back to Abe with his featuring softening a little. "Abe?"
Abe sighed and raised his hands more in defeat than defense. "I'll go rest," he agreed.
"Good."
The blue Mudokon turned away and started to head in that direction, already looking like he was starting to sulk. The Chiromor sidling up beside him and accompanying him.
"Hey, wait."
Both turned to look back, Abe with a shred of hopefulness and Vesper clearly expecting the worst. Much to their surprise, after a moment of pause, Alf pointed at Vesper.
"You know what? I change my mind. You can help," he said. It sounded more like a command than an offer. Abe was mildly surprised at the sudden change of heart.
"What's the catch?" Vesper bluntly asked. Another heavy pause passed before his tone flipped and his playful grin returned. "I'm kidding! Sure, I'll help. If it's alright with Abe. If he doesn't need me," he said, looking to the Mudokon in question.
"It's fine by me," Abe assured with a shrug and a smile. Vesper beamed and clasped his hands together.
"Then just put me where you need me. I'm here to serve."
"Just stand over there by Dale. We're gonna need on the help we can get if this glue's gonna set right," Alf said, directing him towards another Mudokon standing beside the structure, stretching his arms as he waited for further direction.
"Glue… Right, of course," Vesper said, his tone much less enthusiastic. Trying to glue a house together and here he was with a coat of fur. He took a patient breath and mumbled under his breath, "Well, beggars can't be brokers."
Abe gave him a sympathetic pat on the back. "Wish I could stick around, but I've got some sleeping to do," he said. Vesper held his grin as the blue skinned one turned and headed in the direction of his hut.
The village was still abuzz with voices as Abe walked back through it. It was a little less overwhelming now, though he still didn't feel like stopping and chatting when he knew he would be managing a conversation with up to twenty Mudokons at once. It helped coax him back to the hut where he knew he could get a little peace without complete silence.
It still felt weird to step into the hut and know it was his home, but in a good way. Just looking around and knowing it was his, and that the others made it for him, made him feel like he could run a mile. Almost giddy from it.
Though there was also a creeping solemness that settled on his chest once the curtain closed behind him. He knew that he couldn't keep dodging it, he was going to have to try to shut himself down and get some sleep. It was easier said than done, especially when he was alone. He hadn't slept entirely alone in ages, largely because he was so prone to nightmares. Though maybe with the sunlight and sound from outside he would have better luck.
He slid off his pack and set it on the floor before sitting on his bed. He smoothly removed his amulet and cupped it in one palm, looking down at it. He laid back across the bed and now look up at his guide caught between his fingers and thumb.
"Last chance," he gently coaxed. Almost playfully and with a gentle smile, but also with a tinge of desperation. She blinked slowly at him and made no move to answer. Her lidded eyes looked tired, but he had a feeling that she wanted him to sleep too. With a sigh, he folded his arms underneath his head, the amulet's string tangled in his fingers.
He stared up at the roof of the hut before closing his eyes and taking a slow breath. He had never really known how one just went about making themselves sleep. Back at RuptureFarms he had been so exhausted that he would hit the mat and be out like a light, but now he wasn't that tired and sore. Still a little tired and sore though, now feeling it in his muscles when he stopped. The bed helped; it wasn't extremely comfortable, but it was nice.
The room smelled like freshly cut wood without being overwhelming. It wasn't nearly as hot as it had been trekking through the jungle, just a warmth over his skin. The sound of voices outside sounded so far away…
…
Abe heard a shuffling noise and opened his heavy eyelids. He looked across the hut to see that Vesper was sitting on the floor beside his suitcase on the blanket that he had brought with him. He was looking at something in his hands. Abe stretched and rolled onto his side to face him, one arm still dangling over the top of the bed.
"Hey," he greeted groggily. Vesper's head shot up and he returned him a smile.
"Hey there. Good nap?" he asked. It was only then that Abe realized that he had fallen asleep, though he didn't know for how long.
"Think so. How long was I out?"
"A couple of hours. You could add a couple more if you want to," Vesper offered kindly. He seemed to be in a good mood.
"Think I'm okay," Abe said. He stretched out again, trying to get some of the tenseness out of his limbs. "How'd it go with Alf?" he asked mid-yawn.
"Well, the hut's up… But considering that it's held together with glue, I don't expect it to stay so for long," Vesper quipped. He then got a less enthused look. "And I got to experience the wonders of life without indoor plumbing."
"Ouch. First time?"
"Unfortunately, and I know I'll be missing warm showers when I'm rinsing in the creek." Abe gave a sympathetic half smile before Vesper perked himself up and added, "But enough of that. In lighter news, the Mudokons are all out there building bonfires and making dinner. They were asking for you, but I got direct orders to let you sleep as long as you could."
Just the mention of food made his stomach tighten with hunger. Abe was famished and dinner of any kind sounded good to him. He pushed himself up and stretched his arms above his head, working out the last of the kinks in his back.
"Guess I'll go join 'em," Abe said. Before he made an effort to get up, he took another look into the amulet he was still holding. One last check to make sure nothing had changed.
Much to his surprise, even though he had been unintentionally swinging her around with his stretching, his guide was asleep. Her eyes were closed, her arms were folded across her chest, and her wings were slightly curled in around her. He had never seen her sleep before, and a small smile crept onto his face. He made a little dip in the flat pillow and gentle set her into it.
"Sleep tight, little bee."
With her settled, Abe finally got up to leave. He started to grab his backpack, but hesitated, and then decided to leave it behind. The others would probably find it weird if he wore it non-stop, even if it did make him feel safer.
"You coming?" he asked as he headed to the door.
"Just as soon as I can find out how to work this self-heating can," Vesper said. It was perhaps the last thing Abe expected to hear and he actually considered asking but was beat to it. "You know, you're welcome to everything I've got. I didn't just bring this stuff for me," Vesper point out, holding up the can in question. Abe looked in-between him and it. Him and the so-called self-heating can, which looked suspiciously like a small IED.
"…I think I'm good," he finally said. He turned and headed out the door, calling back with an almost playful, "Don't set the place on fire!"
"We'll see how it goes."
Stepping outside of the hut was like stepping into a completely different village. By now the sun had set enough that darkness had settled into the trees. Other than a few glimpses of deep orange through some holes in the canopy, the only light was from the numerous bonfires and standing torches that the other Mudokons had erected around the village. It gave the area a traditional native feel, or at least looked closer to what Abe had seen of it.
The Mudokons had calmed down and settled in. Many of them were grouped up together, some sitting together outside huts, some up on the platforms, but most sitting circled around the numerous smaller fires, laughing and chatting, and enjoying themselves without even a shred of fear. There was definitely the smell of food on the air. It was a meaty and savory scent, which hit the bottom of his stomach like a brick.
It didn't take him long to recognize a familiar voice standing out amongst the rest and followed it to Alf and a group of their friends. It was the first time in a long time that he had heard Alf sound so jovial, and it brought an eager smile to Abe's face. As gruff as Alf appeared, he had always been more social than pretty much any of them, capable of rousing up a good time with even limited means. Finally, he had reason to cut loose again.
And when he noticed Abe coming, the mood didn't change.
"Hey, there he is! Mud of the hour!" Alf said, gesturing a hand out and beckoning him. "We were wondering when you'd turn up. How's that hut treating you?"
"Pretty good so far," Abe said. He came over and sat down in a space beside Alf, probably reserved for him. Toby sat on the other side of Alf and Benny was on the other side of Abe. "How'd yours turn out?"
"Eh, it's a work in progress," he said, making a so-so gesture with his hand. He quickly waved it off and pointed a thumb at the others. "We were just talkin' 'bout what went down in Nolybab."
"Oh, really?" Abe asked. He wasn't sure why that made him a little nervous, but it was interrupted by a nudge in the shoulder. He looked down to see Benny passing him a wooden bowl of some sort of stew with a wooden spoon stuck in it. It warmed his hands as he took it into him, and the smell was calling to him. It didn't take long to identify the ingredients, some sort of nondescript beans, boiled greens of unknown origin, and chunks of canned meat. Delicious.
"Some guy who came out of the city said he saw a whole lotta Sligs. Said they were pouring out of everywhere, that true?"
It was, but not nearly as badly as after Abe had stopped by the apartment building. Any Mudokons with him only saw a fraction of what came once the alarms really kicked into gear. Still, Abe nodded and took a bite of the stew, famished.
"How'd ya get out?" Benny asked wide-eyed. "If it was all that tight."
Abe swallowed before giving a simple, "I ran."
"From that many Sligs?!"
"I ran fast." He was about to leave it at that and keep eating when he noticed they were all staring at him expectantly. He stopped midbite and lowered his spoon. "I mean… It wasn't easy. There were a whole lot more Sligs than usual- they were everywhere! And the longer I was down there, the more showed up! The heat really turned up, all the ways out of the city were blocked, but we got out by riding the underside of this tram car… Which is just a slow train."
The Mudokons were either impressed or just in awe. Some of them already smiling, excited by the story, others were only getting pumped up. Abe was torn, both not knowing how they could find it so enthralling and not terrifying and feeling a sort of excitement himself in impressing them with his story. He looked around at them all and only then noticed that the only other Mudokon with a bowl of food was Toby. Alf's empty one sat in front of him. Had they all eaten earlier?
"Why aren't you guys eating?" he asked.
"We don't got a lotta food, so to make it spread we take turns eating," Theo said simply. He shrugged nonchalantly. "No big deal."
"Yeah, don't worry about it! We ate last night," Benny agreed. Though this seemed very concerning to Abe. He wasn't sure how he was so easily convinced that they were all eating well, he supposed he just took it for granted when they offered up food so readily. Though of course they would- "Come on! What else happened?"
"Wh- Oh- Yeah, uh, got shot at a lot. Flamethrowers too, ran into one of those out on the blimp dock, and it was a Flying Slig so it was a lot harder to lose."
The others were still just as intrigued by the story, with one of the guys lapsing into a brief anecdote about a seeing Flying Sligs back at the Phat Station he had been saved from. Abe had been there, so he should've had some investment in it, but he had trouble getting back into the mood. The food situation was still lingering with him and eventually he looked down at his bowl, suddenly a little less hungry, and set it aside. Maybe for later, maybe for somebody else.
"Did they follow the blimp too?!"
"Nah, Abe lost 'em by time we took off," Alf explained for him. "Which is great because you've seen what we're working with. One stray bullet and the whole thing's going down fast."
"Heh, yeah."
"Surprised that thing's still getting off the ground," Stoopy quietly mumbled.
"We say the same thing about you when you ain't here," Alf remarked back.
"So, Abe! Where are you guys going next? Think ya might be needing an extra set of hands?" Theo asked, rubbing his hands together semi-eagerly. "Y'know, some of the guys were talking about tagging along," he suggested. Benny nodded eagerly and one of the other Mudokons, a guy named Petey if Abe remembered right, nodded with a beaming smile. They had no idea what they were asking for.
"Nowhere you're gonna want to go," Abe said in a cryptic warning. He lowered his voice as his tone grew weighted. "We're going to Vykker's Labs next."
"Where's that?" Theo asked in confusion. He looked to Benny and Stoopy, the former of whom shrugged. Petey's smile fell slightly with confusion.
"Wait, Vykker's… Isn't that where you went?" Stoopy asked, finding his voice.
"No, that was Vykker's Pavilion. The difference is that Vykker's Labs is some sorta blimp. Way bigger than our dinky little blimp and a lot more guarded. There's got to be tons of Vykkers there. Probably Interns too."
They shared the same repulsion to Interns as he did. Suddenly none of them looked as excited to join him on his next quest.
"I think that's where Eli went," a voice chimed in from behind. Abe turned back to see a group of Mudokons sitting in the doorway of a nearby hut. The one who spoke up was standing and coming over; Abe couldn't remember his name.
"Wait, what?" Abe asked in surprise. "He's going there right now?"
"Not now! A long time ago, back at the Farms. When he started having that weird thing going on with his eyes and he went away for a while." The Mudokon came over and squeezed in between Toby and Petey, kneeling down beside the fire and looking around with it reflecting ominously in his eyes. "They shipped him off to Vykker's Labs to fix him, and we all know how he came back…"
It was impossible to know every Mudokon on a first name basis. There were simply too many of them to tell them all apart. Eli was a special case. Everyone at the RuptureFarms knew about "Crazy Eli", the Mudokon who was just a little off.
Abe swallowed thickly, his mouth still tasting oily from the clumps of canned meat. "Did he ever tell you what happened in there…?" he asked.
"Not me, but I heard about it from some guys after he got back. They said that he said they kept him in a little room, like a detention room but all the walls were padded up and would shoot him up with all these different needles. I bet that's why he gets the twitches, because of whatever they gave him. They could've poisoned him… But I dunno. It's kind of hard to tell when Eli's speaking straight and when he's having another one of his 'moments'."
"I believe him. Anyplace that's got a bunch of Interns in it has gotta be pretty sick," Theo agreed.
"I could go the rest of my life without seeing another Intern," Toby quietly added. He shuddered to himself. "The last one that worked on me smelled like blood and sligarettes. He had to redo my stitches twice."
If anyone looked sick, it was Abe. The color had drained out of his face. Or, more specifically, the blue around the middle of his face had grown paler, and now had a thousand-mile stare aimed down at the ground. Alf noticed it right away and made a motion to stop the conversation short, waving his arms and shaking his head.
"Come on, let's get off of this, a'right? You guys can gossip about Vykker's Labs all you want, but we're the ones who're gonna have to go there. Give us a couple of days off at least," Alf said. His tone was final, and the others read the message loud and clear. It snapped Abe out of his daze and he quickly realized his brother's intentions.
"Thanks," he whispered to him.
"Don't mention it," Alf responded, patting his shoulder once before picking up his bowl and putting it back in Abe's lap. He didn't say anything about it though.
Abe took the bowl back into his hands and stirred the mixture inside. All this talk about Vykker's Labs made his stomach get that nervous bubbly feeling and all but erased his appetite. Just the thought of the pavilion and how much worse the labs would be, of secret tests and Mudokons suffering in padded rooms, and his mother being trapped up there was causing that tight pressure to return.
He tried to distract himself by stirring the clumps of stew with his spoon and barely listening to the conversation around him. He was starting to feel a little off himself. He tried to ignore it.
At this time, Vesper had come out of the hut with a small kettle with the intention of collecting and heating some water. It had been a long day and he needed a cup of tea to take the edge off now that his can was heating itself up. He started to head in the direction of the stream only to hear the pattering of footsteps and turned around to see Russ coming up to meet him.
"Hey, there you are! I was wondering where you went off to. How'd the jungle go? See any Fleeches?" he asked. His tone was as friendly and bubbly as it was earlier. Vesper welcomed it with a smile.
"Actually, I did, but I lived so I guess it went well. I'm going to get water now if you'd like to join me," he offered. Russ nodded eagerly and joined his side as they began to walk. "Have you seen where Abe went off to?"
"Over there." Russ pointed off towards where they were going. It wasn't until they started to get closer in their walk to the creek that Vesper spotted him sitting with a group around a bonfire with his back towards him. It made Vesper feel good knowing that Abe was getting to have a moment with some of his closer friends, including Alf who was standing beside him.
Honestly, he wanted to join them, but he decided to give him his space. He couldn't start monopolizing Abe's time now, not when he was socializing so freely, even if he had been invited.
"That's great. I'm glad he's loosening up," Vesper said. Russ seemed to agree and followed his heels as they made their way to the front of the village.
Though while Vesper thought he would slip by unnoticed, his presence didn't blend in so easily. The newest Mudokon to the group, the one talking about Eli, spotted him passing from the angle he was sitting.
"Hey, there's that buddy of yours. Looks like he's going somewhere with Russ," he pointed out.
Abe perked and looked back over his shoulder to see them walking by. "Huh, guess he is. Hope it's not that far."
"Y'know, Abe, I gotta be honest. That guy… Kinda gives me the creeps," the Mudokon murmured. Abe turned back to see others nodding in agreement with him.
"What? Why? If it's the squint, that's just cause the light hurts his eyes," Abe said defensively.
"It ain't just that. He's just… Weird. Like, I dunno. He ain't like us. He's like… Them."
He didn't have to ask who 'them' was, because he knew exactly what they were talking about.
"I mean, he looks like a bat. Are we just gonna ignore that?" Petey volunteered. "And have you seen the teeth?"
"Look, I know he's a little… Different, but he's here to help us. Things might be looking good now, but it's us against the whole of Oddworld. We could use all the help we can get," Abe offered. While some of them looked skeptical, a few of them nodded in agreement again, at least understanding what he was saying. "He really helped me out back in Nolybab, so don't give him too hard of a time."
"Yeah, whatever," Benny agreed. As dismissive as it sounded, Abe knew that the others heard him and would probably do as he asked. Or at least, keep their complaints a little quieter. It could've ended right there.
Unfortunately, Alf gave an almost defeated exhale and Abe knew that it wasn't the end.
"Y'know I trust ya, Abe. I know you know what you're doing, but this whole… Okay, I wasn't gonna ask this, but I gotta know." Alf turned his entire body to face him and asked, "What happened last night? There's gotta be a reason, somethin' that made you want to bring him with us. Maybe if you'd tell me I could understand it. Just lay it on me."
His tone made Abe very worried. Not because Alf was suspicious of Vesper- that was normal now- but that certainty and directness. Alf was onto him; he knew that something happened. That something made Abe feel like trusting Vesper.
How could he tell him that the something was that he had some kind of breakdown and ended up telling Vesper that he both couldn't handle his responsibilities and that he saw his fellow Mudokons as a burden? Especially after they built him a hut, gave up their own meals to feed him, and had survived in the jungle on their own- it would be a stab in the back. They were counting on him, and he basically called them deadweight, his own followers.
What was worse was that he couldn't take it back now. He had already said it and it was already out there… What if they found out?
Vesper wouldn't tell them, but what if it got out some other way? What if Abe blurted it out in his sleep, or just during a conversation? He could be talking one day and have it just slip out randomly, like it had with Vesper. Except they weren't going to be nearly as forgiving when it was their so-called savior telling them that was all they were, even if he didn't mean to say it.
Alf was still waiting for answers and Abe was almost afraid to speak out of fear that something worse might come out.
"I called you a burden."
Just like that. A spontaneous confession that they would never recover from. It could come out so easily.
"You are all my burden."
Abe knew he had to say something, but he had gotten caught up on these cycling thoughts. He didn't want to lie was the problem, but if he left out details they would know and ask, and he couldn't think of a believable story right now. Especially if he was just going to accidentally out himself later. He was growing nervous, with a tight heat spreading across his chest. He had to answer, but he was drawing a blank, and every second he waited made it worse.
Alf's eyes flickered downward, and his brows shot up. "…Abe, you're, uh…" He pointed in a circle at his chest. "You're glowing."
"I'm-?" It suddenly registered and Abe looked down to see that his chest scar was faintly lighting up. His hand scars too, just like they had on the night in question. It was happening again. "No, no, no! Not now! Why's it happening now?!"
"Oh, wow! Look, he IS glowing!" Benny pointed out. The others, unable to hear Abe's panicked thoughts and assuming nothing was wrong, took the strange glow as some sort of mystical thing and not the disaster it was. They were in awe.
Alf was a little more concerned by this. Toby was too, and he tapped Alf's shoulder before the two exchanged a look. They probably thought Shrykull was going to make an unscheduled appearance, but even that would be better than this.
"Abe?" Alf asked again. His tone shifted to a more worried one. This was what finally snapped Abe out of the panic enough to react. He scrambled for an excuse.
"I'm-!... Channeling my-!... I'm getting called by my guide- Gotta go check and I'llberightback!"
Abe hopped up and made a run for his hut. While he felt frantic, heart and mind racing, the others watched him go with confusion but not much suspicion. Except Alf and Toby who knew that this wasn't normal.
"You want one of us to come with ya?" Alf called after him.
"No, thanks!"
"Well, uh, okay! If you say so…" Definitely off, but instead of going after him the two decided to give him his space, just in case it was a Shrykull situation- whatever that meant. Alf knew that sometimes intense questioning got to Abe, and he wasn't going to hustle after him to interrogate him. He'd give him a couple of minutes to pull it together.
Abe ran into his hut panting and with his hands clasped over his chest scar. He looked around but, as expected, Vesper hadn't returned yet. The only thing that had changed since he left a little bit ago was that there was a lantern on near the propped open suitcase. It looked like the kind that ran on batteries, not oil or anything flammable. He hastily made his way to the bed and forced himself to sit down.
"Okay, okay, focus. You can stop this," Abe told himself. He pulled his legs up and crossed them on the bed, his hands tightly squeezing into his calves as he grit his teeth. He was holding on so tight that he was almost shaking.
He felt a tingling in his right hand and knew he was about to start sparking. Panicking further, he reached out for his amulet only to freeze instantly when he caught sight of his guide inside. She was still asleep. He barely managed to convince himself to not disturb her and slowly curled back up into himself onto the cot. He closed his eyes and forced himself to take a few deep breaths- he thought maybe that was what helped last time.
The problem was that he couldn't get himself to calm down. Not when he was so terrified that someone was going to see him, or that he was going to accidently explode and hurt people, a thought that instantly got his pulse hammering again.
When the curtain was suddenly pushed aside, Abe's eyes shot open and he almost lost it, though was relieved to see that it was just Vesper coming in. The Chiromor noticed him and smiled instantly, only for it to drop and his ears to shoot up in concern when he recognized the state he was in. Abe couldn't help but be self-conscious as he fumbled out an answer.
"I-It's happening again."
This wasn't good. Not a disaster yet from what he could see, but definitely not good. Vesper kept himself from showing an immediate reaction and quickly set down his kettle and came over to sit on the bed beside him.
"Well, you beat this last time. We'll just have to ride through it again. Looks to me like you're handling it a little better this time," Vesper offered. Abe wasn't sure if he agreed. "Can I touch you?"
Abe's head snapped up. "What?" Was he afraid to touch him? He couldn't be afraid, right? He just said he was handling it-.
"Your hand, I mean. I wanted to give you a heads up before I grabbed your hand." True to his word, Vesper reached over and pried Abe's hand off of his leg so he could hold it in his. "There we go, that's better. Deep breaths."
Abe swallowed tightly and nodded. "I'm trying. I- I don't think it's working."
"It will. Give it a few minutes," Vesper reassured. He subtly stole glances at Abe's scars to see if they were beginning to spark again, but this time they were only glowing. He took this as a good sign. "Do you know what caused it to flare up?"
Abe let loose in panicked whispers, "I don't know! We just started talking about Vykker's Labs, and Eli, and last night, and how everyone's going hungry, and how am I supposed to get up into Vykker's Labs and get out without getting shot-?!"
"Easy, easy. Slow down. Keep breathing… Good," Vesper interrupted, giving his hand a firmer squeeze to try and snap him out of it.
It seemed to work. With his frantic venting cut short, Abe was able to draw in a much-needed breath. It was all still swirling around inside of his head though. Vesper realized this and gave him a moment to calm down, rubbing his thumb in circles over the back of his hand. He noticed that he couldn't feel the static and discharge like he had last night, so this seemed to be as good a sign as any that he could still pull out of this before it got out of hand.
"Stressing yourself out again," Vesper said. His voice was both concerned and kindly as he moved Abe's hand to his other one, so he could ghost a hand down his back. The warmth from his palm was soothing, Abe shivered from a mix of it and how frazzled he was. "It's going to be okay. You'll figure it out."
"But what if I can't?" Abe asked. He sounded like he was on the verge of a sharp decline, so the other changed tactics.
"Then I'll figure it out. Or one of the hundreds of Mudokons out there can figure it out. It doesn't have to be just you," Vesper assured him. The Mudokon was silent for a long moment. He didn't know if he was considering it or just had nothing to add. He let him have that silence until it was ended by Abe's soft sigh.
"What if they see me like this?" Abe dared to look down at his glowing scars and his breath momentarily hitched. He dropped his head into his free hand with a groan. "What am I gonna tell 'em?"
"You just say… Okay, you just tell them that you're using your electricity powers to charge the batteries in my lamp. Then they're going to say, 'Oh wow, that's so cool, Abe! Can we see?' And you're going to say, 'No, sorry, but the batteries are full. Maybe next time.' And then if all goes well, they totally forget the conversation by morning- Okay, scratch all of that. It's clearing up on its own."
Hearing this, Abe pulled away his hand and looked down to see much to his surprise that the light was fading in his scars. Last time it took minutes of sparking and panic before this happened, so he took this as a welcomed change. Soon the light had dissipated entirely, and his scars were left as they once were, simple engravements in his skin.
Vesper was noticeably relieved. "How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I feel… Shaky… But not that bad? Feel's better, that's for sure." He got a cautiously relieved little smile as he watched himself return to normal. The raging thunderstorm that was his thoughts settled down once more and he almost felt calm.
His eyes raised to their conjoined hands, still squeezed in each other's grip, and then to Vesper's own eyes. Now that he could think straight, there came a wave of embarrassment and with it the purple darkening his face. He didn't know what was worse, the fact that Vesper had to talk him down a second time or the fact that he had seen him freak out at all. Though that was the least of his problems now. He found this lack of control worrying, scary even.
But he didn't want to risk working himself up again, so he took another breath and tried not to think about it. Maybe later. Way, way later.
"Thanks," he said. He averted his gaze anxiously. "…I'm… I'm sorry you had to see that… Again."
"Don't be sorry. That's what I'm here for," Vesper assured. He squeezed his hand again. "But don't sell yourself short. I'm here for moral support, but you're the one who got that under control. You pulled it together a lot quicker this time."
"I'm glad you're here," Abe said.
Vesper didn't know if he was blowing off everything else he said or not, but it was hard not to light up at hearing that. It was enough to keep him from reiterating any further. Though wasn't enough to cut his efforts short. Not when Abe still had that look on his face. Sure, he had calmed down physically, but he was still shaken and stressed. Vesper had to take further action.
"Sit tight, I'll be right back," he said and started to get up.
Abe must've been lost in thought as he looked up like he was surprised by the movement. He was still holding his hand in a clingy grip and Vesper had to gently tap him with his claw to get him to release, which he did and dropped it into his lap as he watched Vesper head for his things.
Abe watched as he moved the lamp aside and bundled up the blanket he had laid out on the floor into his arms, then reached for the self-heating can, then almost dropped it, and then fished a washcloth out of his suitcase to pick it up with.
And as he did, all he could think about was last night and how badly he wanted all of this to go away. He almost missed that feeling of being in a foreign land on his own, like for a moment he could forget all of his obligations and just worry about his immediate survival. That didn't mean that he would ever forget about the others, but… He was tired of having all of these thoughts and not being able to do anything about them.
It didn't look like his guide was going to change that anytime soon either, he realized as he looked over towards his pillow and the amulet resting on it.
He looked back up as Vesper returned and stood in front of him. He offered him the can with, "Hold this for a second?"
Which Abe did, and good thing it was wrapped up because he could feel the amount of heat coming off through the flimsy cloth. Probably not enough to burn him but enough to sting his fingertips. He was looking down into the opening, trying to make sense of the mixture inside, when the blanket was unfurled and draped over his shoulders. He flinched despite knowing there wasn't any danger before settling into it.
"There we go. Much better," Vesper said. There was a rumbling on his voice, deep in his chest.
"Th-Thanks," Abe fumbled. He handed back the can, which was accepted before Vesper dropped beside him again, crossing his legs and stirring the contents with a fork he brought. Abe pulled the blanket a little closer. For some reason it reminded him of that plush sofa back at the apartment, tickling his skin in a pleasant way. It gave him a weirdly protected feeling.
A soft crunch drew his focus back to Vesper who had tried a bite of the food. He chewed it slowly, brows furrowed in thought as he tested it, then gave a "not bad" sort of shrug and offered the can back to Abe.
"Want some? It's a lot better than it looks." Maybe not the most convincing comment in its favor, but the smell was more than enough to make up for it.
"…Maybe just a bite. I've got a bowl of food out there getting cold," Abe agreed, accepting the can and then the fork. He felt a little guilty about taking Vesper's food, but much less guilty than eating in front of his followers while they were going without. In this case it was just one bite. Maybe two if it tasted good enough.
The mixture in the can was something like a stew too but thicker and clumpier. It tasted surprisingly sweet and creamy, with a savory tinge when he bit into the lumps, but the texture was sort of off-putting. It was a little more sludgy- typical to canned goods- and in the middle of his bite there was a random crunch. It felt like it left little shell pieces in his teeth, so he had no idea what it was. Still better than the rations back at RuptureFarms.
Vesper watched him with a small smile. "What do you think?" he asked. Abe swallowed the mouthful and felt something scrape on the way down.
"Pretty good," Abe answered. He was more curious about the can itself and looked it over. It was something called "Pupa Pudding" and there didn't look to be anyplace to plug it in or turn it on. "How's this work? Is there something you set it on or does the lamp heat it up?"
"Nothing like that. It's some kind of chemical reaction. All I had to do was stick a few holes in it and it cooked itself," Vesper said. He had a slightly amused smile, but it softened up. "What are they eating out there?"
"It's a little like this stuff. Not as sweet, but it's good too," Abe trailed off for a moment before his shoulders started to sink. "…But Theo told me they don't have enough food to feed everybody. He's not eating tonight, and I don't think Benny and Stoopy are either."
As unfortunate at this was to hear, Vesper wasn't surprised. Not after he had seen the sheer numbers of the Mudokons living in this sizably small village.
"Do you think that might've been what caused your… upset?" he asked gently, putting an arm around his shoulders. It felt good to be held again, good enough to keep him calm and sated.
"Part of it. It was a lot of things," Abe admitted. He closed his eyes with a huff and handed the can back over. "…It's just not fair. I brought 'em out here and now they're hungry and sleeping outside, and…"
"…And?" Vesper coaxed.
"And I called them a burden."
"You're still beating yourself up about that? Come on, Abe, it was an accident. You said yourself you didn't mean it, and even if you did its no big deal. Venting, remember?" Vesper tried to assure him.
"But what if I 'accidentally' say it again?" Abe asked. He pulled the blanket tighter around him and sunk into himself. "I feel like I'm not taking care of 'em."
"Abe, let's not get our lines crossed here. There is absolutely no way that you can support this many Mudokons on your own. It wouldn't matter how hard you worked or how lucky you got, there's just too many people and you're only one of them," Vesper said a little more firmly. "They just put down roots, so things are going to be a tough for a while. The important thing is that they're thriving with what they have. A couple of huts is more than none. Alternating meals is better than starving. Rationing is an excellent idea! It's great that they figured that out before they completely ran out of food, considering this is their first time doing it."
This seemed to finally reach Abe as he peeked up at him again. "You're not just saying that?"
Vesper squeezed him in a one-armed hug. "I mean every word. What you're doing is just as important, so let them focus on managing things around here and you worry about yourself for once. Do it for them if you have to."
He did make a good point now that he thought about it. It didn't take all of that guilty feeling away, but it did put a different context on it. The Mudokons really did seem to be surviving alright out here as it was, so he had to put his focus on the things that there weren't going to be able to. Like bring back their mother, if he could. He was certainly going to try.
He gave Vesper a more honest smile. "I think I can do that… Thank you for that, and for listening and stuff."
"That's exactly what I'm here for," Vesper assured with another rumble.
That intense pressure weighing down on him had begun to lighten up again, assisted by the soft warmth and gentle words. For the moment it felt like it was going to be okay. Abe felt alright; that wasn't something he could take for granted. A quick glance at the back of his hand showed not even the faintest glow, so Abe closed his eyes and settled into the feeling of being safe.
Everything was going to be okay. He could figure it all out later, right now he could just sit here and let things be.
That lasted all of a minute before he suddenly heard the telltale squeak of wood from someone coming up to the door. Abe's eyes shot open and he leapt up from the bed, shirking off both blanket and arm. Vesper had heard the noise to and had known what was coming, save Abe suddenly flinging himself off the bed with his feathers fluffed and his eyes wide.
They both watched the curtain expectantly, so they were mildly surprised when nobody came in and instead there was a thumping knock on the doorframe.
"Hey Abe, you in there?" Alf called in.
"Y-Yeah. Come on in," Abe answered. The curtain was pushed aside and in stepped Alf with Toby right behind him. Thankfully it was just the two of them and not the whole group.
"We came to check on ya. Everything okay?" Alf asked. His tone was casual, but just from the look on his face it was clear that he was at least a little worried. Toby too, but he usually was. He was carrying a bowl.
"Yeah, sorry about taking off like that. It's all good, I was just… hanging out in here. Checked in on our guide, it was a false alarm… and, uh… looking at Vesper's hot-can. That too," Abe excused.
Alf gave him a weird look and then looked down at Vesper, who then held up the can to clarify what he meant. That weird look dropped and was replaced with a more relaxed one. He had no reason not to believe Abe, especially when he sounded a lot more normal now than when he raced out of camp.
"That's great, cause I really wasn't feeling like trekking out to the ship in the dark," Alf said with a crooked smile. "Where's it?" Abe pointed him back towards the pillow and he went over and peered down at it. "…It's not dead right?"
"She's just sleeping," Abe said with a little amusement. Amusement that was quickly replaced with slowly widening eyes. "…I hope."
Vesper leaned over and squinted to get a better look, then shook his head as he pulled back. "She's fine. Bees don't do that when they're dying, I don't think."
"Yeah, sure. What he said," Alf said, turning back to Abe. "So, were you planning on coming back out? I don't blame ya if you don't, what with all that Vykker talk. It's like they get a kick out of psyching us out." He sent a glance to Toby who shrugged, then gestured to him. "We brought your food, so we could just hang in here if you want."
Abe turned to Toby who handed off the bowl to him. It wasn't as warm as it had been, but it still had that enticing smell that reawakened his appetite.
"Thanks, guys, but I guess I should go back out there. Don't want 'em to worry about me," he said before hungrily downing a few bites. Barely managing to swallow before adding, "Let's go. You're coming too, right, Vess?"
"I'm right behind you," Vesper agreed without hesitation. Since Abe offered, he didn't feel like he was intruding as much. It helped that Alf and Toby didn't seem to care, Alf especially since he didn't pull a face or anything.
Abe walked out of his hut feeling pretty good. He had his friends by his side, his thoughts back together, and a moderate amount of confidence that he could handle whatever came his way- tonight, at least. He was going to try not to worry about it too much. He would just live in the moment as long as he could, he decided. That's all he could do.
…
…
…
Tap, tap, tap.