Season 01 - Episode 09

‘in the way’

Iz is holding her ground. She's standing at a food stall, bodies pressed in around her. All are vying for the vendor's eye, bidding for the scraps on display. People wave trinkets, tools and other tender shouting their offers. Each competes to make their trade appeal more than the rest.

She has forced her way to the front but isn't bidding yet. There's very little left on the table and she knows the vender has more. He is a wiry man with wide, bright eyes and a broad, toothless smile. His sharp, bony hands are nimble and quick, snatching waved items and passing back scraps.

Iz waits until the food is gone. The crowd starts to thin and the vendor disappears beneath the makeshift table. He reappears with a black plastic sack which he empties onto the grubby surface.

He spreads out the food, some freshly half eaten, some old and rotten, then starts to call again. A new crowd of the hungry press in fast. Iz quickly assesses the food waste on offer. She's always amazed by what Inners discard. She cannot imagine having so much as to value all this so little.

She spots a slice of some kind of pie. A large bite has been taken but it's otherwise whole. Fast and furious bidding is already underway. She takes out her last item of trade. It's a cheap but functional watch, slipped from the wrist of a passed-out drunk a few hours before.

Catching the vendor's eye, Iz points to the pie and shows him the watch. He doesn't look at her, just appraises the watch and nods. She hands it over, he hands her the pie. She shoves it inside her shirt and pushes her way out of the throng.

Threading through the crowds, she makes her way up to a quieter stairway. On an almost empty step, she sits and swings her legs. The pie is some kind of meat, discoloured and tangy but it smells ok. She resists the urge to wolf it all down in one and takes just a small bite instead.

She has a good view of The Scapes opposite. As she eats, Iz watches the great grey mass of people. The body of bodies seethes around and around all the many platforms and gantries. The scene is familiar so that differences catch her eye.

A small knot of purple stands out. A group of men all dressed the same. Some are holding signs, the rest are calling to passers by. Now she sees another group, also dressed in stand out colours, this time shades of green. They are pushing through the crowd with purpose. They are shouting and pointing. The greens reach the purples and a stand off ensues.

Iz allows herself half the pie then wipes her hands on her thighs. The cults are new on The Scapes having always stayed inside before. They usually want donations and no-one on The Scapes has anything to give so why come out here?

More recently though, they have been coming out here. Recruiting by promising better food, better lives, better everything. All lies. She hopes the cultists do attack each other. She hates them but most of all she is bored.

It seems as though her wish will come true as some pushing and shoving erupts. Suddenly though, new screams and shouts pull her focus. Iz looks right to where a hard black wedge of bodies is surging out of though one of the doors.

She scrambles to stand and stare. The EnFo's never come onto The Scapes. They stay inside, ready to chase you back out when you sneak in. Yet here they are, charging through. Everyone on her side of the void has stopped to watch, open mouthed.

In their jet black, metal armour, the EnFo's look more like machines than men. They are shoving and clubbing anyone in the way, cutting a path to the cultists. Their barging ripples through the crowd and Iz sees people fall into the black, knocked over the edge in the rush.

The EnFo's reach the cultists and attack, striking both sets with equal vigour. The pleasure she feels at seeing them hurt is overwhelmed by shock. The EnFo's make short work of the cultists and drag them back to the door. Iz is glad to see the back of them all but wonders what will come next.

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