"Almost Green"

Lucretia

before anything, 

DISCORD LINK BARRAGE WAA

https://discord.gg/qJAuGPD2dM

https://discord.gg/qJAuGPD2dM

https://discord.gg/qJAuGPD2dM

https://discord.gg/qJAuGPD2dM

enjoy the chapter >w<

Capital of gold, capital of neon.

Warm bodies swam down the streets, carried by the current. Lizzy haphazardly hurried Andy and Croissant out of the apartment, leaving behind two corpses and an half-assed, apologetic note excusing the tragic passing as an inherently unavoidable stroke of bad luck. Andy spent the last twenty minutes being silently glared down by Croissant, and listening to Lizzy's shaky voice trying to make sense of his decision.

"I just don't- I don't understand, ja p-po prostu w życiu, ale to w życiu n-nie... Żeby to tak człowiek człowieka? Ludzie ludziom piekło zgotowali...? Mamusia zawsze mówiła, "Lizawietko z dala sie trzymaj od huligaństwa, z dala od typów spod ciemnej gwiazdy, albo skończysz na rynku ciał, oj Lizawitetko, oj Lizawietko..."

"Could you speak something we can understand?" Andy annoyedly threw back. It was about time his patience had ran out. Passing by a minefield of people rushing by, street buskers ringing out their pathetically off-tune melodies and most importantly – cobwebs of wash-strings strung up all across the streets. The motorized slum warriors riding their metal steeds through the middle of the street had a real field day trying to narrowly avoid the strings, which felt more like blades when tightened enough. Andy sighed at the sight of yet another motor-scooter flying off in a cartwheel, due to the driver's momentary lack of focus.

"I'm sorry, it's just that..." Lizzy dived down to avoid having her head caught on a hanging flytrap of dirty, wet clothes. "A part of me really wishes you hadn't committed first degree murder, mister Ricketts..."

"Just Andy." He waved off a few kids ogling his halo-nails.

"... The point remains the same, Andy. We should've talked it out, not... not THAT."

"Yeah, baws. Real nice first impression yer leavin'." Croissant cut in with a snortle. Whatever it was that bit her the wrong way, Andy had no idea. She's been on his ass these past couple of days, and he couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty about it. "First ya jam a gun into a door and leave us defenceless, then ya jam some poor guy headfirst into 'a shitter. C'mon..."

"So I was supposed to let him come out and bring his buddies? I was supposed to wait for all of them to drop by and, and what? String us all up like these f-..." Frustration took over, as his face mushed against a pair of drying undies. He groaned in exasperation, then tore the entire string off the nearest wall and stuffed it into his pants, much to the displeasure of a few dwellers sitting idly by. Before they could approach the group and break some bottles over their heads, Croissant grabbed them both and led away into the nearest alleyway.

"Maybe not drown him. There's more humane ways 'ta go, y'know." She huffed, then let go. The touch of her fingers on his skin felt unnaturally cold – alien, even. Gone were the silent, warm hours spent glued together over a desk back at the library, he could tell.