The Prize of Dysprosium

Chapter VIII: When the Title of the Story is Explained

Because the sun has not yet risen, I can't make myself wake up Garmen, and apparently, I'm off kitchen duty today. What could possibly motivate Barooba to let me have the morning off?

I decide that it does me no good to stand and get myself worked up over anything when I've had next to no sleep. Instead I slide back upstairs as soundlessly as I can and push the new bag of gold in beside the first one. Then I brush my teeth and creep back under my covers to try and get a few more hours of unconsciousness before the Cave awakens.

When I wake again, the sun is shining in through the blinds like usual. The day is still foggy, but there is also a rainbow cutting through the vapor which lifts my mood excessively.

I rise and put on a robe over my jogging pants which I didn't bother take off earlier before I make my way to Garmen's room.

She's sleeping on her stomach with one of her arms grazing the floor and her feet sticking out the other end. I decide she's been sleeping long enough, so I move inside and lie down on top of her.

"What the-" she wheezes, and then "Noah!" She immediately begins thrashing when she realizes what's happening. "Get off me, I can't breathe." I grin and roll to the side so we're lying side by side. She mutters something offensive to blue hair and grimaces at me. "Why are you so cheery?"

"I had a visitor this morning," I say, and then I explain everything Alle said when she was here. How the Government is running wild with no leads as to who this mysterious 'Piece' is, how the Cave is not even a suspect of hosting the criminal. Garmen lies and listens to me ramble on for ten minutes straight before she opens her mouth.

"That's great," she says. "But are you sure it's a good idea?" I roll my eyes.

"Why are everybody against this?" I ask. "First Barooba, now you."

At this, Garmen scrunches her nose.

"Barooba was against it?" she asks.

"Yes."
"But she allowed it anyway?"

"After a big chunk of valuable metal was used to convince her, yes," I say. "Then she exempted me from kitchen duty. I think she's getting ready to replace me."

"No, she's not," Garmen says and wriggles herself up on her back. "You usually see everything, but it's like you've gone blind with everything concerning Alle Bronze."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask in a harsh tone.

"Barooba is afraid she'll lose you," Garmen says softer than I deserve. "Now she's seen what they're willing to pay for you. She's probably afraid you'll desert the Cave and just make money from telling secrets. That's why she took the payment, because she knows they have enough means to persuade you no matter what she says so she's trying to make as much off of you as she can while you're still here."

The thought of the 7,5 million dollars pops into my head. Would they have offered me as much if Barooba hadn't been standing in the way? I would not have expected it, that's for sure. I've only ever been worth the few coins Father George toss at me after he's beaten me senseless. But 7,5 million?

The memory of my two fortunes standing on my shelf, side by side, causes the wheels in my head to make a U turn and sprint in the opposite direction. I have no idea the exact amount I own, but if it keeps coming there'll soon be more than enough for a comfortable life in the country. I don't need much, never have. And though the power of being an anonymous media sensation is enough to get me drunk, I've never needed the rebellion either. All I need is some food, water, a roof over my head and a few people. And of course, a life's supply of Gunnar's drugs. Whatever it is, it's addictive as Hell.