The Fly Guild

by Todd Shryock

  Quinton frowned. “I … I thought it was familiar to the common letters I’m used to, just in a different type of writing, but sort of similar, if that makes any sense. I figured they were maybe related, and the men of the east are the closest to us, so it would make sense that their language writing might be similar to ours.” He glanced at the other boys. Their gazes were ones of shock, mouths hanging open in surprise.

  Glitter rolled up the scroll and walked back to the table. She picked up two scrolls and walked back over to him. She handed one to him and told him to unroll it, while she held the other one open. “Look at these two scrolls,” she said quietly. “Do you see anything in common between them?”

  Quinton glanced back and forth between them. They both looked like a random jumble of shapes in neat lines, but not much else. The one he was holding had mostly squared ends, while the one Glitter held had more arcs and circles composing the letters and words. He looked through them both and started to slowly shake his head. He just didn’t see any relationship between them. She started to roll the scroll back up when he saw something.

  “Wait,” he said. “There. That one.” He pointed to a word on her scroll, or at least a jumble of symbols he thought was a word. “It’s not identical, but looks similar to this one.” He pointed to a word on his scroll. The two didn’t bear much resemblance at all, but there was a familiar shape to them, and even though they were drawn differently, to him, they looked related. “They don’t really look much alike, but they seem related, like cousins or something.”

  Her eyes narrowed again into that powerful gaze. She lowered herself down until she was peering over the scroll and right into his eyes. Her pale blue eyes looked deep inside of him and caused him a great deal of discomfort as he tried to hold her gaze.

  “Guessing gets you killed, maggot,” she hissed. “Would you be willing to bet your life on what you just told me?”

  Quinton felt something bump into his chest. He glanced down and saw a long, narrow dagger made of a steel so shiny it glittered as if in sunlight, even though they were in a dark room. Its point had already entered his tunic and he could feel it pricking his chest. Dying over a scroll, he thought. How many different ways could the Fly Guild kill you and what could be more mundane? The boy sighed, then quickly looked up and said, “Yes!”

  Glitter recoiled and stood up. The long dagger disappeared in a flash back into the folds of her dress. She grabbed the scroll from Quinton and walked back over to the table. She rolled both scrolls up, added them into the pile and turned to face him.

  “That was some courage you showed, maggot, especially since you weren’t very sure of yourself,” she said, her voice soft as her eyes studied him. There was a long pause as she stared at him. “You were correct. The two words were the same. One was in the wizard tongue and the other was from Crestmontia.”

  Her eyes stared off into space for a moment as she reflected on some deep thought.

  “Mistress Glitter,” Quinton said softly. “May I ask what the words mean?”

  Her gaze fell on him once more and a slight smile came to her lips. He couldn’t believe how beautiful she was, but just as quickly as it came, it disappeared, leaving the dour woman behind. “Of all the words on those scrolls,” she said, looking away again, “you picked love. The word you picked out on both scrolls is love.” She was silent for a moment, then regained her composure. When she started speaking again, her voice was commanding, with a hint of evil in it.

  “And in those scrolls,” she boomed, the boys faces becoming wary of her wrath, “is the only place you’ll find love.” She glowered at them one by one, and each one turned away, afraid to see her face. Quinton, too, looked at the floor. He didn’t dare challenge her. “For there is no love here. There never has been and there never will be. You will serve the family until your miserable life comes to an end, whether that is tonight or in a hundred years. The guild will be your surrogate parents. We are the Fly Guild. We feed on the shit of society. We breed in their dead and we feast on their garbage. We are insects in their world, but we are always watching. We are always looking for a weakness, looking for an opportunity to seize their place. They swat at us like an annoyance. Some of us will die, but many others will live. One day, we will rise up and take what is ours. Some day, we will no longer feast on their garbage. Some day, we will watch as the blood drains from their bodies and we will laugh. For we have seen horrors beyond horrors and nothing will stop us when the time comes. We care not for their art or their literature. We study their words so as to know their minds. The arts are the pursuits of the weak. They have everything, while we go hungry. But soon, maggots, soon we will have our chance. That is why you must train. You must be ready to serve the guild when the time comes.”

  She paused and carefully looked at each boy. “Do you understand?”

  As one, every boy said loudly, “Yes, Mistress!”

  She nodded her approval. “You are dismissed. Go and prey upon the wealthy so that your family may have a meal tomorrow.”

  The boys scrambled to get up and get out of the room. Quinton got to his feet and made for the door, but Glitter stepped in front of him.

  “Who is your master?” she said softly, a hint of danger in her voice.

  Quinton looked at the floor. “I serve Master Sands, Mistress.”

  Her hand stroked his cheek and glided under his chin, lifting it up so that he was looking into her pale blue eyes again. He tried to keep his mind blank, fearing that she was reading his thoughts.

  “There’s something about you,” she said, her voice trailing off. “I will speak to your master about it. That is all.” She stepped aside and motioned him toward the door. He looked up at her one more time before leaving, but her face was emotionless and she seemed drained. He looked away and headed out the door.

  Quinton rushed to catch up with the other boys lest he not find his way out of the maze of doors and hallways to the outside. They wound through several dark halls before coming to the room he recognized being in earlier. He knew the door across the way led outside and he followed the other boys out, but not before picking up a bag again. There was no sign of Master Red eye this time.

  The door opened into the darkness of night. The air was still humid, but a bit cooler than it had been earlier. A million stars lit the moonless sky, and Quinton might have enjoyed it for a moment if it weren’t for the smell of human waste that hung in the air.

  “Hey, there you are,” came a familiar voice. It was Huck, who quickly bounded up beside him. “I was beginning to think Glitter took you back to her room to have some fun with ya.” He slapped Quinton on the back. “Ain’t she got nice tits?”

  Quinton thought of those pale blue eyes staring into him and shuddered. “Yeah, real nice,” he muttered.

  “Don’t get confused though, she’s real dangerous. She’s got this long dagger that … ”

  “Glitters like sunlight,” Quinton finished.

  Huck stared at him, mouth agape. “Yeah, you saw it already? On your first day? I didn’t see it for like a year. How’d you manage that?”

  He looked at the other boy and said, “I guessed.”

  Huck’s eyes went wide. “You what?”

  “I guessed.”

  “And she let you live?”

  “I guessed right.”

  Huck shook his head. “I can’t believe it. You actually opened your mouth in her class? I should have told you, but I thought it would be obvious. You keep your mouth shut in there. She’s always holding up scrolls with all kinds of scribbles on them and you’re supposed to remember them. Ain’t no way to do it, I tell ya. So you just be quiet and pretend you don’t know nothin’. You never guess.”

  “Well, I guessed. And I was right.”

  Huck shook his head again. “Just don’t do it again, because next time you’ll be wrong and you’ll be in the river.”

  “She said something about how we’ll rise up and take our place one day, or something like
that.”

  “Yea, she gives that speech when she gets really frustrated. I think she feels she should be some sort of princess or something, but come on, she’s really just a whore with a nice dagger when it comes down to it. Could you see her in a castle somewhere?”

  “Don’t say that about her.”

  “Say what?”

  “Call her a whore.”

  “But that’s what she was. Still is, I suppose,” said Huck matter-of-factly.

  “Don’t call her that,” said Quinton becoming more annoyed, though he wasn’t sure why.

  “Okay, no need to get all upset about it. Didn’t know you fell in love with her after you looked at her big scrolls.” He cupped his hands and held them in front of his chest, mimicking breasts.

  “I’m not in love with her. I just feel bad for her for some reason.”

  Huck laughed. “You’re something else. Take a look at your own situation, would you? You’re a slave to the guild just so you can get a bite to eat now and then. Our lives belong to someone else. Forever. And you’re feeling bad for Mistress Bitch, who I’ve personally seen gut three maggots over the last year and half? They were just kids who didn’t know any better.”

  Quinton frowned. “There are no kids here. Only survivors.”

  Huck looked at him and smiled. “Now you’re talking. Now let’s go beat up some richies.”

  Huck led him at a trot through the darkened streets. At first Quinton recognized some of the streets and buildings from earlier in the day, but then everything turned unfamiliar. Most of the streets were dark, illuminated only by the stars’ faint light and the glow from an occasional shuttered window. The modest three-0story buildings that dominated the city rose up and disappeared into the night as they trotted past. Quinton wondered what was going on inside each one of them, wondered if there was a happy family inside with full stomachs and the hope of a brighter tomorrow. He hoped so. He hoped somewhere there were some happy children.

  At last they stopped in an alleyway that intersected one of the main streets near the wall to the inner city. The sounds of drunken revelry drifted down the narrow alley toward them. Huck grabbed him by the arm and guided him to some empty crates that were piled along one wall. They smelled of rotten food.

  “Here,” said Huck. He pressed something into Quinton’s hand. It was a small bag filled with sand. “I’ll bring someone down, and when they pass you, hit them on the back of the head with that. Got it?”

  Quinton nodded, though the alley was so dark he wondered if Huck could see his response. If he hadn’t, he didn’t say anything, as he could already make out his outline against the glow from the flames on the streetlamps ahead. He grasped the bag of sand tightly in his hand, slumped down into the shadows of the crates, and waited. It wasn’t long before he heard Huck’s voice.

  “Hey, you need a girl?” he asked someone. There were some unintelligible words muttered in response. “She’s a virgin. Very young. She needs a man.”

  There were more words muttered, this time more excitedly. “Yeah, but she needs a man with some coins in his pocket more than she needs her virginity. She told me to pick out the best man I could find to deflower her, and I picked you.”

  Quinton peered around the crates and saw the silhouette of a short dumpy man coming down the alleyway with Huck behind him. He quickly pulled back into the shadows, his palms sweating around the smooth leather of the bag.

  “Don’t worry, she’s near the other end. She didn’t want anyone to see her. She’s kind of ashamed, you know. That’s why she was hoping for someone with some experience. Are you experienced?”

  Quinton heard the man snicker as he walked by. His voice was hoarse and barely audible, but he heard, “Oh yeah,” as he walked by. Quinton stepped out and swung the bag as hard as he could against the man’s head. It made a strange snapping sound as it hit him. The man dropped to the ground and lie unmoving.

  “Perfect,” said Huck. The boy knelt down and started going through the man’s pockets. His hands darted in and out until a broad smile broke out on his face. “This is what we are looking for.” He held out his hand. Quinton could see what looked like some small round shapes in it, but it was too dark to make out any details. “At least five, maybe six, and I think they’re silver. Now get ready to go again.”

  “But what about him?” Quinton asked, looking at the dark heap lying in the alley.

  “He’s perfect,” said Huck. “Now get in position.”

  Several minutes passed at Huck searched for the right victim. When he saw him, Quinton could hear his voice again. “Please, master, my father has been beaten and robbed and is lying in the alleyway. Won’t you please help me?”

  “What?” came a voice from the street that didn’t sound very sober but sounded like it was coming from a large man. “What happened?”

  “Bandits! They beat him and took all our money and dragged him into the alleyway. Won’t you please help me bring him out into the light? I’m afraid to go back in there.”

  “Step aside.”

  “He’s down the alley a bit. The thieves ran off after they took his money, but I was afraid they would come back if it were just me. Bless you, sir.”

  A large, hulking figure passed by the crates and stood over the unconscious man. “He looks pretty bad, son,” came a deep voice.

  Quinton stood up and hit the man over the head, but the man just made what sounded like a growling sound and stood there. Quinton cocked his arm and swung even harder. The bag bounced off the man’s head, but again, he just stood there. He raised his arm to strike again before the man could turn around, but Huck grabbed his arm.

  “Wait,” he said. He reached out and gently pushed the man. The hulk fell over on top of the other man, unmoving. “Sometimes that happens. They’re knocked out, but they don’t fall over.” His hands worked in and out of the man’s clothes, snatching every item of value, which mainly consisted of a few coins. “Not bad, not bad,” he muttered. “Take your position.”

  Again, Quinton waited and then heard Huck’s voice. “Sir, there are two men together in the alleyway committing unnatural acts on one another. What should I do?”

  There was a snarl and a commanding voice yelled, “Out of the way, I’ll take care of the sinners.”

  Quinton peeked around the corner and saw the man walking down the alley with something in his hand. He was armed! Huck hadn’t said anything about weapons. The man passed him by until he was standing over the two bodies.

  “All right you unnatural animals, I’m going to teach you a lesson that you’ll … ”

  Quinton struck the man over the head, sending him toppling onto the other two. Huck took the small dagger from the man’s hand, tucked it into his belt and searched him. “Yes!” he exclaimed. “This one’s loaded. The self-righteous always are. You are good luck. I’ve found probably ten coins on this one.”

  One of the men moaned, but it was too dark to tell which one.

  “Come on,” urged Huck. “Time to move on before they wake up.” Quinton followed him out of the alley and into the street. They were at the end of what appeared to be the main area for nighttime action. People wandered to and fro, some drunk, some not. Huck made his way up the street and Quinton started to recognize some of the buildings.

  “This is Pismire Street,” said Quinton, recognizing the pink building and the gate at the far end.

  “Very good, maggot,” replied Huck. “You learn fast. That’s good, because it’s the only way to stay alive for very long.” He led them right up to the Pink Lady along the side next to a wide wooden door. “We’ll play escorts for a while and let things settle down a bit. All you do is wait for someone to come out. The girls will set you up once they see you. You help the guy along and help steady him, and when you do, reach into any pocket and grab whatever is in there. If you’re careful, you can clean him completely out. Once you got everything, send him off in a random direction and head back here for another one.”

&
nbsp; “What if they aren’t drunk?”

  “They will be. The girls send the really drunk ones, or the ones high on swamp weed out this side door. The sober ones, or the dangerous ones, they get sent out the front door. I’ll take the first one and you can kind of watch me get started to see how it works.”

  The boys waited for several minutes until there was a bang on the door and it swung inward on rusty hinges. A plump blonde with long, curly hair wearing nothing but an oversized silk shirt peered out at them and smiled. Though most of her was visible, either through the shirt or through the large armholes that acted as portholes to view her body, she showed no shame. The door opened wider to reveal a glassy-eyed man in his forties. His hair was mostly gray and slicked back, and he stumbled as he stepped forward. Huck quickly grabbed his arm.

  “Easy there, buddy. The Pink Lady cares about your safety and will get you home.”

  The man mumbled something unintelligible. The blonde in the doorway said, “Go on home, stud. The boy will take care of you.” She looked at Quinton, winked, then slammed the door. Huck had his arm around the man to steady him, even though he was half the man’s size. He could already see his hand enter the side pocket and feel around for money or other valuables. Soon both of them had disappeared into the darkness of the street. Quinton waited for what seemed a very long time. He wasn’t sure if it normally took this long or if he should give up and do something else, but he knew he would never find the Fly Guild without Huck leading him so he stayed put. He heard someone walk toward him from the back of the building. He peered through the darkness, but he could only make out a dark shape slightly taller than him.

  “Hey, maggot,” came a sultry voice greeting him. He still couldn’t see who the person was. “I saw you lookin’ at me today. You got any money?”

  “No, I don’t have much of anything. Who are you?”

  The figure stepped toward him and entered the faint light coming from a window above. He could see long, curly hair and light skin.

  “My name is Kate. What’s yours?”

  Quinton hesitated. It was the girl he had seen earlier and his heart raced, but though he longed to tell her his name, he also knew she worked for the guild. It was probably a test.