Speaker 1: The Scum Kings, a Broadsword Studio production created and written
by Mike Daltrey. Chapter thirty nine, The Machine or So
stop talking to me yesterday. He didn't announce it, he
didn't make a scene. He just stopped. He still talks
to Gix, he still gives orders to Stiggant. But when
I ask him a question, he looks through me. He
answers with a nod or a grunt, or nothing at all.
He has become a machine, a mechanism of survival. Watch
him from a distance. He's in the corner with Gis.
Gix is whispering, or So is not, but he's far
enough away that I can't make out what he's saying.
He's drawing something in the dust on the floor.
Speaker 2: What are you doing? I call out, My voice is weak, raspy.
A stop. Orso looks up. He doesn't answer. He just
wipes the dust away with his boot. I asked what
you are doing or So nothing, Gick says, quickly, too quickly,
just games. We're playing games, dre or So or So
stands up. He walks over to the water barrel. He
feels a ladle halfway exactly halfway, and drinks it. He
doesn't offer me any The hierarchy is flipped, the power
is shifted, and the leader of the kings, but ors
is the man keeping us alive. You have a plan,
I say, I know you. You never do anything without
a plan. Tell me. He turns to look at me.
His eyes are cold, dispassionate, like he's looking at a
broken tool that he can't quite bring himself to throw away.
Yet he doesn't speak. He just taps the hilt of
his knife, tap, tap. Then he turns back to Dix.
Check the lumber again, or so, I shout. It takes
every ounce of energy I have. He ignores me. He
walks out the door to check the perimeter, or the
townsfolk or something else. I sink back into the chair.
I should be furious. I should follow him, I should
put a sword to his throat and demand obedience. But
I'm so tired. In the silence of the room, a
thought settles on me like dust. He has a plan
and I am not part of it. Maybe the plan
is to leave. Maybe the plan is to surrender hell.
Maybe the plan is to offer me up in exchange
for their freedom. Or maybe the plan is to wait
until the food runs out completely. And then lighten the load.
I look at the door where he left. If he
comes back with his knife drawn, well I even fight back.
I close my eyes. I don't think I can. But
even if I could, I don't think I would