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I can’t linger here They’ll flush o up Carefully, I leave the shadows and push on, searching for a lift But all the tenes underneath the foundation lattice that supports the highrises Those that are connected to the highrises are fortified and secured with huge doors I pound on several, but they won’t letfor a station Might be a lift near one Up ahead, I hear a nostalgic sound through the rain—a zither Reds They ht help me

Underneath the tram is an a

bandoned, derelict station skinned in graffiti A tent city of vagrants has sprouted up around it Electronics glow fro barrel for warmth

“Oy, what’ve we got here?” ame “You lost, little lass?” He’s froht off I’ve made a mistake

“?’Lo, brother There a lift near here?” I ask “I’d settle for stairs”

“What would a little thing like you need to go up for?” another Red asks, this one fro down” I step back from him

“Some nice silk, that,” another says

“Fancy silk Gamma silk”

“Righto! Have we got a Gamma on our hands, lass? Teeth all clean Hair all nice”

“What’s your name, lass? Where you from?”

“None of your bloodydamn business,” I say “But if you want to point ht be some chit in it for you”

“Might be we just take that chit”

“Why you holdin’ your arm?” one of them asks “You fall fro froe eroding between the two nostrils “Come here, let us take a look at it” Two of thetowardhand drifts into my jacket

“You wannafor me”

“We’re your people, lass” Meht seep into the ot soels, sister We’ll show you that All the sights of the Vale”