Heart of Dorkness

Terror Six - Blind

Terror Six - Blind

Felix is a simple girl. A happy girl, even.

She needs to be, because when shes not happy, the world shrinks, becoming smaller and smaller until she suffocates in the tiny bubble around her, where only what she touches is real.

So she remains happy. Always happy.

That morning is a good one. A day begging by the Monster Gate while the early morning train of farmers walk in and do their things. Theyre always a little generous. Not with coin, but they have bread and food. She can almost always get a bite to eat if she tries hard enough, and no one tries harder than Felix.

Its a mistake, of course. Gael shows up, with two others Felix doesnt recognize. Shes in their territory, or at least the territory of the North Quarter gang.

Felix isnt too disappointed about it. Shes nabbed a whole fist-sized piece of hardtack from one of the farmers that she scoffed down in an instant. That makes it worth it.

Gael explains things to her. That this is their area, and she doesnt belong, that she should return to the Roughs.

Felix knows that theres nothing to gain from begging in the Roughs. Even if you did get something, some kid would take it.

Gaels not too mean. His beating is light, and when his friend kicks her in the tummy, he tells him to slow down. Felix smiles at that. A bit of niceness, just a tiny bit.

And then Felix sees someone new.

Not with her eyes. Those are long gone. They didnt work when she was little, and the maggots took them before she could get help. Its why shes so good at seeing with her happiness, a gift from some benevolent god. She believes in those, even if a lot of the other kids in the Roughs dont.

One day she will gather enough coins to buy new eyes. There are healers that do that, in the nice parts of the city.

Do any of you gentlemen know where the temple to the Dark Goddess is? the new person asks.

Felix cant see her, not like others can. Her sight is all touch, feelings and shifts in the air, tiny vibrations. If shes happy enough and paying attention, she feels the thump-thump beat of a persons heart.

She isnt feeling all that happy right then. Its hard when it hurts so much.

She listens with her ears instead as the new person, a girl just a bit taller than her, talks to Gael. Shes about to get robbed, Felix knows.

And then the girl wins. Its fast and Felix only has her ears to tell her whats happening. The thump of a fist hitting flesh, a scream, the low hum of a swarm of bugs, like those that wander the bog near the Roughs.

Gael runs, and so does one of his friends. The other is on the ground.

Are you okay?

Felix holds back a laugh. The nice girl is actually concerned? Felix knows its true; she can always sense it. And while she feels disgust wafting off the girl, thats nothing new.

The bit of joy is a spark, and it reignites the blaze in Felixs core.

Im okay, miss. Thank you.

Uh, yeah, no problem, the Miss says. Miss, Felix knows, is what you call important ladies, like the person who gives soup in the South Quarter, and the priestesses who offer to help sometimes. You wouldnt happen to know where the temple of Darkness is?

I do, Felix says

Oh, cool. Can you tell me where it is, and do you need help?

Ah, I should be okay? They didnt hit me too hard. If someone dies here the guard get angry about it. They didnt want to have to carry me to the Roughs either, so I can still walk.

Felix senses the girl nod. If you can lead me to the temple, I can pay you a little.

Pay! More coins for Felixs stash, a bit of money closer to having eyes again. She stands.

Can you see?

I know my way around.

Geal and his friends thought that Miss was wearing a nice dress. Im filthy, I wouldnt want to get you dirty.

Oh. Thank you? Whats your name?

My names Felix. Just a normal beggar from the Roughs... Whats your name, miss?

My name? Oh, Im Valeria.

Felix leads Valeria, to the gates and past them and into Midtown, a place Felix has rarely been to. The guards dont let her sort in. Only beggars who work for Fancy are allowed in, and they need to know tricks and put on little shows to earn their coin.

Felix wants to work for Fancy, once she has her eyes. She has magic, magic that can make things move and create little breezes.

Leading Miss Valeria is easy; the girl doesnt ask too many questions, and she never touches Felix. They get to the temple district, mood riding highthat is, until they find the Temple to the Dark Goddess.

Felix cant see it well, just abstract shapes and jagged pieces of wood, but she smells the burning in the air, and hears the murmurs of the people going a long way around the temple.

People, Felix knows, always go around when something bad happens. Like a kid dying on a corner from not eating enough, or a working girls body being put on the road after too hard a beating. People pretend it doesnt happen while making sure to keep away from it.

Miss Valeria, Felix discovers, is strong. The magic is snapping at the air around her for a full minute before she speaks. I realize that Im lacking data.

What was that, Miss? Felix asks.

Do you know who did this?

I heard that there was a fire And suddenly Felix feels even more magic wafting off of Miss Valeria, just for a moment. I didnt know it was this temple. Maybe it was an accident? Felix finishes quickly.

Miss Valerias magic settles, and Felix can see her again. Its always hard to see magical people. I dont think so.

Miss Valeria wants to go to an inn next. A nice one. The sort that would never allow someone like Felix in.

She leads again, of course. Theres no saying no to Miss Valeria. Shes a little scary, even if Felix thinks shes not much older than her. Theres something about her thats wrong, but there are things wrong about a lot of people, and Felix trusts herself.

Shes said no to offers of food from men that felt wrong before, and shes accepted help from others who felt wrong in a different way. Wrong isnt always bad, Felix knows. Shes wrong herself. Magical beggars arent a thing, and most people are born with eyes that work.

They arrive at the inn, and Felix is impressed by how much money Miss Valeria has. Thats gold, she knows. But shes not a thief, even if thats a lot of gold.

Miss Valeria takes Felix up to a room. Its big, bigger than any home Felix has stayed in, with all sorts of furniture around. She likes it: the wind has space to roam around, mapping the contours of the room so that she doesnt hurt her shins on anything.

Ah, the waters here! Miss Valeria cheers.

Felix starts to doubt things very much soon. Miss wants me to get in that? Felix asks.

She senses Miss Valeria nod. Youre dirty, is the explanation shes given.

The bath is hard. Her magic doesnt agree with water. It could be a wall for all she can tell of it. But she sinks in and the heat isnt that bad. Miss Valeria attacks her with a brush, and bottles are emptied onto Felix.

Shes seen fancy people do this to their dogs and horses. She didnt know they did it to themselves. Now she does.

Miss Valeria has her exit the water twice, and asks for more every time before Felix is given clothes. Not hers. New clothes. Soft, of a material shes not familiar with.

Felix can sell these for a lot to the rag-women.

Felix? Valeria askes after she steps out of her own bath. Shes in the same cloak as before, Felix senses.

Yes, Miss Valeria? Felix replies. This has been a very nice, if very strange, day and Miss Valeria has promised that food is coming.

Do you have a dream? A goal? Something you want above all else?

Felix has never been asked anything like that before, so she thinks a little before answering. Yes. Its an easy question. I want new eyes. Felix touches the new cloth around her face, covering the holes. She doesnt know where Miss Valeria found it, but its nice.

And after that?

And after... I want to find more things that make me happy.

Hmm, Miss Valeria says. I guess thats not the worst dream. What sorts of things make you happy, Felix?

Felix sniffs at the air. It smells like fancy-people food. Breads and vegetables and sauces and... and meat. Only the really fancy eat meat.

I think being with Miss Valeria is making me very happy right now! Felix says.

Her vision has never been this clear before. Its why she can practically see the way Miss Valeria squirms, and somehow, that just makes her grin all the harder.

***