Some Orcs hired me to clean their home for them. I didn’t really want to but they promised they would pay me and it got me to the city. The money they give me isn’t much, but I can save it and look for Jason. Am I racist if I don’t like Orcs? I’m sure there are some pretty cool ones, but these guys aren’t cool at all. They’ll spill things just for me to clean up, I have to beg to receive my pay at the end of the week and they make me sleep in the basement of the building. I didn’t have anywhere else to go so I didn’t really have any choice but to come work for them.

I heard them talking on the way here from the bus station. They just want a human housekeeper. From what I heard it shows that they’re making a lot of money. I guess they’re supposed to be like some kind of mob or mafia. But they aren’t anything like the movies. All they do is yell at each other and fight. They just wanted someone to clean up all the blood. I’ve gotten pretty good at getting out blood stains during my time at the temple so it isn’t a big deal. But they could at least try to go a day without beating each other up. It isn’t that hard not to hit people first.

“Get back to work. These floors should be clean enough to die on,” one of the orcs hollers out tracking bloody footprints over a section of the floor I had just cleaned.

“I was just taking a break. These fumes are strong.”

I get back to work by scrubbing the footprints he had just left behind. I have to say, for a house with a bunch of barefoot and angry orcs. An Orc with shoes walks through on the way to the boss' office, meaning he’s important. He looks mad, really mad. But nobody is bothering to stop him. These guys love to fight, now all of a sudden, they’re scared to fight because he brought shoes to a toe stomping contest? There has to be something going on here, and I kind of want to know. They might really be up to something here.

I grab my bucket and mop and move to the next room. There I begin to clean the floor near the door. I get close enough that I can hear what is being said inside the office.

“Dad is dying from your actions. You lied and twisted it everything you told him from the day you were blessed with life. Now you’re just the next Orc running around trying to play mob boss. He’s tried to explain to the chief how you’re working hard like a good Orc should but you’re not. You’re just here drinking, fucking and fighting your life away. Taking money from shop owners who can’t afford it. We used to work the docks together. I bought a shop, and you turned into a crook. You’ve brought shame to our family,” I don’t recognize that voice. Probably the Orc with the shoes from earlier.

“You’ve grown soft brother. You work a job, try to live amongst the humans and don’t cause any problems. We’re still living the way Orcs have for centuries. We take what we want. The weak shall die and the strong shall thrive. That’s how it has always been,” I recognize that as the boss talking.

“Shut this down. Extortion is never how the Orcs made a living. Yes, the strong will thrive and the weak will die, but not this. This is just wrong.”

“Brother, if you want me to shut it down. Just beat me in a fight? Don’t be a goblin, take a swing,” the boss laughs at him.

There’s a long pause before the Orc in the shoes walks out, slamming the door behind him. Well, that didn’t go how he planned. I go back to mopping the floors. That was my bit of drama for the day I guess. They don’t let me watch TV with them, so I have to get it when I can. It sounds like fireworks are going off downstairs. I’m going to need to clean that up.

I hear an Orc scream. That might be a gun. I guess I’m getting all kinds of excitement today. I’ve probably stayed with these Orcs too long. They don’t pay me much and I have to buy my own food. I could probably make it better on the streets. I’m going to grab my stuff and get out of here, especially if those are gunshots. I’ll use the back staircase so I can avoid whatever is going on out there. Now I’m sure those are gun shots and the shots are being joined in by the sounds of battle axes and hammers. I make my way to the basement and can still hear the scuffle up top. The gun shots have stopped but I can still hear them fighting.

I slip on my jacket and grab my backpack with the letters and goop. I pick up the stone and it is blazing hot, hotter than I’ve ever felt it. I can’t hold it long enough to put it in the backpack and drop it to the floor. The stone shatters like glass on the ground, so I guess I can’t take that with me. Doesn’t matter, I found my way to the city. I can find Jason from here.

The building shakes and there’s a huge crash. Maybe I should hold up for now. Something big is up there, and I don’t want any parts of that. As soon as they stop fighting out there, I’m going to take off. I drag an empty crate to the basement window. As soon as things settle down upstairs, I’m getting out of here. I can’t believe what I’m seeing, I need to get out there.