A World of Grime

The Original arrival

Manuel turned up to just a wall of houses, no fortifications, just basic housing. Meaning any old person could waltz in and take whatever, but it wasn't like the people near the wall had anything worth taking. All they would have had would be some basic food, blunt tools, and an iron will to live. Manuel, on the other hand, had a suitcase of clothes, basic medical supplies, water, and a few syringes he'd nabbed from another doctors. The wheels of the suitcase didn't even work anymore, so he had to carry the whole thing. It was dark when he finally reached the square, dropping everything with a great sigh of relief. Taking in his surroundings, the bright night, the beautifully lit areas just ahead from him, the houses around him began to shake and creak, and four bulky men came out to the square, armed to the teeth with axes, swords, and spears. One even had a shield too. In the middle, a stern general-like man stood with a short sword and two axes on his back to grab from a sheath. Manuel was, obviously, completely petrified, hiding by a hut close by. As a unit, they moved together along the road towards what was now becoming a large rumbling screeching sound from beyond the housing, so he silently followed behind, leaving his belongings by the square-side. What he couldn't see about them, he could definitely smell. Body odour and cigarette smoke filled the air, and Manuel had to beg himself not to throw up right there and then.
Reaching the edge, they dropped their weapons and lit a new cigar each, waiting, chatting like normal. The middle man, who Manuel overheard was called Max, seemed the best built of them all, and for good reason. Apart from just his weapons, he also carried a massive bag filled with supplies. They were planning on camping by the entrance in wait of whatever was coming through. They had it handled; it was time for Manuel to leave, turning heel and knocking directly into a barrel of supplies.

"Oi!" Max looked over to see Manuel frozen, and beckoned him over. "Haven't seen you before, you new?" His voice was like what a bear with a human voice would sound like. He stood up, and he made a power stance that could've crumbled mountains, his arms bristling with hair and taught skin. His moustache twitched and wriggled, and he stroked it calmly. A smile crept across his face and he leant down to see Manuel Eye-to-Eye. His eyes were calm, yet filled with unbridled power. He leant further, reaching a hand out to Manuel, and he accepted his death, shutting his eyes.
"Well, are you going to shake it or what?" Manuel snapped back, and looked forward. The smile was cheery, and the calm brown eyes matched it. He was friendly, a gentle giant. Manuel took a deep breath in, and his whole face turned a sickly green, as he turned around, falling to the floor and retching. Max immediately leant down, helping him up and wiping his face with a small cloth he had. "I'm Max," he slowly shook Manuel's hand, keeping his distance, "And you are...?" Max's hand gestured, waiting.
"Oh! My name's Manuel, a pleasure to meet you." He politely nodded, and as embarrassed as he was, he still decided to be polite given his current situation.
"Not that much of a pleasure I guess, eh?" Max chuckled, and Manuel gave a weak laugh back. Quickly, the earth beneath him finally began to tremble and rumble enough to be noticed. They all turned to see a huge dust cloud coming closer, and one by one, each of them readied themselves, bringing out huge cleavers and hammers.
"oi, pull the alarm for me?" Max pointed over Manuel's shoulder as he took a stance, and looking to his right, on the house closest was a small chain connected to a thick wire network, connected further into sirens and lights all around the area. After looking at Max putting his fingers in his ears and grinning like a madman, Manuel did the same, latching his elbow crease onto the chain, and shutting his eyes, he pulled.
All at once, the entire suburb was lit up, there was shouting, blaring sirens, flashing that felt like it was burning his retinas, and the cloud of dust was coming closer. All the houses close by had their windows shut, and the doors locked. Manuel understood why he had to put his fingers in his ears now, as right above his head, a massive siren made long deafening wails of terror for all to hear. Max stood with his four, poised and prepared. Squinting, Manuel could just see in the cloud shining glossed spots of reflection, barrelling towards them. "READY!" Max and his squad yelled, bracing. The colour left Manuel's face, as he ducked and covered behind the barrel he knocked over.
The yelling felt eternal, he could hear screaming from one side, then the other, as they would land hits on each other. The only time he peered over, he saw glaring faces of the cloud grapple Max, lifting him directly over their heads and throwing him at a nearby house. Max made a deafening scream of pain, but as quickly as he was thrown, he got back up, turning his painful scream into a frenzied adrenaline rush, jumping in and slashing. After what felt like hours, the group of crazed creatures tired, and had lost too many numbers, retreating back into the dusty desert land. The 4 members were cheering, and Max had joined for all of 20 seconds before the colour left his face, the cut having lost him too much blood, falling to the floor. Manuel pulled on the chain again, shutting off all of the sirens, rushing over. "Ah shoot... Is it bad, doc?" he splutter-laughed, the dust getting into his nose. What he could see was a large splinter of wood had embedded itself in the leg, and splintered it massively. Manuel pointed up the road.
"I have a bag of medical supplies, bring it to me, I'll help him." They nodded, rushing up the road to his command.
Immediately Manuel sprung to action, grabbing his shirt and ripping off the entire sleeve. The entire thing was made of a bandage-like material, and underneath, a black shirt was visible. He tied it around the top of the leg to slow blood-flow, but also if in a last-ditch effort that he had to amputate it wouldn't lose as much of his blood because of it. He began slowly cutting away trouser material from Max's wound, which, seeing his grinding teeth, was extremely painful. Opening his briefcase that one of the people had finally gotten back to him, he grabbed out the large sealed basin filled with water. Cleaning his hands with wipes, he began scooping water onto the cut, cleaning it out, to Max's grimacing stare, and finally gave him a piece of wood to bite on, pulling out the wood and bringing in a cloth to dry up the blood now dripping out. With a pair of tweezers, he grabbed as many splinters as he could, picking them out and placing them in a container in the suitcase. He dipped more shirt cloth into the water, and began to wrap tight and once it was tight and tied off, he reached again into the briefcase, pulling out 2 painkillers for Max to take, giving him some water to drink with it. The other four looked on in awe, and the cut was clean and safe.
Once all was said and done, Manuel stood up, and ran to a corner to retch a second time. Brushing sweat from his face and composing himself, he turned back and spoke, "Can you stand?" Max felt his calf, and smiled, standing up fast. Immediately he had a pained look, and crumpled again, and Manuel knelt by his shocked face with a look of agitation. "Don't go too fast, that'll never work, let me help you up." despite how ridiculous that sentiment was, Max had a cheery look in his eye, happy to be cared for. With wobbling arms, Manuel helped push him up from behind, grabbing out the metal handle from his suitcase. "Thanks fellas..." He set dagger eyes upon Max's friends, and they all looked awkwardly around, shuffling their feet. He re-attached the metal sticks from the case itself and created a makeshift walking stick, handing it over. Max simply chuckled, hobbling back up with Manuel by his side, waving a hand at the friends for them to leave. They all nodded, quickly exiting.
"Next time, add something to this handle, holding it's a real pain in my hands..." he flexed his fingers around the cold metal and winced at his leg. Manuel looked up at him, and down at the cut, then finally out to the broken city.
"What was all that about then?" Manuel just gestured out to a building crumbling in the distance.
"Hm?" Max looked down at the cut and out to the city too and simply smiled, "Ah, them." he sighed, staring out into the town. "They're outsiders, living off all the scraps out there, in the old city." a rumble rippled, as the sound of the crumbling building finally reached them. "Well, what's left of it." He chuckled once again, and rolled his shoulders back. "So! What's your deal then? Staying, leaving, healing?" He jestingly pushed a finger into Manuel's chest.
"Me? Oh, I'm just passing, going up to the capital." Max's face turned a little grey, and the smile faded, becoming a saddened disappointment. He opened his mouth, and closed it, raising a hand, but letting it swing by his side again. He began to sway as he walked, going ahead. Manuel looked around, and saw Max wasn't the only one struggling. There were tens of bodies in dark alleys and behind houses, even some on the corner slowly keeling over in the cold, shivering. "What is this?"
"Ah," Max rubbed his neck, averting eyes, "y'see, in the capital, they have quite a few doctors like you, but down here, where no-one cares, people just..." He pointed a hand down at a stray child, running off towards a bin to rummage through, staring at them for only a second. "You see?" Manuel had a sudden wash of shame and discomfort, but he had light blossoming in his eyes, as he quickly rushed around, looking for something, suitcase firmly placed on the side. "What are you doing, mate?"
"Screw the capital!" Max's eyes widened; "I'm staying put!" Manuel slammed his hand into the other, smiling maniacally. Max seemed glad, albeit slightly fearful. Finally, Manuel gasped, finding a house close to the square, kicking over the small sign someone had put outside that said 'unoccupied'. "I will have so much to do, there'll be cuts and infections and... limbs?" he turned an odd green and began to think, before shrugging, "Ah well, all part of the job!" coughing a little.
"That's, uh, great to hear?" Max scratched his head. "So!" He clapped, and Manuel looked over in a slight frenzy. "What do I owe you for the leg then?" Manuel lost the stare, tilting his head, a confused twinge in his lips. "you know, currency?" Max rubbed his fingers together.
"Oh... I don't take money." he twisted his foot into the ground.
"Oh, but this ain't worth nothin'!".
"Well, I guess I could take... I.O.U's!" Manuel snapped his fingers, looking out at him, and he was now the confused one. "So, you now owe me to... help refurbish my new house!" he looked at the walking stick and his bad leg, and added "When you've healed, of course." Max grinned, hollering, and Manuel couldn't help but do so as well. A huge hand came to Manuel's side, slapping him on the arm.

"It's a deal!"