Chapter Four—Pedestrian Crossing

John didn’t glance back to see if Kyle was following. Of course he was. But this Hono guy was kind of fast.

If he didn’t pick up his pace, he’d outrun them easily.

John lurched through the shanti town, jumping over some kid’s toys and dodging a woman hanging laundry. She cried out indignantly as he nearly ran into her.

He made it to the other set of stone steps and ran up them.

Glancing right, he saw Hono across the highway heading through a construction site located under the raised bridges that encircled this area.

John moved, made to run across the road, but a car at high speed cut him off. He waited, then lurched into the highway once he was able. He hopped over the median and ran, the car to his right slowing and blaring its horn.

The driver leaned out and yelled insults.

Breathing heavily, John made it to the metal wall where there was a rusty tear in the sheet metal. Sliding to his knees, he crawled through, almost getting stuck as sharp bits of metal scratched at his jacket.

Once he was back on his feet, he glanced toward the construction site ahead. Hono was crossing through the dirt next to a large yellow backhoe.

John moved off the side of the road and slid down a cemented ravine, ran and climbed back up the other side, which wasn’t too steep to prevent him from making his way up.

It slowed him though, something Hono had avoided since there was an artificial landform bridge on the other side that he had evidentially crossed.

John ran across the lumpy terrain and passed the tractor.

Why is this guy even running?

He was in shouting distance. “Hono! Hono, stop!”

The man didn’t heed him. Still trying to get away, he flailed his arms as he ran down an incline and under a bridge.

John’s throat was beginning to burn.

Was he really going to let this little weasel outrun him?

Someone came up behind him, his feet kicking across the dirt and sliding. It was Kyle, passing him as he went down the incline.

“See you, loser!” he said, laughing.

John made a noise of frustration, but he didn’t really care whether it was him or Kyle who caught this guy trying to escape.

Kyle, with his skinny legs, widened the gap between them and caught up to Hono, grabbing him by the back of the shirt after they came out the other side of the bridge.

Despite being skinny, Kyle liked calisthenics, which meant that he was stronger than he looked. He yanked Hono back, then pushed him forward.

The man stumbled and fell into the dirt.

That’s when Kyle pulled his pistol out from behind his hoodie.

John caught up, breathing heavily. He stopped and rested his palms on his knees.

“You’re slow, man,” Kyle said, half turning to glance at John.

“You… you try running with all these muscles.”

“Haha!” Kyle laughed. “No more skinny-guy jokes.”

John nodded. “All right.”

“Now, Hono,” Kyle said. “Get up.”

The man was on his backside now. He did as he was told. “Look, I can get you the money—I swear it!”

“Money?” Kyle asked. “I don’t want your money, pal.”

“What?”

“We don’t want any money,” John said.

“Oh,” Hono said stupidly.

“Is that why you were running?” Kyle asked.

“Ah, yes,” Hono said. “I ah, have some outstanding debts you see.”

“How does a guy as poor as you have debs?”

“It’s the only way to climb out of your situation,” Hono said. “If you lived like me, you would know.”

“All right,” John said. “We’re sorry about your troubles. But we’re here to help.”

“Help?”

“Yeah,” Kyle said. “You know… ‘help’?”

“With your monster problem,” John said.

“Oh,” Hono said. “You mean the Landfill Lich.”

“Yeah,” Kyle said.

Hono shrugged. “I don’t know anything about it. I mean, I heard some things, but I haven’t seen anything.”

Kyle looked at John. “Dead end.”

“Hold on,” John said. To Hono he asked, “You said you heard some things? Like what?”

“Just… stories, you know? Ah, of the creature hunting and killing people.”

“And is it actually a creature?” Kyle asked. “Surely it’s just some psycho right?”

“I don’t know,” Hono said, shrugging again. He glanced about nervously. This area was off limits to normal folk. The scanner bots would probably come around soon.

“Listen, can we get out of here?” Hono asked.

“Sure,” John said. “Just as long as you answer our questions.”

“Sure.”

“All right.”