Page 38 of Shared By Two Orcs

I resume my duties, mindlessly swinging my pickaxe on repeat. After, I’m wheeling a cart between various collection points, each stop only making the cart heavier to push. My feelings of frustration transmute into physical exhaustion, hindering my performance as I noticeably move around slower than usual. I still barely found a fuck to give.

“For all I care, the overseer can-”

Wait a minute.

It’s at that moment I realize there hasn’t been an overseer around all day, at least not near my section. Remembering what day and time it is, I know for a fact Yamarz is usually working right around now. I’m suddenly overcome with anger.

That fucker may be avoiding Duma but how dare he ignore me? Who does he think he is?

My shift is just about finished so I spin around and march away, abandoning the cart in the middle of the tracks. Right now, I’m like a predator in search of Yamarz, checking each and every tunnel for his whereabouts. With no sign of him, the only place he can be is at the overseer’s table at the entrance point. On my way there, I stomp past a worried looking Jinnow.

“Where are you going?” she yells.

“To sort this shit out!”

Once I find Yamarz, I’m going to drag him by the ear to Duma so we can hash all of this shit out!

Despite how much anger I feel, it’s overwhelmed by sadness. Everything had been going so well. There had been no signs of things going wrong, at least not for me.

Whatever is happening, I’m going to solve it today. As I come up to the exit, I look around frantically for Yamarz. He’s nowhere to be seen.

“Where the fuck could he be? Is he avoiding coming to work now as well? That son of a–”

He suddenly comes into view, around the corner of the exit point just outside the mines. I’m about to storm over when I see someone else come into view

It’s… Duma? What is he doing here?

Pressing myself against the wall, I begin sneaking up to them, remaining hidden as I crouch down. They were having a conversation, though it sounds more like an argument.

“We need to sort this out!” exclaims Duma. “It’s gone on for far too long already.”

“What is there to sort out?” asks Yamarz, sounding like he’s on his last leg of patience.

“Don’t act stupid, you know exactly what I’m referring to!”

“How dare you talk to me like that?”

What the fuck could they be talking about?

I crawl a bit closer, as far as I can go while remaining in the shadows.

“Look,” sighs Yamarz. “I’m not ready to talk about it, so can we just forget it ever happened?”

“I’m not ready either, but one of us has to make the first move. If it’s not going to be you then I’m doing it.”

“I don’t care. It’s going to have to wait, I’ve got a mine that needs attending to.”

“Don’t walk away from me, Yamarz!” yells Duma.

I hear a small scuffle, like the sound of someone’s arm being grabbed before being whisked away.

“Don’t touch me again.”

“You’re making this harder than it needs to be. I’m going to tell you, even if I have to follow you inside the mines.”

“Fine. What do you have to say?”

“That morning in Willo’s place… I– I liked it.” A grin finds me. “Yet I feel regret,” sighs Duma.

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