Cibus

Eugo woke to a familiar rustic scent wafting through the air, it complemented the soft planks of soothing wood below. Its precious texture glued at Eugo’s back, and so a few hours passed. 

Sinking deep into the wood his body numbed. A dark sludge passed over Eugo’s sight, refusing to leave his bruised eyes. He felt himself submit to the darkness, whisked away from the light. 

Only dim candles could interrupt his cosmic journey. The dim glow growing brighter as work began. Scowling, Eugo clicked his tongue.

Accustomed to the increasing light outside, Eugo slid out of his hole. His clothes had stuck to him overnight, drenched and glistening from the heat.

A conglomeration of white singlets, piled with torn maroon shorts filled Eugo’s non-existent wardrobe. 

Chucking on his variety of clothing with unnecessary splendour. Just in time to hear a sharp whistle echo throughout the dome, which ended abruptly with a satisfying “pop”. 

Eugo’s house capsule opened to reveal a rough slab of dough. It could hardly be considered bread, undercooked and shrivelled likening itself to an oversized raisin. 

A few seconds passed, and a rattle at the door announced the arrival of fresh coal. Putting the bread briefly aside, Eugo gleefully stepped out of his home to collect his new quota. 

Piled in a metal borough the fuel stood glistening ready for use, brightening the young boy’s eyes. Heaping the coal into his workshop, Eugo proceeded to arm himself with his trusty shovel. 

Passing pedestrians would hear gruff singing in-between harsh clinks and clanks echoing from within. Some would stop to listen; others would wilfully ignore it, but all who wandered past would agree that the sound inside caused the bleeding of one’s ears.

Some were even thankful for the regular intervals of harsh breath which followed after a song, to provide a brief solace from the excruciating noise. In Eugo’s ears, he was a heavenly soprano, one whose voice would travel endlessly around the world. 

Most people agreed that while it did carry throughout the dome, that’s what made it so horrendous. Those who would question him surrounding the singing were silenced by the endearing eyes staring back at them, ones they could not bear to insult.

Sparing the listeners, Eugo briefly decided to take a break, resting for a moment on his heavenly wooden bed. A rattle at the door disturbed his peace, as a vicious voice reminded him of the actions he partook in the previous day.

Namely the assault of an entirely deserving mutt whose image caused Eugo to grimace at the thought. Although these thoughts would not save him from the man outside who would judge the actions himself.

Known by the name of Ralph, the man outside emitted the energy of pure chonk, somehow wider than all malnourished people in the city; the man struck fear even into the armed Spotless. 

Eugo felt his presence through a solid steel door that was probably thousands of times denser than his weak bones. Logical reasoning said that if Ralph could pulverise solid metal, the bones of a lanky teen would cease to exist. 

Half petrified Eugo attempted to reach for his saving grace, but fear seemed to constrict his movement. As Eugo lay frozen on his bed, Ralph entered. 

A bang shot through the city as Eugo’s door tore off the hinges, Ralph’s monstrous shadow loomed overhead. 

“What the fuck did you do to my angel, punk!”

Eugo shrivelled back.

“Am I gonna have to educate you again?” Asked Ralph… although he phrased it more as a statement. Eugo’s silence did little to save him from his current fate.

The hook, a rusty, bent sheet of metal that curled around with a serrated edge. Ralph’s scrawl slowly stretched out into a smile; his sulphur-yellow teeth reeked their way towards Eugo. 

Having experienced the hook countless times, whether through cut or scar, Eugo was proud of his recent track record. Over two years of no hook incidents meant Eugo was defiantly holding his spade in front of him to keep his record going. 

Ralph moved with the force of a bull, as two gauntlets lurched at the scrawny boy. Eugo twisted his body to avoid the hook rocketing down at him. 

Using his thin stature, he slid himself along the metal floor. Thin limbs narrowly missed the hefty force attacking him, but Eugo’s ability to dance was proven to be much better than his singing. 

Now sprinting out the door Eugo’s one regret was the wood Ralph had ruptured in his bed. “No more heavenly bed…” Eugo’s thoughts were short-lived as he felt an abrupt impact hitting his nape.

§

Eugo reawakened at a table. Through blurred vision, he noticed three figures, two of whom were loudly arguing.

“Look what you’ve done, you knocked him unconscious!”

“Arianne, he punched our son!”

“That doesn’t mean you should assault him, any harder and he won't wake up!”

Coming to his senses, Eugo discerned the impressive figure of Ralph, alongside the smaller yet more presumptuous figure of George. 

Finally, he noted the much thinner figure of George’s Mum, Arianne. The couple reflected off each other like oil in water, yet somehow with enough shaking, they would blend. 

Arianne had frequently taken care of Eugo before George came to be, almost as a second son she never had. Ralph on the other hand had always waited in the shadows, but stepped out boldly once George was born.

“He still deserves a proper lesson, Arianne!”

“A proper lesson from YOU would cause his death!”

“Well then at least get him away from George!”

Now that Eugo and regained his ability to see, he noted the conversation had shifted to whether Ralph should bash him or not. Eugo kept quiet.

“Yeah well…” Ralph noticed his victim had awoken. A shroud dropped over his face as he reluctantly trudged away, as though he were a recently dethroned king.

“Sorry about that Eugo, Ralph can be a bit… overbearing,” Arianne said, doing her best to stay neutral.

Eugo knew her to always sit in the middle of the fence, in fact, she thrived upon it. Doing her best to give all worlds equal rewards, which was both her greatest strength and weakness. 

She could love George with all her heart, yet lacked the heart to reprimand him; Eugo deduced that was Ralph’s job. Yet this protected prince grew up to be a sheltered corrupt king… in Eugo’s eyes at least.

“As an apology, I can give you something to eat, but I want you to say sorry to George first,” she said.

Laid in front of Eugo was freshly baked warm dough filled with glistening meat, paired with an ingredient he didn’t know existed. 

Eugo blinked once, he blinked twice, and he realised the dough had entered his stomach. He clamped his mouth praying that the heavenly flavour wouldn’t escape. 

Melting back into his chair, Eugo saw George grinning at him (with a notably bent nose), and Arianne calmly smiling at him.

“I believe you have something to say to George, Eugo.” Reminded Arianne.

“Thank you for the food! … Oh, and sorry for punching you.” Said Eugo surprisingly willingly. 

Mentally Eugo still despised George wholeheartedly, yet for a brief instance, he noticed that maybe George wasn’t some rabid dog attacking his sanity. Briefly promoting him to humanoid status for a few mere seconds. 

“Still a petty prince though…” muttered Eugo.

“George I also want you to apologise to Eugo, as I know his actions weren’t without reason” added Arianne. 

For a brief instance, George’s smug face reverted to complete remorse and regret. Squeaking out a “sorry mum” Arianne rewarded the child with a hug. 

Eugo noted the juxtaposition of warm eyes in hollow sockets, and a gentle smile that often seemed cold. With eyes of coal and thin dark hair, Eugo saw her as a heavenly witch.

Eugo left George’s home, passing a still defeated Ralph outside. 

His blissful stroll allowed Eugo to sport a much quieter stomach than usual. Steam had begun to fade in the sky, as flaming furnaces were replaced by treacherous candles. 

This change irked Eugo to walk much faster towards his home, slipping between the slim main alley; only to crawl through side lanes no larger than himself. 

Arriving back home he set out to finish his quota, grinning as he sang his way into the hearts of poor souls attempting to sleep.