Chapter 9: Inns and Out Again
Chapter 9: Inns and Out Again
"Hey, Minetz."
Minetz hammers away at the workbench transfixed on his work.
"Minetz hey." Renno raises his voice a little to get his attention.
Minetz pauses for a moment and without looking up resumes hammering.
"Minetz!"
His ears spring into action first, followed by the rest of his body. Minetz runs across the room to Renno and cheerfully asks. "Ready to help? I have so many great things I can show you."
"No, it's not that. Do you know where the table is?"
Minetz stares at him confused a moment.
"You know, The Table?" Renno getting a little impatient.
"Uuhhhmmm." His voice squeaks. "Which one?"
"You know The Table. The one Kyra spoke of."
"Oh, you mean The Table." Minetz clenches his little paws into fists in excitement as if he has just solved a riddle.
Renno covers his face with his paw. "Yes, The Table. Where is it?"
"Why?"
"What does it matter why? I want to know where it is."
"Why?"
"Because I want to go there."
"Why?"
"Stop asking why!"
"Wh-"
"Don't even."
Minetz cracks wide childish grin across his fuzzy little face.
"Do you know where it is or not?"
He shuffles around for a moment. "It's north of the plaza. Across the street from the tall building." He pauses a moment before adding. "You're not going there are you?"
"Of course I'm going there, I need to get home. They might know something, and even if they don't someone who comes in might. Maybe I can get a job there. Someone might come in who knows where I came from."
Minetz walks away from Renno and hops up onto a stool at his workbench. "They won't let you."
"What makes you say that?"
Minetz ignores him.
"Minetz?"
Minetz chisels away at some piece of wood for a few seconds before acknowledging him. "I'm not a kid you know."
"Could have fooled me." Renno rolls his eyes at the Thono.
"You should listen to me, they aren't going to help."
"I'll have to see for myself then." Renno waives off Minetz dismissively and descends the stairs to the ground floor. He looks up at the banister above expecting Minetz to come running to see him off. He never comes. "Okay well, I'll be back in a little bit."
The sound of Minetz chisel fills the silence.
Renno sighs. "Okay well, see you later." He pulls on the front door to no avail. "Damn this thing really is stuck." He grabs the handle with two hands and pulls with all his might and it slides a few inches along the floor. He looks at the door barely cracked open and scratches his head. Looking up at the banister he puts a paw to his mouth to call Minetz for help but can't quite bring himself to do it. He nervously looks behind him at the back door to the alley. He shoulders the front door firmly shut. The door to the alley, on the other hand, glides open smoothly. A strange sense of guilt creeps over him like he's being forced to sneak out.
"I'll fix it later." Minetz shouts from above as if expecting to be told about it.
Renno shudders like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "It's fine, see you later."
Outside Renno walks around the exposed southern side of the building out towards the street full of Anorans. He peers out of the alley with hesitation. An unsettling feeling of apprehension fills him. Renno closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. The air is frigged but not quite as cold as yesterday. And just like yesterday, they ignore him. Most Anorans don't even make eye contact. They avoid him in the streets. Renno catches one looking at him for a moment and tries to ask. "Excuse me, but do you by chance know what I am." His words trailing off mid-sentence as they deliberately look away.
By the time he reaches the plaza the cold has him shivering. His Anoran clothing is insufficient by the standards of his own species. Even by Anoran standards it is meant for casual wear and does not provide the most warmth of the styles available.
Groups of Anorans lean on the smokestacks rising from the street. Renno contemplates joining them but a stray glance from one of the younger men causes him to reconsider. He folds his arms in an attempt to hold some heat in. Renno looks upward the pale gray sky unlikely to yield any reprieve.
He increases his pace to the north street. He scans the skyline. One particular building stands out. A tall three story building larger than the rest. "That must be the tall one Minetz was talking about." Renno moves briskly down the street until he reaches the building directly across from it. Only now standing before it does the door he so eagerly rushed to open seem like an impenetrable fortress. He takes another deep breath seeking the courage to forgo Minetz warning.
"Here goes nothing." He pushes open the front door.
The main hall of The Table is packed to the brim with Anoran's. They talk and laugh with one another paying Renno no mind. Some sit in groups and discuss their plans for the day. Others along the counter on the wall sit quietly. Their cloaks pulled over there head wearily preparing for a new day. Nearest the door sits a group of older Anorans relaxed, their food bowls empty chatting and taking in the sights. It is they who first notice Renno.
One of them stands his gazed fixed. The other old Anorans turn and follow his stare. The sentiment spreads like a spell across the room. Voices hush, the sound of bowls and cups cease and in seconds the entire hall falls silent. A few moments pass and a new tone of conversation picks up, low and tense.
Before matters get any worse Rozen comes barreling through from the bar at the end of the room. "Okay, let's go, nothing to see here get back to it I'm sure everyone has somewhere they need to be. Eat up." He grabs Renno by the arm and drags him out into the street and around the side of the building.
"Wait, stop, I didn't mean to," He struggles but against the sheer dominant size of Rozen his efforts are in vain. "Let go of me."
Rozen pushes him into the alley. "Are you insane?"
"I," Renno stammers "but, Kyra said,"
Rozen stops him speaking. "You can't just barge into the front door of a hall like that. Go around back next time you idiot."
"Sorry I didn't know." He shakes himself off.
Rozen sighs. "Didn't Kyra just bring you some food?"
"I'm not here for that."
"Then why are you here?" he snaps.
"I'm here to find out if you know anything about me."
Confused Rozen turns his paws up. "And why would I know anything about you?"
"I mean, not me specifically but you see a lot of people right? Do you know what I am? Where I might be from?"
Rozen looks him over carefully. "No, I can't say I have. Now you need to get out of here before someone calls the guard."
Renno confused and shocked. "What have I done?"
"You can't enter a state building like this without permission as an outsider. And with a tail like that? Someone might have thought you were a Notol or maybe a Kenoite. Notol are forbidden here without permission from the guard."
Renno grabs his tail and examines it. "A Notol? Is that what I am?"
"No, you don't really look too much like one except for that tail of yours. Just head back to Sventols and lay low with Minetz for a while I have to get back in there and see to my customers."
"Wait, before you go. Is there anything I can do around here to help? I thought maybe,"
Rozen's deep voice muted by the snow in the alley echos through Renno's mind "HAHAHA, no, your joking. Get out of here kid."
The walk back home feels colder than the walk out. Every second spent outside here drains Renno. The Anorans, of course, don't seem to mind but he shivers with even the most modest gust of wind. His fur feels like a thousand tiny knives. He grasps the tips of his ears and rubs them for warmth.
The door to the back of the workshop creeks as he pushes it slowly open. The familiar patter of feet running for the balcony can be heard.
"You're back!" Well, did you learn anything?" Minetz clasps the railing in excitement as Renno slowly pushes the door shut.
"I don't want to talk about it."
Minetz smiles devilishly. "I was right wasn't I."
"Would you just shut up and leave me alone." He snaps at the poor little kid.
Minetz lets go of the railing and takes a step back putting his weight on his rear foot. "Okay, I'm Sorry."
Renno rounds the top of the staircase and takes a knee to lower himself to Minetz level. "Look, I didn't mean to shout. It's just." He sighs a deep long sigh. "Something doesn't feel right about this place. I just want to go home, you wouldn't understand."
Minetz contorts his face before responding sarcastically. "No, I wouldn't understand. To be stuck somewhere with no one like yourself."
Renno collapses onto a stool and lays his head flat against the surface of one of the workbenches. "Sorry."
Minetz says nothing and stands at his side.
"What?"
Minetz paws clasped tightly together. "So can I teach you to read yet? It will be so much fun."
"Not this again."
End Chapter 9