The Fly Guild Read Online Free PDF Page A

master’s name. You will be
known as Sands’ maggot when necessary, otherwise simply as maggot. You are
never to mention your old name, for that person is dead and it is improper to
speak the names of the dead who died such a horrible death, lest they return to
this world to haunt us. Do you understand so far?”
    Quinton nodded and took another
sip. As long as the water kept coming, he’d agree to anything. Once he was back
on his feet, he could escape if he needed to.
    “And don’t think of escaping,” the
man said as if reading his thoughts. The boy almost choked on the water he was
sipping. “You do not go anywhere without my leave. We are a family here at the
Fly Guild, and no one ever abandons family. To do so is to suffer the penalty
of death. We’ve all experienced heartbreak in this world by our real families
who left us; as members of the guild, we will guarantee ourselves that we
always have someone we can rely on. To break that covenant is an insult to all
members of the guild.
    “So, if you decide to try to
escape, you will be hunted down and killed. Is that clear.”
    The boy nodded. He was in no
condition to try much of anything right now. He desperately wanted some food.
    “As your master, and that’s how you
shall address me, as master or Master Sands, I will make sure your basic
requirements are met. There are many skills you will be taught so that you may
contribute to the overall well-being of the family. You will help me and other
family members complete jobs assigned to us by the father, Master Fist. When
you are deemed worthy, you will one day be given a name, and you will no longer
be known as a maggot. Until then, you will live with the other maggots in the
guild unless I have need of your services.”
    The boy began to think this wasn’t
such a bad deal. Just getting food and water would be a plus over his previous
living situation. And how bad could these jobs actually be?
    “For now, Master Grubbs will take
care of you until you have your strength back. At that point you will be sent
to live with the other maggots and your training will begin.” The man turned
and opened the small door, ducking below the low threshold to exit. The boy
noticed his fine cloak and boots and thought him to be the best-dressed person
he had ever seen in the city. He hoped that he would get clothes as nice as
Sands had.
    His eyes went back to Grubbs who
had stood up with the bucket and ladle. “That’s enough for now, maggot,” said
Grubbs, emphasizing the last word. “I’ll get some gruel brought up along with
some bread; that will help put your stomach back in order. We have to get you
up and going as soon as possible, ‘cause the father sure doesn’t like
freeloaders.” Grubbs ducked and went through the door, closing it behind him. A
dull thump told the boy he had also dropped a locking bar across it.
    The boy really wanted to try to
climb up and look out the small high window to see something other than the
stone that surrounded him. He wanted to see colors other than gray again, but
just simply trying to sit up proved to be too much of a strain and he quickly
slumped back down. Fatigue started to overwhelm him. He looked at his hand.
Someone had cleaned and bandaged it, and the soreness on the tips of his
fingers was beginning to return. He closed his eyes and let sleep overcome him,
hoping that when he awoke, he was still in the room and not back in the
crimper.
    He slept in fits as dreams came and
went. Visions of rats overrunning, him nipping at his body as they passed, kept
coming back to him. His dreams faded into vague images of ships and oceans, only
to return to the rats running to him. There was no escape from them. They were
relentless.
    Quinton spent more than a week
recovering with Grubbs; help. Some days he only saw him when he brought bread,
gruel and water, while other days he apply salves made from awful-smelling
plants to his wounds. The stench was nearly unbearable, but they