(The Silk Road) Book Snippets

Initiation

(Takes place a day after being introduced to the others – note to self to write that here later.)

That morning Corvo had woken up in his new space upstairs, feeling just a little exhausted from all the events of the last couple days. But knowing G would arrive here soon and would be ratty without his morning brew. He forces himself up and gets ready, as he were slipping on his coat he could hear the door slam from downstairs. Almost tripping over himself as he rushed out the door, down the steps and into the kitchen. Faffing around with getting the kettle filled and going, already knowing where his new boss’s favourite mug were kept as he hummed to himself. Unaware of the looming dark figure in the doorway.

“Been here a day and your already his housewife?” came the almost robotic sounding voice from behind him, causing Corvo to flinch and almost drop the entire kettle. Shade sweeping by carelessly, opening the fridge and leaning against the open door as he stuck his beak to peer inside. He was another one Corvo just couldn’t get a read on, his voice were so distorted. As if he were speaking through a machine, much like his new boss this man also seemed to cover his face the entire time. But there were no hint as to his facial features or eyes aside from the red glow that radiated from under the scruffy plague doctor mask.

“Tch... I’m simply showing my gratitude to the boss-“ Cutting him off Shade laughed, the laugh sounding beyond malicious with that eerie voice of his.

“Yeah. I’ll be sure to grab you an apron later.” Shade reached in and pulled out a beer, it had barley touched 9am and he was already drinking? Corvo scowled, his cheeks a little flushed from embarrassment as he turned his head back to continue mixing the coffee.

“While your at it fetch some laxatives. I’ll need them for your next drink.” Corvo murmured, half expecting Shade not to hear as he watched him chug down an entire can. Scrunch it between his hands and toss it carelessly into an already fifthly corner of the kitchen. He couldn’t help but think this place really had no hope when it came to cleanliness.

“Hey. At least you’d have more to clean up, newbie.” Shade snarkly retorted back. Yawning with a stretch.

“You ain’t gonna last a week here, Kid.” He said matter of factly before heading to the next room to more then likely pretend he were up to something productive. Corvo hesitating before picking up the mug, wondering what he had meant by that and if had been serious or an attempt at provoking him further. Shaking his head he headed back into the main office, seeing G already sat at his desk with a cigarette poking out from under his plague mask. Looking at the daily paper, and not acknowledging Corvo’s presence. Corvo diligently setting the mug down beside him before heading to the sofa where a chart had been left on the coffee table of a list of ‘patients’ that needed visiting that day.

The number seemed much higher then yesterday... It seems they were reaching the peak of another virus variant yet again. Not dwelling on the overhanging thought he perked up at the sound of the front door. His two other new co-workers Sage and Isaac arrived, twenty minutes late to be exact. Which caused G to almost comically lower his paper just a little, to turn his head and stare in their general direction.

“ya mind sharin’ with the class where you were this morning??” G's voice sounded as rough as ever, more then likely looking furious from under his mask. The two latecomers casting a look to each other before back to the boss.

“Our area was under quarantine. Too many cases last night. We literally had to stealth our way through like-“

“Yeah, yeah. The two of yous have the same amount of stealth as a new-born deer. WITH NO LEGS. Now help the newbie, for the love of God.” G carried on fixing a fiery glare in their direction until the two sheepishly and quickly sat down near Corvo. Feeling the glare leave them as G shifted his attention back to his paper.

“Nice to see a good night’s sleep hasn’t stopped him from being an asshole.” Sage muttered sourly under his breath. Causing a terrified Corvo to turn to see if G’s head popped back in their direction, but fortunately for them all he hadn’t seemed to have heard. Corvo letting out a small sigh of relief, while Isaac took the chart from Corvo’s hands.

“....Figures. My whole day is going to be spent haggling with those jerks at the burn Pitt. It took me two whole hours to get them to help clear up last week.” Handing the sheet over to Sage, Isaac began to stare in Corvo’s direction. Specifically at his hands for some reason, seemingly confused. Before Corvo could even call him out on it so did Sage, Both parties silently turning their heads to each other then over to G.

“Are you gonna mention it?-“

“Are YOU?” 

“No way, you saw the mood he was in earlier-“

Shade came sauntering back in, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. He noticed the calamity happening across the room and piped up.

“Bosman. Newbie's due his chop-chop.” You could practically HEAR the smirk from under the mask.

G seemed to freeze, before eventually lowering his paper and stubbing out his cigarette. Glancing to Corvo before back over to Shade.

“Whatcha on about? Use ya big boy speaking words, yer walkin talkin abortion add.”

“The initiation. Doesn’t look like he’s had it yet and I could do with some entertainment this morning.” And with that all eyes in the room turned to Corvo, His cheeks flushed as he awkwardly lowered his gaze to the floor. Initiation? What were they on about? Had this something to do with his hands....

G remained silent for a moment, his hands balling up into fists from under the table. Of all people it had to be Shade to bring it up, of course. The hope of it falling to the wayside and being forgotten now out the window.

“Corvo. Get over here.” He spoke calmly, rising from his seat. Corvo springing to his feet and anxiously heading over with his hands clasped together from nerves feeling all eyes on him.

“To be part of this here... family there’s a trust exercise ya gotta do. A way to prove yer loyalty, a test... if you will.” G seemed to sound uncertain of himself, as if buying for time.                                 “Somethin that shows me an everyone else here your serious about the cause an that you ain't no snitch. Follow me.” He started walking a few rooms over with Corvo following and the rest of the gang trailing behind him. A grim aura in the air giving a foreboding feeling of what was to come next.

The room G lead him too seemed to of been what would of been a storage room, no windows, a dim bulb hanging overhead with a wide dirty stained table in the centre. A cleaver on the right and a small plank of wood on the left. Corvo stopping and casting a look back at G as he entered.

“What... Is this-“

“...With that cleaver. I’m gonna need ya to chop off your left hand...”

Corvo froze on the spot, continuing to stare in complete shock over to G.

“Your.... This is some sort of joke, right?-“ His lips twitched into a smile, chuckling awkwardly.                                         “There’s no way your being serious here... T-That’s too extreme...”

G didn’t respond and simply turned his head away, folding his arms to keep from anyone seeing just how jittery his hands were. Meanwhile Shade and the others all held up their left hands revealing that each and everyone one of their left hands were indeed missing with a metallic replacement. Corvo backing up until he hit the corner of the table, still with a strained smile.

“If this is some kind of newbie prank? Right? A scare to welcome me? R-right?”

Everyone remained ominously silent for a moment before lowering their hands. Only Shade daring the break the silence.

“Fifty bucks he won’t do it, I told you this one wouldn’t last.” He folds his arms and leans against the wall with an attitude, seemingly disappointed he had been robbed of a show. G on the other hand gravely heading over and picking up the cleaver as he handed it out to Corvo.

“I’m sorry. If you can’t do this. Your out.” Corvo had an almost begging look in his bright eyes as he stared in disbelief at his shady boss, freezing as if waiting for them to all start laughing. He slowly reaches out, a small glance behind G to his companions to see it any of them would interject. Taking the heavy cleaver from G’s hand, with the weight of the situation hanging over his shoulders, it all feeling so much more real now.

“...I-...I don’t think I can-“ he could feel his eyes start to sting, about to humiliate himself in front of all these new faces. In front of the man he had promised he would make proud.

“I-..I couldn’t-“                      Shade tutted from his spot on the wall, shaking his head certain this would end abysmally with the newbie taking the walk of shame out of there.

“Please- there’s got to be another way I c-can show you- This... This is barbaric-“

“Is that your final answer, Corvo?” G wasn’t budging giving him no time to drag this on, all eyes were on him.

“W-Wait I-..Wait-!” Corvo turned away from them all to place his left hand on the table top, his eyes filling with tears now much to his embarrassment with shaking hands as he grabbed the small slab of wood, biting down onto it as he raised the cleaver over his shoulder. This was insane! And they had all done this...How could this prove anything... Truly G was deranged to think this was something he could ask of someone. He had noticed even on that day he were found, how G had sported his own metallic hand. Had he too done it to set an example? His audience were tense and silent, Isaac in particular turning his head and not wanting to watch.

Corvo went to bring the blade down but stopped, dropping the knife onto the table as he covered his face with his hands as he let out a strangled sob. His muffled crying was too uncomfortable to watch, at least those in the room with any signs of empathy, Shade on the other hand simply snickering a little at the pathetic display. Corvo flinched as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“I know. It ain’t some cake walk what were asking’ but it’s a brutal necessity... Look. How’s about we get you outta here-“

Corvo brought a hand down to swat his hand away, frustrated as he grabbed hold of the clever once more. Doing his best to not think about it, fighting every natural urge in his body to stop this. He tried once more bringing the blade down only to stop once again, he was thinking too much. Anticipating the pain, knowing the implications. This couldn’t be worth it, but he had made a promise. He intended to follow it through, just the past two days had been the first time in so long he had a reason to wake up. A purpose.

Whimpering and sniffling he cried out raising the blade once more and bringing it down full force onto his wrist...

It had not been a clean cut...

His ‘audience’ all cringed at the sight of his wrist , half exposed bone and gushing blood all across the table. G tense and seemingly holding his breath as he stood frozen on the spot. Corvo's screaming muffled by the wooden plank in his mouth as he cried out. Sobbing as he felt all his energy leave him, he knew he would faint at any second. He could feel all the blood drain from his face as his vision became blurry, an unbearable burning pain soaring up his entire arm as his body reacted. His teeth chomping down on the wood as he weakly slammed the blade down again managing to break the exposed bone and sever the hand from his wrist. It would be the last thing he would see as it all turned black, before hitting the ground.