NARRATOR: Opioids, a dirty thing. Something only faithless men would bring into a Godly nation. The dock smelled like fish and salt, it always had even before Evan was born. His brother inlaw could very faintly remember a world without the smell of fish. In the cramped shack, all they could smell was fish. The faint scent of poppy flowers trying and failing to quench the smell. Under a thick candle, the two men were slipping bags of the drug into the mouths of the fish. It was to be sent off all over Secel so every pastor, leader, and father could spend their earnings on it.
EVAN: How much longer have we got?
IRWIN: Till it’s done.
EVAN: We should have brought more water.
IRWIN: Yeah, you should have.
EVAN: The purifier was broken,
IRWIN: And you could have easily bought some water from a merchant, we passed three on the way here.
EVAN: You’re right, I should have bought a pint while carrying nineteen pounds of pills. I’m sure that would of went well.
IRWIN: You know those merchants are on pills, if anything we should of traded them for some water.
EVAN: Well, all I know is I’m tired and I’m thirsty. And frankly, I don’t think we should be on fishing duty.
IRWIN: Maybe if you could sell we might actually be able to.
EVAN: It was a bad week, and besides you know they couldn’t handle us in those streets. We’d have the pope hooked by the time we ran out.
IRWIN: Sure, how about your effort starts catching up to your mouth okay? I’m tired of the when when when talk.
EVAN: I have a suspicion you don’t believe me.
IRWIN: Really?
EVAN: All I’m saying is maybe I’m a young talent that needs a push from an older wiser mentor. Maybe even someone on third base with a fish right now.
IRWIN: You know I’m only two years older than you, right?
EVAN: Well, you married my sister so I have to add ten years there. She’s like a witch the way she can just take all the life out of a man.
IRWIN: Seems like it’s genetic huh?
EVAN: Skipped a round you could say.
IRWIN: I wouldn’t.
EVAN: ‘So who’s taking the shipment up to the workhouse?
IRWIN: I don’t know, the whole chain has been weird lately. The churches have been more open to the cops, and I know sweeps have been getting worse.
EVAN: Well, sweeps don’t tell us why we keep losing customers. I know my base and they would drown their own kids before not getting an order. Maybe you’re getting undercut?
IRWIN: I wish, Cleaning up would really show the big boss.
EVAN: Come on, you wouldn’t.
IRWIN: You think I’m beyond cleaning up rivals?
EVAN: I think you are smarter than that.
IRWIN: And cleaning isn’t smart to do?
EVAN: Cleaning is how we end up with our throats on the ground,
IRWIN: Well, let’s pray it doesn’t go to that.
EVAN: Lets, I don’t need my sister to become a widow.
IRWIN: Ah, suddenly you care about her. Maybe this sibling rivalry isn’t as bad as I thought.