Photo by Nik Owens on Unsplash
Photo by Pablo Pacheco on Unsplash
Links to the original post and the story so far (in order) can be found in the Tale of Two Pizza's Archive Post
This week 
For any of you that have been following along with the storyline and would like to participate feel free to enter and shake things up! There hasn't really been a lull in the storyline like this before so it is prime time for new participants!
Winners delivery pics
Rachel and Henry dragged supported Cyril between them as they exited the stable and made their way towards the gates of Slickville through the poorly lit and filthy streets. True to her word Rachel had bound his hands, hobbled him at the knees to prevent him running, and stuffed a gag in his mouth. He was hooded in a heavy cloak to hide his face. Bucephalus was waiting outside the town for them and Amber would follow when she had rested. They just had to get outside the gates.
Slickville had tightened their guard since Rachel had helped Barry escape... That mission had been difficult enough and she had time to prepare. This time she was fleeing with not one but two prisoners and neither of them was as competent as Barry. It was a bad idea to try to walk right past the guards and she knew it. But she was going to anyway. There wasn't enough time or support to escape any other way... and if Amber was concerned about this Cyril Pikers then she would be sure he couldn't draw attention or shout for help. Better to stumble through the gates looking like the two of them were supporting a drunk than risk him raising an alarm. If he struggled it would only make him look more inebriated. He had agreed anyway. So why would he struggle? It was strange that Amber thought him dangerous but Bucephalus had never been wrong so why shouldn't she believe Amber?
They were moving slowly but thankfully there was no one on the streets so late in the evening except the occasional drunk stumbling past or a footpad that melted back into an alley when they were a group of three. It didn't take long before they were approaching the rude wooden walls that encircled the town. The gates remained open thankfully, though there were guards on either side and many more in the guardhouse beside. She fervently hoped that the guard who had guided her to the Preda's house was not still on duty.
"Henry, we need to weave a little... We have to sell this. I'll do most of the talking. Remember we are drunk... but not as drunk as him!" She hefted Cyril a little. He seemed to be trying to help, he stumbled a moment, and leaned heavily on her, sending the three of them careening to one side of the road before she could steady him. "'Atta boy Cyril," she hissed under her breath at him. Then she feigned her own stumble and the three of them barely managed to stay upright as they swerved back to the middle of the road.
"Jus' keep 'im on 'is feet Johnny! We'll take 'im out and let 'im sleep it off in a ditch!" She slurred, then laughed raucously at the thought. She heard Henry laugh nervously on Cyril's other side then lurched to a halt suddenly. Cyril and Rachel took another step or two and Rachel pretended to suddenly notice the guard blocking her way. Cyril let his head hang, lolling beneath its hood.
"What are you doing?" The guard asked suspiciously, looking over the three of them. Rachel let herself wobble a little, and unsteadily met his gaze.
"Well we was all having a drink or two and playing cards, see. Thomas was winning. Always does, cheats I reckon don't 'e Johnny?" She let her eyes wander over Cyril's head to Henry. He was pale, and wobbling appropriately, and nodding vigorously. So vigorously in fact that the three of them stumbled forward again and the guard took a step backwards. "So when old Thom got a bit too drunk I says to Johnny we oughta teach 'im a lesson and now we's gonna leave 'im ousside the walls till 'e slees it off!" She burst into laughter again and this time Henry did too, guffawing drunkenly.
"Serves 'im right, he dint even buy us a round!" Henry laughed again and cuffed Cyril across the back of the head. The guard continued to stare at the three of them as they wobbled and stumbled in front of him. He looked across at the other guard who shrugged and then turned to go into the guard hut.
"Alright go on then, when you come back in I expect a cut of his winnings!" He laughed and followed the other guard into the shack. Rachel could hear all of them laughing inside as the three of them kept up the charade until they were through the gate and the lights of the town began to fade.
"Well done both of you! That could have gotten messy! She pulled the two of them to the side of the road tossed back Cyril's hood and undid the gag.
"NO NO NO!" He grunted through clenched teeth. "Gag me again PLEASE!" He had been holding on as best he could as they passed the guards, but some of his lurches and stumbles had not been his own. The demon within him was trying to assert control again. "QUICKLY!" Rachel stuffed the gag back in his mouth instantly. She could see a reddish glint in his eyes despite the darkness. She grabbed his elbow and began dragging the boy further down the road away from Slickville. Henry grabbed his other arm and began to help. He had seen the glare in his eyes as well.
"Henry... What exactly did Amber tell you about him?"
The rules for this week remain the same as previous weeks with one exception! I will pay 1 SCHOLAR to every entry from an author who has not entered Tale of Two Pizza's previously in addition to the normal prizes!
I'd like to continue building on the story of the Pizza Baron and his post apocalyptic world. Each week I'll pick a winner that becomes the next piece of the story and wins 20 $PIZZA and a 2 SBI sponsorship from me. I may award additional prizes if I feel multiple entries expand the story well.
Each week I'll write a post announcing the winner and then I will write another chunk of the story and open it up again for the next weeks competition. I'll compile the winning entry for each week. If we reach a conclusion of the epic tale of the Pizza Baron I'll divide another TBD amount of PIZZA among all the winning entries throughout the whole story and publish the finished story here on Hive with all the contributors as beneficiaries. If this goes well we might have the first open source blockchain novella on our hands! 😂
Bear in mind this is an experiment as well as a competition so we will see how many entries I get and how well it goes!
Rules:
Entries must be more than 200 words.
Entries must use the hivepizza tag
Entries must comment on this post with the link to their entry
Entries must fit in the world/scenario that has developed from the previous weeks contest(s). You are free to develop characters, introduce new ones, invite aliens to the feast, I don't care as long it makes some kind of sense in the context! The Pizza Baron should remain relevant to the plot!
(I've named it a Tale of TWO Pizza's for a reason HINT HINT)