Flo

"That was very stupid of you." Minnie shook her head. She was sitting next to an old loudspeaker, which Flo was repairing. He had opened the case and was now struggling with old screws and cables, some of which he had had to replace.

He hoped to be able to sell it soon. Old loudspeakers were in demand. Just like gramophones, record players, music boxes... Once he had bought an old guitar in one of the many villages. Flo didn't know anything about instruments, but he was still able to sell the damaged old guitar.

An elderly man bought it, repaired it, and sometimes stood with it between the market stalls and played for all those who wanted to listen to him. Flo hadn't seen him for a few days, though.

"I know. It was stupid", he confirmed. Of course, it wasn't about the guitar, but about the incident with the Shadow.

"However, nothing was reported to me or mother." Minnie flapped her wings. "The Shadows are probably refraining from a complaint. And they didn't arrest you directly either. This could have happened to you! You stupid boy. I can't visit you in prison. That was pure luck."

"I'm lucky."

"Right. And what would have become of me then? I would miss you. And my box? That you have rebuilt with great zeal? Sold! Annoying! Flo? How far are you?" She pointed to the loudspeaker.

"Almost done." He smiled a little. Minnie's rant had lacked any emotion. Could she miss him at all?

"Yes? Are you going to try it?" Minnie touched the slightly tarnished metal. At least she pretended to touch it. Her greenish flickering hand glided ghostly through the material.

"Of course." Who buys a loudspeaker that might not work? "With a little luck, I can buy several treasures in the village! When will we reach it?"

"In about four hours."

"So fast?"

"The city is moving at top speed. We will stay in the village for a day, then the town will cross the sea. To the island. Our government is meeting. All capitals will be gathered around the seat of government. There will be fireworks. Outside of Burgstadt. You can see it through the glass roof."

"Fireworks?" Flo smiled. "Certainly only for the rich. We ordinary citizens are not welcome on Level 6."

Minnie nodded. "The fireworks are also projected into the wrong sky. You'll be able to see it."

"This is good news. What is the situation in the village?" Flo hoped very much that they would not find it a ruin. One of the villages no longer existed after a terrible storm destroyed the protective dome and the life support systems failed. And this village, according to rumors, had recently asked for help. He didn't know why."

Minnie rolled her artificial eyes. "I am not allowed to give out this information. Anyone leaving the capital is called upon to adhere to all safety guidelines. Otherwise, there is a risk of poisoning by radioactive contamination."

"So everything is as usual." Flo screwed the speaker back on. "Time to try this treasure."

"Please."

But when he connected the loudspeaker and wanted to listen to music through an equally old record player, an old blues record, a terrible noise sounded. The loudspeaker rattled and squeaked. There was no music. Then the loudspeaker began to smoke.

"Your taste in music can be improved", Minnie grumbled, while Flo cursed softly. He had to unscrew the speaker again and look for the fault.

Only shortly before they reached the village did the loudspeaker play the scratchy tones of the old record. "Finally!" Flo leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Minnie?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'll find a battery? And a charger?"

"I cannot pass on any information about this. I don't know."

"This soldier... He looked good. Do you think..."

"Hm?" Minnie was now sitting on the speaker and dangling her iron feet.

"Do you think the Shadow looks good? Under this terrible mask?"

"I don't know that either."

"Of course." Flo smiled. He didn't believe her. "Who chose these masks? They are tasteless."

"They are intended to remind us of masks from past peoples. Why do you want to know if the Shadow looks good?"

"Because his voice was pleasant." Flo winked at her.

"It was very stupid to follow him."

"Yes..." Of course, he knew that. And he was lucky that the Shadows didn't throw him into the cells for that. Or worse. "I thought we were done with the topic?"

"Flo?"

"Yes?"

"The city has reached the village. In about twenty minutes you can disembark and do your shopping. Civilians are allowed one hour, provided they have relatives in the village. This affects about two percent of the inhabitants of Level 3. Merchants are allowed to stay in the village for three hours. Entering the city ruins is temporarily prohibited. Increased radiation levels were measured there. In addition, the sensors detect several predators that are currently in the ruin to raise their young. So as a trader, you have three hours."

Flo groaned. "Then the villagers cannot enter the ruins at the moment." His chances of buying good goods or finding them himself were more than pitifully low. Predators rarely raised their young in the ruins. Most of them preferred the forests. Carnivorous plants and rodents were more likely to be found between the buildings.