Chapter 8: Butcher Shop

"Brother, do you know what this is?" Rayla pulled out the book that Joey got from his uncle and held it up.

Joey was surprised to see the book he thought he lost everything in the book when he ran from Ms Moore's self-destruction quickly figured Rayla must have picked it up when she woke up during the fight.

Joey grabbed the book and looked at it with scrutinizing gaze.

"You know what it is?" Rayla saw Joey saw looking at the book like he was familiar with it.

"Why did you pick it up?"

"You might not believe but, but I felt compelled to carry it ". This made joey more interested in the book and took notes of its features.

There were some unknown characters in the book but a few of them seemed to be gone forcibly torn off.

Joey fell into deep thought about everything that happened until now.

His father wanted him to have this book he wasn't too keen to find out whether he was alive or not because he would have to be a deadman to let his kids go through all this.

Joey tried to open the book and found that he couldn't open it even a bit the book looked nothing special but it was closed tightly.

Joey wondered what kind of superpower had to be cast on it to make it close shut so that it wouldn't budge.

Giving the book back to Rayla he said "Don't lose it, keep it until I come back"

Joey then decided to spend the rest of the day trying to camouflage the cave and made a pulley up to the mountain.

The following day Joey set out and crossed the border into bulwark city.

The journey was long and he had to leave the cave early in the night and he wasn't able to come back until the night.

Joey walked through the city and could see much military personnel stationed, his heart was racing maybe it was because if he dug underground and came up anywhere else he would have been caught and locked up.

He went through the streets of all the roads that it was possible for him, he wanted to find anything that was related to being a butcher.

He walked for hours end and even tried in the less developed area and was just met with disappointment, butcher shop paid too low and wasn't willing to accept someone who didn't have any kind of identification badge or card.

He finally came upon a butcher centre that processed sky beasts, these sky beasts were processed by machines which people usually try to avoid, this is because hand-processed hand beasts were better for extracting value from sky beasts.

Joey had full confidence in his skills and ability to carve up and break down sky beasts and decided to try his luck.

Walking into the shop, the sound of machines could be heard in the background as you entered. The counter was grilled and you couldn't see who was on the other side.

"Hello I would like a job as a butcher here" Joey waited for a reply but he got none.

"Hell-"

I heard ya the first time why don't you get in up outta here! I ain got no time for some pretty leech" A voice boomed from behind the doors and the words caught in Joey's throat.

These words caused Joey to question himself

Pretty leech?

Am I really some pretty leech.

Joey wasn't ugly by any means.

His eyes were Ocean blue like his sister. His hair was dark grey but he never thought of himself a "pretty".

He couldn't help but find it offensive.

Maybe she hit the nail on the head.

Joey decided he needed to stop looking weak and tried again "Sir If you could just allow me the chance to work here I would be very grateful. "

Joey was hoping for some kind of reply this was the closest he has gotten without being thrown out and was reluctant to even give up this chance.

A couple of seconds later he was still waiting for a reply but none came.

He figured he was getting the silent treatment but how could he face Rayla if he was to tell her that he went out all day and get a job.

He gave his best tough-guy expression and slammed the countertop and shouted "Now you listen to me dammit!, whoever the fuck you are give me a damn job or at least gimmie a chance to show you that I'm the best goddamn butcher you have ever laid eyes on!".

Joey shouted from the top of his voice and made his point, he waited there for a minute and still no reply.

He wondered what the hell was he thinking. Demanding a job as a minor? it's like he wanted to tell everyone he was ready to be kidnapped.

Joey calmed himself and gave it his best shot.

"Cut off the head and bleed the beast, for that, we need something sharp like a barong which is right for the job.

Cut out the neck because that has a lot of meat, the breast and legs we can skin it clean and wash it in vinegar. We want the thighs so we carve it from the groin cut the wings off the back fold it but that in your vinegar as well to soak.

The back can be a little hard to clean but we can curry it and eat it with rice, the breast can be sold to a high-class restaurant. Joey waited for a response but got none"

"Do you know what beast I just carved up just now sir?, If you don't then it's ok I wouldn't want a job here either."

This was Joey's final attempt at getting a job, he left the question to the man behind the counter he waited for a reply, then he heard.

"Sky Tyke"

Joey was glad that he got a reply and made some progress. He was about to go onto the next animal when the door opened like a spaceship and a blast of cold air blew off.

"What's your name kid".

Joey stood still not expecting the person behind the door it was a middle-aged woman with brown hair in a butcher uniform.

"It's fine you don't have to gimmie your real name, give me your code name" Joey was slightly confused by this and asked.

"My deputy name?"

"What are you kid 30? whatever just give me a name kid or I'll call you whatever I want".

"Joey...My names is Joey".

"Alright kid, I have some sky beast package in the back of the warehouse, damage it and you will not leave here alive, butcher them properly and you get paid",

Face went black when she called him a kid after asking his name.

He thought he was going to have to do some outrageous test to get the job but as long as he carved up the packaged sky beast he would be able to get paid.

"Thank you, Mam"

"My name is Sina" she pushed the door further while keeping her hands in the air like a surgeon.

"Get in kid If you fail I really will kill you cause of my services to promising perfection and if you leave any blemish in the meat I have to pay them for the damage.

Joey walked in and thought that all this were just to get him to do his best but what she said after scared him.

"You think I'm joking kid I'll chop you up and process pieces of you with the dog food" she said with a chill-inducing grin.

A chill ran through Joey's spine and the door slammed shut.

He couldn't leave.