Her shoulder checked another as she passed; a mere grunt of annoyance was given by the injured party before they skulked on with the crowd. Her reaction was much the same.
Gale was never much of a smoker, but there were occasions in which she dabbled. It gave a distinct memory of her father as she was growing up, of a man with his long tobacco pipe gently blowing rings from it. There was no pipe or ring now however, merely the quickly dying cigarette and thin wisps escaping from its glowing end. She inhaled, held it in her mouth, and then gave a spluttering cough.
Gale was never much of a smoker. Dropping the ragged end, she snubbed it out with her boot before continuing on.
The worn tin toolbox was slung across her, rope strap digging into her shoulder while the weighty innards clattered loudly. She nudged her way past a slower pedestrian, muttering under her breath about holding up the street. Her left hand gave a few taps to the base of the toolbox, dirty nails smudging the already tarnished surface.
It was the process of mentally steeling herself to deal with them; to play the game of being civil while gathering the resources for her trade. Steel mills, iron refineries and the smelting industry were the group she was appealing to today – though she imagined the usual transaction and discussion would occur.
”We could always do with another in the mills. Someone who knows what they are doing. What say you boy? Are you sure? Surely it would make your father proud to be part of something so grand! Final answer?”
She frowned. It was all false, merely attempts to bring another pawn under their control; reality was that the Galdori did not care and would say anything to their enslaved citizens to get what they wanted.
Another shoulder hit her this time, enough to strike across the torso and make her brace. The rest of her twisted, rope jerking around her form and growing taut. She snarled, ”OI! Watch where you’re walking!”
She saw the meaty hand attached to the larger form. Beady eyes stared at her, before it firmly yanked at it again. Her own hands snatched at it then, pulling firmly back. He was definitely bigger than her, the heavy breathing escaping as the altercation continued, ”Just give it to me boy.”
The rest of his form was twisted out of sight, his right arm disappearing behind his massive frame. She dug her heels in, arm grasping around his wrist as he pulled, ”Get the fuck off.”
“Give it.”
She internally groaned.
Gritting her teeth, her shoulders squared up to his as she tried to pry the hand away. Around them the crowd continued on, heads down as they trudged through the smog filled air. It seemed the entire altercation was invisible to their eyes, ”Make me.”
“I’ll cut you. Now give it.”