Poison City

The infamous secret dumpster of the South-Western and South-Eastern District. There was no official declaration of which district it belonged to, even though it sat on the border of the two. Neither district was willing to claim it, and for good reasons. It was a dumpster that would not be moved, and one that could not be filled. Everytime it was moved it just came back to where it was, and every time someone tried to put anything in it, they would get horrible nightmares and even paranormal injuries like scratches on their arms and handprints on their calves.

But right now, Captain Ko was standing in front of it, contemplating how to move it only so slightly that he could get something buried underneath without angering the spirit. It was already late in the afternoon, so the best time had already passed. There was still some time before the sun would set, so he still had some time.

“Now’s not the best time, you know.” Just this moment, a man in a heavy coat and with a wooden leg came limping over with a walking stick.

“Oh hi, you’ve come. I thought I lost contact with all of ya.” Captain Ko took one quick look at the slightly older, one legged man: “How are you doing, Bob?”

“Living life one step at a time. ” The man sighed. “You?”

“Not good.” Captain Ko rubbed his temples: “My wife’s gonna kill me. And I’m afraid I’m losing my precinct.”

“Good thing that those tickets of ours still work, and after I got your ping I’ve made arrangements. We should be good to go next shipment.” The one-legged man sighed: “So - you’re gonna do it? You know there’s no turning back after this.”

“Good thing we still have those tickets then.” Captain Ko took a deep breath before glancing at the sun: “Looks like we still have some sun. So the best moment will be right now.”

“You need my help?” The one-legged man reached into his expensive looking coat.

“Sure. The more the better.” Captain Ko took a deep breath.

The one-legged man pulled out two small vials. One vial was filled with condensed light yellow liquid, and the other was filled with a light pink liquid. A vial of blessed wine, and a vial of distilled blood of an uncastrated rooster.

Two streams of liquid mixed in midair and splashed on the ground in front of the cursed dumpster, while Captain Ko just laid his talismans out and stuck them onto a rope made of rice straw.

The rope was just enough for the captain to wrap around the dumpster and tie a knot to keep it fastened. The rope had already begun to turn yellow the moment he finished the knot.

“Okay, now or never, Captain.” The one-legged man pulled out some paper coins and began throwing it into the air: “Big Sister Zhu. Big Sister Zhu, we are sorry to have disturbed your slumber. Please take these monies as our tokens of apologies, and harm us not. Big Sister Zhu Big Sister Zhu, your grudge’s not with us. Please take this offering and leave us in peace.” 

Captain Ko grunted as he exerted his entire body’s strength onto the dumpster. The rusty wheels would not budge at first, but only needed a little convincing. On the ground below was a spot that was spray painted silvery gray. This was their doing. Seeing that the surface of the paint was not broken, it would be safe for him to start digging.

The earth was hardened and wet. Even with his gloves and Qi protecting his hands, a sticky, slimy and numbing chillingness still crept into his fingers, his palms and even his bones. Dark smoke invisible to the naked eye arose from the hole the deeper he dug. And eventually, before the smoke would block his sight completely and the edge of the hole reached his elbows, a silvery gray box revealed itself.

A heavy lead box, with a blessed wooden frame inside and meticulously crafted edges that made sure the tightness of the seal would not be easily compromised. And sitting on a red threaded cushion was a plastic bag, inside of which was a thin, torn book without a cover. Through the transparent plastic one could easily see arcane symbols and drawings of arrays.

Voices whispered in Captain Ko’s ears as he opened the led box to check the condition of the torn book. It was a piece of evidence they made disappear many years ago in a brutal familial murder case in the Northern District. A cursed case with cult-like ritualistic brutalism. A case, curiously to the young Captain Ko back then, powerful people in the city were pressuring him and his then partner to close and drop. And just by chance, the piece of evidence made it back in his hands.

“After this many years - you’ve finally made this decision?” The one-legged man sighed.

“Yes. Maybe.” Captain Ko sighed: “Too bad - Brooklyn is not gonna be able to help here.”

“Well, he has other preoccupations, and he’s making his own way outta here.” The one legged man chuckled: “I’d assume you would understand, right?”

“I do. And I still disagree, wholeheartedly.” Captain Ko locked the lead box and wrapped a belts around it before putting it inside a plain looking satchel: “But I guess, we all deal with loss and grief differently.”

“We’re made.” The one legged man turned and shook his head: “You better have a better escape plan.”