The doorknob was square instead of the usual round pebbled shape. He tried not to wonder what was behind the door. It was a distraction from the things he should be thinking about.

Chert barked a command, and he jogged to catch up. The little two-wheeled cart he was pulling made it hard to stop sometimes, but today it was light. So far. Chert directed a stranger to place something heavy in the cart, and he stifled a groan.

Chert stepped out again, no change in her pace to allow for the suddenly heavier cart. He leaned his weight into it, and got it moving at a reasonable jog eventually. Now hopefully Chert wouldn't slow down, so he could just let it ride.

For once, it almost looked like that would happen, but then she turned a corner and stopped. He leaned back to slow the cart down, manoevered it around the corner - the other citizens, of course, expecting him to go around them, and making no allowance for his difficulties. Chert moved on again, now in short hops from vendor to vendor. He sighed and plodded behind her, trying to get the speed such that he wouldn't get too far behind but at the same time didn't have to keep stopping. Getting ahead was out of the question.

Chert made no effort to ease his duties, but that consideration wasn't expected. He kept his eyes on her heels, and kept following her. He didn't know where they were going, but then, didn't care either. Chert was as likely to backtrack as to travel straight through, and they may or may not have a destination today.

He started the exercises Chert had given him to clear his mind of unneccessary thoughts, such as hoping for an easy route. They only distracted, he told himself dutifully. He was to do as Chert said, and question nothing, for questions were inefficient.

Something came into his field of view suddenly, and he jerked his head up and tried to stop the cart. Its weight, by now several times his own, shoved him forward into Chert's back.

He scrambled to pick himself up and get the cart off of Chert - he had been carried forward by the cart, but Chert had fallen in place, and now he was ahead of her. He shoved the cart backwards, and stopped it two paces behind Chert. Before he could step forward to help Chert to her feet, he was grabbed and lifted by two strangers, and carried backward, away from Chert, the cart, and his duties.

He shrieked and tried to get to Chert, but couldn't get free. He hadn't been looking in front of him, he hadn't intended, he had never intended to run her down with the cart, he had to help her up, it was his duty.