Pull Request

Known to his contacts as a scavenger and mercenary, Vulture thinks of himself as a historian. He delves into the remains of the dead and restores their lives piece by piece. While others spend their time digging up old crockery and arguing about the lives of people they’ll never meet, Vulture learns about people he shared a city with. Each contract he takes to recover some implant is an opportunity to learn the story of another life that only he will know. And to make a little money. No one pays for family recipes or funny anecdotes after all. They have value to him though. These secrets that would never even be looked for otherwise. Secrets that he knows, one day, he might take to his grave.

Originally written for the January 2025 Royal Road Community Magazine, prompt: Dead men tell the best tales, but unfortunately couldn't make the deadline.