The streets were deserted. At this time on a normal day, even in winter, there would still be people around. But not today.
The cold wind blew fiercely, forcing the young man to cling tightly to his clothes. He quickened his pace, desperate to reach the end of the road. Just a few more meters and he would be home with the food he had managed to find.
He would be welcomed by his mother, younger brothers, and sisters. With what he had collected, they would be able to eat for a few more days.
The wind was unrelenting, punishing everything and everyone. His teeth chattered, his nose stung, and his exposed hands felt numb. Just a little farther.
"You there! Halt!"
A chill ran down his spine, though not from the cold. Without looking back, knowing who it probably was, he sprinted toward his house.
"Stop right now!" Voices shouted from behind him. The world seemed to spin, making him almost stumble. Nausea gripped him.
"Open the door!" he shouted as he reached the entrance. Just as he heard the click of the latch, he threw open the door and tried to close it behind him. But before he could lock it, the door was forced open from the other side.
"So you're the one who's been stealing food, huh?!" A man in heavy clothing stepped into the house, flanked by two city guards.
"N-no sir! I didn't steal anything!"
"Leif?! What's going on here?! Who are these men?!" An elderly woman stood between her son and the intruders, while frightened children huddled in the corner.
"This is the one who's been stealing from others. Do you think you can take from the rest and go unpunished?"
"That's not true!" The young man's voice was desperate. The warmth inside the house dissipated as the door remained ajar.
"Then what's in that bag?" One guard pointed at the small sack he held.
"This is food that I bought! With my own money!"
"Please, we have nothing to eat." One of the children pleaded, tears streaming down their face.
"My husband died defending the walls during the first attack. The compensation we received was pitiful. We have nothing left," the woman tried to reason, her voice trembling.
A week ago, the enemy had reached their city, slaughtering those who were still outside the walls and capturing the rest to use as slaves.
Half the city was surrounded and attacked, forcing the troops to focus their defenses there.
That was precisely what the enemy wanted. A small group had infiltrated the city; no one knew how they managed it. The higher-ups had hastily conscripted commoners for a day or two to bolster the defenses due to a shortage of soldiers.
On the night of the second day, while all attention was directed at the enemy outside the wall, the infiltrators struck from behind.
The woman's husband had been crucial in alerting others to the attack before he was killed. Because of his bravery, the enemy had been neutralized before they could breach the gates.
"You're not the only one going through tough times! I've lost someone too… Damn it! Guards, take this boy away! He's been stealing food, and I don't have time for this."
This was the signal for the children to rush to their older brother, shouting angrily at the approaching guards.
"Move out of the way or you'll be taken with him!"
"Please don't hurt them!" The old woman pleaded but was roughly shoved aside by the stronger man.
"Ugh... Ahh." She fell to the ground, crying out in pain.
"I'll kill you!" Seeing the soldiers assaulting his mother, the young man shouted, lunging at one of them. The sack of food tumbled to the floor. He threw punches and kicks, but his efforts were futile. A single solid punch was enough to knock him unconscious.
The children tried to fight back but were easily repelled.
The guards left with the unconscious boy and the lighter sack of food, leaving the shattered family behind in the cold.
An hour later, the boy awoke to cold water splashing on his face.
"Good morning, sunshine." He frantically looked around, disoriented. He was in a small, stark room, sitting on a chair with his hands bound.
In front of him, two soldiers were laughing.
"Hahahaha…"
"Man... hahaha... I love when they wake up like this…"
"What... I-I didn't steal anything, I swear!"
"Ohhh hahaha, he's still denying it," the soldiers laughed harder.
"Stop! My family needs me! I'm the only one who can bring them food! Please, please…"
"Shut up. If you think you can talk your way out of this, you're wrong. You are a criminal caught red-handed stealing food. As you may know, we're going through tough times, and our food production is nonexistent."
"Now tell me, when the entire city is struggling to save food, what happens to someone who tries to take it all?"
"But I paid for that food! All our money went into getting just a small bag, enough for a few days!"
"Haha... You see, we were the ones who caught you, and it's up to my brother and me to decide your fate. Hey brother, my memory isn't great, so could you help me remember what was in that bag?"
"Hehe, a full piece of meat, some vegetables…"
"What!? That's bullshit!" The boy shouted, his face red with anger.
"…Bread and fruits," the soldier continued, ignoring the young man's cries. "That's quite a bit, don't you think? I believe it's enough to sentence you to death."
"Yeah, I agree." The soldiers spoke casually, as if they weren't discussing the possibility of the boy's death.
"P-P-please…"
"What? I didn't hear you."
"Hahaha, speak louder for fuck's sake."
The boy was visibly pale and trembling. "Please... Don't kill me…"
"Did he just say 'don't kill me'?" One soldier looked at the other.
"I think so, yeah... Hahahahaha." Both laughed again.
"Boy, let me explain this clearly. Normally, theft wouldn't warrant a death sentence or banishment. But these are not normal times. Our food stocks are dwindling, and we can't replenish them."
"Please! I'll do anything, just don't kill me!"
"Hmmm, what do you think?"
"Well... He said he'd do anything, so..." One soldier nodded to the other.
"Okay then. You have two options. First, your death is inevitable. You're a dead man." The soldier said, seeing the hope rise in the boy's eyes, only to be crushed as tears spilled down his face.
"Now, back to your options. The first is for your body to be buried. The second is for you to go up the wall and protect the city from the enemy advance."
Leif, overwhelmed by despair and injustice, looked back at the soldier. He thought his choices were how he would die.
"I... I don't understand…"
*sigh* "Let me explain again. On one hand, you die. On the other, you die, but instead of being buried or burned, you become a soldier and help us protect the city and everyone you love."
The room was cold, the window and door shut tight. The fireplace was unlit. He understood the gravity of their words. It was the only chance to stay alive. At that moment, he stopped caring about hunger, fear, or cold.
"I'll go with the second option."
"Great! Hahaha! Now, what's your name?" One of the soldiers asked as the other untied him.
"Leif, sir."
"Come, let me introduce you to your new job, now a real and dignified one." He followed the two soldiers outside, surprised to see they were right by the outer wall.
Numerous soldiers, archers, scouts, and helpers were stationed there, ready to respond if the enemy attempted another breach of the first line of defense.
"Come on, move." He was led to another building a few meters away.
"Go inside and introduce yourself to your commander. From now on, you'll follow his orders." After knocking on the door, both soldiers left Leif standing there.