The world is cruel, the void is cruel, and I will do anything just so I and my sister survive, whatever method it takes.
"B-Brother… I am starving…" my sister muttered, as her arms to which seemed like bones shuddered as she grabbed my hand. Her orange eyes, glistening through the darkness we were currently in, yearning, hoping, and cleaning to survival.
I could hear the grumbling of her stomach, same as mine, and now… I must act, for she depends on me and me alone. And so I stood up and ventured forth to the cruel world to which awaited us in the light.
As I step into the streets of Corvus, the light pierced my skin… revealing my full appearance to all who saw me. Dirty, disgusting, and the smell of poverty reeked from my appearance… Me and my sister were rabble, cast aside into the shadows… left to die.
Yet I walked determined with a gaze full of hope, if I were not to move and act, we will surely die… and so I refuse my destiny, and move forward… for myself and for my sister.
I walked towards a restaurant… more specifically to the trash bin to which was located at it's backside. I could faintly hear the clanking of utensils, plates, and the faint laughter to which happened from within. I envied them truly… while they ate lavishly and sat upon their cushioned seats, there existed people like me… forced to scavenge from the leftover wastes. There's no use in contemplating in such things… I must focus to what I must to for the moment.
I opened the bin… rummaging through the filth, the juices of left-over food sticking through my arms as I went deeper until I could find a transparent container to which contained bread.
"Aha!"
Continue the story.
I clutched the container, the clear plastic smudged with grime but the bread inside untouched. A rare find indeed. I tucked it under my arm, scanning the alley for any lurking figures. I must return to my sister.
"Hey, you there!" A gruff voice echoed off the brick walls. I froze. A man, burly and red-faced, stormed out of the restaurant's back door. "That's my trash you're rummaging through."
I stood my ground, gripping the container tighter. "I'm not hurting anyone. Just taking what was thrown away, sir."
He scoffed, "Those are my scraps. I paid for 'em. Now hand it over."
"Please," I said, my voice steady despite the hunger gnawing at me. "My sister and I haven't eaten in days. We need this."
I begged, yet it was a common occurrence to which I had done a multiple times. Begging and Stealing… it doesn't matter what method I use, as long as we survive. Yet my begging did not work this time.
"I said give 'em to me, you little turd!" shouted the man, his face reddening with anger as he lashed out with a swift kick. His boot connected with my shin, and I crumpled to the ground, my thin legs unable to withstand the force. The container of bread tumbled from my grasp, clattering onto the pavement. Seizing the opportunity, the man swiftly grabbed it, a triumphant sneer spreading across his face. "That's what you get for messing with my property," he growled, clutching the container tightly to his chest.
I glare to the man's face in defiance as I prepared to attack him as I see a shard of glass from the ground nearby
I glared at the man's face, defiance burning in my eyes like a wildfire. My fingers twitched, ready to pounce, as I spotted a shard of glass glinting on. But no, this would be a bad idea, what if the authorities take me away? That would leave my sister alone, who will she depend on?
And so I greeted my teeth in defeat as I stood up, and returned to my sister. As I return to the dark alleyways to which we lived, I could see my sister hunched on the corner… seemingly playing with the rats. Her face turned to me as she asked, "F-Found anything good brother?" her voice gruff yet she smiled as soon as she saw me.
"Unfortunately… No…" I replied, my face filled with disappointment before I continue to say, "You seem to have found food yourself"
My sister chuckled weakly, her fingers running gently over the rough fur of one of the rats. "They're my only friends when you're not around, brother… They keep me company," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. Her smile was faint but sincere, masking the gnawing hunger behind it.
I crouched beside her, brushing a strand of tangled hair from her face. "I wish I could bring more than just hope," I muttered under my breath, the bitterness of failure clinging as I speak.
She blinked, her orange eyes wide and trusting. "Hope's enough, isn't it? We'll be fine. You always find a way." Her belief in me was unwavering, almost painfully so. The truth was far crueler than what I let her see.
I clenched my fists until my nails bit into my palms. The world didn't care about us; it didn't care about anyone too weak to fight for their scraps. Yet here she was, my sister, still clinging to a dream in this nightmare.
But I couldn't let that dream die—not yet. "I'll try again tomorrow," I promised, a lie mixed with hope. "Maybe farther into the city. They throw away more there."
She nodded, her gaze drifting up to the thin crack of sky visible from the alleyway. "Do you think… one day we'll get to eat like they do, brother? In a place with real lights and real food, not just leftovers?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't bring myself to shatter that hope, so I forced a smile instead. "One day. I'll make sure of it… you just have to trust in me, Avelyn"
Avelyn was the name of my sister. Rumors say we were children of war—our parents lost in a bloody skirmish between rival lords within the Corvus Empire. We once had shelter in an orphanage, but even that was reduced to rubble, caught in the crossfire of another lordly conflict. Now we wander upon the slums of Sector VI, scrapping through remains, trying to survive.
"Mmhm!" Avelyn hummed, her smile bright with hope and faith in me.
We lay side by side on the tattered linens, staring up at the massive barrier enclosing our sector. But our thoughts reached far beyond that wall, toward the vast and endless darkness of the void. The countless stars shimmered like distant dreams, offering a glimmer of hope that maybe… just maybe… there was more for us out there.
"What do you think it would be like, brother?" Avelyn chimed as she looked at me, "To be able to ride through ships… to be able to venture throughout the void… discovering many planets… being Free!"
I smirked as I look at Avelyn and then back to the sky before replying, "Seems like a lot of flying"
Avelyn's eyes sparkled with excitement at the thought, her imagination running wild as she leaned closer to me. "A lot of flying, yes, but think about it! No more hiding in shadows, no more rummaging through trash. We could soar above it all, see places no one else has ever seen, live a life where every day is an adventure instead of just surviving."
Her voice was soft but filled with longing, and for a moment, I could almost see it too—the two of us riding aboard a sleek starship, leaving the grime and despair of Corvus behind. The stars we always gazed at would no longer be distant, unreachable points of light; they'd be within our grasp, guiding us to a life of freedom.
Avelyn nodded eagerly, her small hands clenching into fists as if holding onto that dream with everything she had. "We will, brother. I know we will. And when we do, I'll be the best pilot there ever was! We'll explore everything—every planet, every star. We'll be free!"
I couldn't help but smile at her determination. Even in the darkest of times, she held on to that dream with a stubbornness that both inspired and worried me. Her hope was a fragile thing in a world like this, yet it was the one thing keeping us going.
The faint hum of machinery in the distance faded as the night deepened, leaving only the quiet rustle of wind and the occasional distant shout from another lost soul wandering the slums. The void above seemed endless, both terrifying and beautiful, a stark contrast to the filth we were surrounded by. But in that darkness, those stars felt like our only friends—silent witnesses to our struggles, yet always there, shimmering with the faint promise of something better.
"Alright, future pilot," I said, gently ruffling her hair, "you better get some sleep. We've got another day ahead of us, and you'll need all the energy you can get if you're going to conquer the stars one day."
Avelyn giggled, the sound soft and pure amidst the bleakness. She snuggled closer, her head resting against my shoulder as her eyes began to droop. "Goodnight, brother," she whispered, her voice already thick with sleep.
"Goodnight, Avelyn," I replied, my gaze returning to the stars. I didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but for tonight, in this small moment, her dreams were enough to keep the darkness at bay.
And as I lay there beside her, I made a silent vow to myself—I would do whatever it took to make sure we survived, even if the dream of freedom seemed impossible. Because as long as she held on to that spark of hope, I had a reason to keep fighting.