CHAPTER II.

  “Leah!”

  “Bro, what the fu—Alex?”

  “Firo?” asked Alexander. Firo placed the lantern on the floor, ran to him, knelt before him, and held his shoulders.

  “What happened?”

  “Firo, you’re alive!” Alexander pulled him into a hug. Firo ruffled his hair.

  “So you are tryna kill me in your dreams. Sounds like that Leah girl was killin you though. Not that I’m surprised a girl would manhandle you.” Firo smirked.

  “Ugh, shuddup!” Alexander playfully placed his hands around his neck and shook him. “I would strangle you if you weren’t my cute little brother.” Firo held his hands up, still smirking. “And I guess I owe you one, unless I want everyone to know about what just happened.” Firo looked shocked.

  “Alex, I’m hurt! What type of person do you think I am?”

  “A jerk.” Both laughed this time.

  “Point taken, but my request isn’t all that unreasonable.”

  “And what would that be?” Firo mischievously grinned.

  “Let’s go to the Cave of the Macabre tonight.” Alexander stopped. He inhaled deeply. He sighed. He squeezed the bridge of his nose.

  “Lemme sleep so I can go back to my nightmare.”

  “Come on!” Firo opened the door and let in the fresh air of the forest. “We live on a gigantic, verdurous planet filled with magic.” Firo spread his arms out.

  “Do you even know what ‘verdurous’ means?” Firo put his arms down.

  “Shuddup. It sounded cool, and it’s a line from House Love Lane Nine. Now—” Firo spread his arms out again. “Don’t you wanna see the magic of this world?”

  “You wanna know the magical thing about caves, including this one?”

  “What?”

  “You don’t have to go caving.” Firo rolled his eyes.

  “Don’t you wanna be one of the few to find out what’s down in that cave?” Alexander looked solemnly at him.

  “You’re not still thinkin about the phoenix feather, are you?” Firo’s face dropped, and he looked at the floor. “It’s a myth. We dunno if that feather is real or not. If it’s supposed to be at the end of the cave, no one’s ever been there, or at least no one’s ever claimed to. Tons of people try goin down it every year. They reach varyin depths before turnin back. There’s many more who never get to turn back.” Firo gulped. “There’s been no evidence of the feather anywhere else in that cave. If that cave doesn’t end up killin us, dad will once he finds out.”

  “That’s exactly why we need to do this now before dad returns.” Alexander and Firo were members of the Tribal Village of Heace, a colony of the Kingdom of Netherwyn. Netherwyn did not conscript Heaceans but did tax Heace as a whole. The more Heaceans soldiers volunteered to fight for Netherwyn, the less the tax burden was. Their father Abraham Greenwood was a Heacean soldier who fought for Netherwyn, and she recently deployed all forces loyal to her to quell a rebellion. Abraham and others were slated to return soon. Alexander crossed his arms.

  “Is it because of mom?” Firo hesitated for a moment before nodding. “I don’t get what the rush is. She’s with Sin now. This isn’t the last time dad’s gonna be deployed. We also wouldn’t be the first ones who try to get the phoenix feather from that cave either. They didn’t succeed, so I dunno why us kids would have better luck. I still wouldn’t wanna go, but maybe in a few years we can. But—”

  “What if—what if Sin isn’t real?” Alexander’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry—like, what if she’s just in a void of nothingness? Or worse, somewhere she doesn’t wanna be? What if she’s scared? Don’t you wanna get her back as soon as possible if there’s a chance?” Alexander stared at him for a moment before looking at the ceiling, closing his eyes, and remembering the day his mother died.

  “What do you mean you’re not goin to give my mom any more stonebreaker?” yelled Firo in Heacean. He was six then and ran toward the attending physician with his little feet before Alexander held him back. “Let me go!”

  “Stop, Firo!” Alexander’s eyes were watery. Abraham had his back to them, standing beside his wife lying on a bed. She struggled to breathe. Most of her body had turned to stone. She had been scavenging for mushrooms to treat Firo’s cold a few weeks ago when an anadusa bit her and injected poison into her. That poison began the process of petrifying her body. There were many aspects to treating petrification, but there was little chance of survival without a certain medication: stonebreaker. The ingredients were rare. She said she wanted to fight her battle in Heace even though Heace had no stonebreaker to speak of, but Abraham and his family were allowed to use some Netherwynian hospitals by virtue of his service to Netherwyn. Those hospitals had stonebreaker, so he convinced her to go to one. This one, whose attending physician just said it was discontinuing her injections. Some security guards ran into the room, but the physician stopped them.

  “Please. These young Heacean boys have just heard some very troubling news,” said the physician, looking at them through his glasses and speaking in Imperium. Firo spoke none of it, but Abraham and Alexander spoke much of it.

  “What’d he say?” asked Firo, looking around him, and Alexander whispered into his ear. Abraham turned from the bed now.

  “Dr. Amideus, my children love their mother. I love my wife. Why are you discontinuing her injections?” Dr. Amideus took out a cigarette and lit it.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Greenwood, but we have no choice.” Dr. Amideus shook his head as he began to smoke the cigarette. “Stonebreaker is an exceedingly expensive medication. Your military service has granted you and your family the privilege of using our hospitals, and our government pays for it to a limit. You’ve already exceeded that limit some time ago, and, of course, you do not have the means of paying on your own.” The brothers gasped as their father bowed his head to the floor.

  “Please! She wanted to stay in our homeland. If I had known, I wouldn’t have brought her here, and it’s too late to bring her back now. This is all my fault!”

  “Well, yeah, no one asked you to come to this country,” interjected a security guard. Dr. Amideus placed a finger in front of the security guard’s mouth.

  “Shush, you. Mr. Greenwood, I understand what you are saying, but we are not a charity. Doctors like me need to get paid. Security guards like them need to get paid. Nurses need to get paid. No one works here for free. We couldn’t function if everyone started freeloading off of us. Now, I say that, but we’ve actually been quite charitable to you. We could’ve kicked you and your wife out onto the streets when the government stopped paying for her treatment, but we allowed you to spend your final moments with her here. But we just cannot waste anymore stonebreaker. I’m sorry.”

  “Would you be saying that if that was your mother there?” Abraham turned and looked at Alexander with a shocked expression.

  “Alex!” Dr. Amideus’ calm expression slipped, and he spat in Alexander’s face.

  “Keep my mother’s name out of your mouth, you filthy heagot.” Abraham charged at him, but the security guards tackled him to the ground and battered him. Dr. Amideus received a syringe with sedatives from a nurse and injected it into him.

  “Dad!” screamed Alexander.

  “Alex? Alex. Alex!” exclaimed Firo, who leaned into him. “You spaced out.”

  “Oh. Uhh, sorry.” Alexander exhaled slowly and softly. “If it’ll make you feel better, we can go.” Firo’s face lit up. “But you better do everythin I say! If I decide it gets too dangerous at any point, we come right away. No arguments. Do I make myself clear?” Firo straightened up his back and placed his hand over his heart.

  “Yes, sir!”

  “Good. Let’s mosey.”

  The brothers prepared themselves for the excursion. Heace’s climate was hot and humid, but they packed multiple layers of clothing into their backpacks for caving. Firo also brought the most recent map of the tunnels and a pen. They ventured out toward the Cave of the Macabre. It was an uneventful night until they heard something that sounded like a continuous fart ripping through the air.

  “Yep. That’s a Giggletwink,” said Firo, pointing to something in the sky.

  Alexander closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose.

  “Sin, help us.” The Giggletwink barreled toward the brothers, landed on the ground, and transformed from its uWu form.

  “Hewoo! Do mwy ewyes de-de-de-de-decweive mwe? Awex? Fiwo?” The Giggletwink jumped into Alexander’s arms and rubbed his face on his abs. Alexander patted the Giggletwink on the back, and the Giggletwink howled an elongated, high-pitched “uWu” before being shushed.

  “It’s good to see you too, Pepe Bootyjuice, but would you keep your voice down? We don’t wanna draw attention out here,” said Alexander. Pepe nodded furiously.

  “Mwe use inswide vwoices now.” Pepe waddled to Firo and did the same thing. “Mwe wuv you two swo much. Mwe wud dwie if anyfing happened to you two.” Pepe started sobbing. Alexander and Firo looked at each other as Firo rubbed Pepe’s back, and Alexander shrugged. “What you two dowing out this wate?”

  “Uhh, sightseeing,” said Firo. “What are you doing out this wait—I mean, late?”

  “Me hungwy. Me need num nums. But me wuv sight seewing!” Pepe clasped his tiny hands over his mouth, and the brothers groaned. “Sowwy. But can mwe jwoin you? Pwetty pwease?” Alexander shook his head. Pepe pouted and sniffled.

  “Sorry, man. We’ll hang out together next time.” Alexander rubbed the back of his head before smiling and giving a thumbs up. Howls permeated through the air.

  A pack of shadowfangs approached the trio. “To have a foot race with a shadowfang was to end up with a fang in your foot.” That was a popular Heacean saying, and Alexander and Firo did not run.

  “I wanted to avoid this. We have no choice,” said Alexander. Pepe looked between the shadowfangs and the brothers. He shuddered at the luminescent eyes of the shadowfangs. He shuddered more at the cold eyes of the brothers. Firo’s eyes in particular looked vengeful. Even the shadowfangs stopped in their tracks.

  “Nyoo! You two too pwetty to wook wike mweanies! Mwe wiww pwotect you with the powew of wuv!” Pepe transformed back into his uWu form and flew toward the shadowfangs before the brothers could grab him.

  “Stop!” shouted the brothers in unison, but it was too late. Pepe crop-dusted the shadowfangs, who transformed into their flying form and chased after him.

  “Shit,” cursed Firo. Alexander placed an arm in front of him. “But—”

  “I wouldn’t underestimate Pepe. He has some of the most recon experience as a Giggletwink. That’s why he was even out here at night for ‘num nums.’ Let’s put some faith into him.” Firo nodded.

  The brothers arrived at the Cave of the Macabre and put on the extra layers of clothing from their backpacks. Only proficient magic users were advised to enter it. The tunnels were claustrophobic and deep. There were no viable options for light sources for anyone aiming for the end. Cavers had to resort to using their magic, which usually involved using consciousness to manipulate matter. But consciousness needed to permeate through that matter before manipulating it, and permeation was all that was needed here. Many people were unable to use magic because they were unable to perform the basic step of permeating their consciousness through matter. It was secondhand to Heacean boys. Firo placed his pen into a pocket, taking care not to let his brother see it. The brothers left their backpacks outside the entrance.

  “Please protect us, mom,” said Alexander, closing his eyes and clapping twice. Firo looked at him before mimicking that and flashing back to his mother.

  “Dearie, you haven’t touched your soup. Why the long face?” Firo had a cold that day, and Alexander and Abraham were out doing farmwork.

  “Mommy, it’s called resting bitch face, and I’m sensitive about it.” She sighed and rolled her eyes.

  “Language, mister. And I know my own son well enough to know when something’s up. So what’s wrong?”

  “Nothin,” answered he, awkwardly shoveling soup into his mouth before she softly enveloped her hand around his.

  “You know I won’t stop until I get to the bottom of this.” She smiled firmly.

  “It’s . . . complicated.”

  “We have time.” She rubbed his hands.

  “Wellll, remembah last week when Alex and I were goin to Ezekiel’s house for a sleepover?” She furrowed her eyebrows.

  “Yes. Your father and I had to go to Sylphstag, and Maple and Ezekiel agreed to look after you and your brother after he accompanied his mother there. You two were supposed to go straight to their house.” Sylphstag was the capital of Heace, and it was hosting a dance for officers of the Tribal Council and their husbands. Ezekiel was called the prodigy of Heace. By tradition, Heacean males always accompanied Heacean females when they traveled long distances, so Ezekiel had to travel with his mother. His father was dead, he had no brothers, and Maple was his older sister.

  “We maaay have been runnin a bit late because I wanted to take a swim.” He looked down at the table. What he said was not untrue, but it was also not the whole truth. Alexander also wanted to do that.

  “Firo, you didn’t! You know how Heace gets more dangerous the darker it gets.”

  “W—I lost track of time. It was light out when we left the pond, but it got dark as we went to the Roosevelt household.” She tapped her fingers on her shoulders.

  “And what was your big brother doing?”

  “Just . . . followin my lead. We ended up gettin surrounded by shadowfangs.” She gasped, slammed her hands on the table, and stood.

  “What? Why is this the first I’ve heard of this? Does your father know?”

  “No. . . . I mean, it would be funny if we only told dad but not you all this time.”

  “Firo, this is not funny! You and your brother could have died!”

  “Uhh, heh. Yeah, I’m sorry. I was bein an idiot.” He looked down at his hands and twiddled his thumbs.

  “Firo, you are a child. You are not an idiot. Dad and I are the adults. We should have taken you to the Roosevelts ourselves.” He shook his head.

  “We promised to make it easier on you by goin there ourselves, so you’d have more time to prepare for the dance. I broke your trust. I’m sorry.” She sighed again.

  “How did you fight off the shadowfangs? I didn’t see any injuries on you.”

  “Alex told me to run away. That he’d create an openin for me and keep them busy. He said he wanted me to go get help. I knew it was just a ploy to get me to safety. By the time I found anyone, it’d be too late.” He began to cry, and she went right to his side. “I told him I didn’t wanna go. That I wanna stay by his side if this was the last time I’d eva get to see him. We might’ve had a chance if we fought together, but he said I was bein an idiot. That there was no sense in both of us dyin. I said it should be me then, and he slapped me. He said big brothers were the ones who were supposed to do the protectin. They surrounded us before we knew it, and I looked into the eyes of those shadowfangs. I didn’t know what came over me, but I ran. I ran. I left my big brother behind.” He was inconsolable.

  “How . . . how did you and Alex survive this?”

  “Ezekiel. He’d gotten back after droppin his mother off in Sylphstag. Maple had gone out lookin. He found her, and she told him about us bein late. He found us just in time. He’s . . . he’s a god. He’s so cool. One moment, shadowfangs were surroundin us. The next, he flew in and landed in front of us. He placed his hand on the ground, and, in an instant, these spikes came out from the ground and impaled each shadowfang. Not just anywhere. Through their brains, with pinpoint precision.” She placed a hand over her mouth. “He saved our lives. But,” continued he, with a faraway look in his eye, “it still doesn’t change the fact that I left my brother to die.” She sat in the chair next to his and leaned toward him with her arms on her legs.

  “This may not be my place to say as a Heacean female. Heacean females are expected to make all the political decisions of our tribe, while Heacean males are expected to defend us with their lives. Heacean females are taught the arts and the sciences, while Heacean males are taught the art of war and the science of battle. I get to sit comfortably on the Tribal Council because you all are there to protect me. So maybe it’s a bit na?ve for me to say this.” She placed her hands over his. “But there is nothing wrong with loving yourself.” She walked over to her drawer, pulled out a pen, and gave it to him. “Go on. Take it. This is to remind you that Sin created you with a body and a brain. You need to use both. Understand?”

  “Firo, we hafta focus now,” said Alexander, bringing him back to reality. Firo took out the map he had brought, and they discussed their planned route. “Ready?”

  “Let’s go.” The brothers walked forward toward the entrance to the Cave of the Macabre, peering into the tight tunnels, and entered it.

  The brothers began crawling through the tunnels, which were pitch-black. They could only sense what was around them through magic. It was uncomfortable, but adult cavers had even more difficulty than they due to their sizes. A loose rock dislodged from the roof as they were crawling on their hands and knees, and Firo moved his left leg just in time, but not without a yelp.

  “Careful! There’s lotsa loose rocks here,” began Alexander, looking over his shoulder. “They could break somethin if they hit you when you’re not expectin it.”

  “Yeah.” Cavers who were not adept at magic also had to worry about rocks immobilizing them. Magic may be used to destroy rocks, but it was general knowledge that magic was to be used sparingly in a cave, lest the structure be so irrevocably altered as to result in a cave-in. They approached an area called the corkscrew, where the roof was so close to the floor they had to crawl on their stomachs slowly.

  “This makes me wish we weren’t wearin all these clothes,” said Firo.

  “I know, but we don’t have much of a choice. It gets colder the deeper you get. We also don’t have to worry about gettin scratched up with them on.”

  The brothers contorted their bodies into unnatural positions to make their way through the corkscrew, and make their way they did. They proceeded farther into the tunnels before coming upon their next obstacle: the rump. The rump was a rock formation jutting out from the floor from their side of approach. The roof was low to the floor too. The rump dropped precipitously on the other side. These factors required the brothers to crawl backwards on their stomachs. Firo went first this time. His lower half got up and over the rump just fine, but the back of his right foot got stuck on a crevice during his descent. His upper half was still slumped over the rump, and the more he attempted to dislodge his foot, the more it got stuck.

  “Shit! I think my foot’s stuck.”

  “Calm down! Do you have any room to maneuver at all?”

  “Not really! A rock’s really diggin into my shin. It hurts like hell. Fuck!” Another rock dislodged and fell onto his right foot, causing immense pain. “Oww, oww, oww, oww! Alex, move forward. I’mma hafta blast the rock off me.” Alexander naturally could not see what was happening but sensed the precariousness of his brother’s position and did as he was told.

  “I should be far enough!” Just as Alexander said that, Firo broke the rock holding his foot in place. A person could control magic better by channeling it through the hand than through the foot or any other body part, but Firo did exercise significant control of the magic emanating from his foot. The rocks holding in his right foot broke. However, large portions of the wall and even the rump broke off. He fell with those rocks down the other side.

  “Firo!”

  The Freehaven Post released the following article earlier that day. Freehaven was the capital of the Empire of Liberty.

  “PRESIDENT STRESSES MUSCULAR FOREIGN POLICY.

  ISAACMAN A. HOHENZOLLERN, 16TH PRESIDENT OF THE EMPIRE OF LIBERTY, spoke in Magalaga, Liberty, at an Imperial Party dinner where in attendance were many high-ranking officials, including the Vice President, and Jacobius G. Hohenzollern, son of the President. ‘One-hundred-fifty-four years ago, our forefathers seceded from the United Empires and founded a nation whose mission it was to promote liberty across the world. Over the last nineteen years of my administration and the twenty years of my father’s administration before mine, I am happy to say that we have come much closer to accomplishing that mission and liberating all the peoples of this world from totalitarian regimes.’ After a raucous round of applause, it was time for the President to address his political foes. ‘Many on the other side suggest we should be more tolerant of those totalitarian regimes. Better yet, some say we should even learn from them. As though tyrants have something to teach freemen. Let me be clear. We do not bow to any duke, king, emperor, or high emperor—or high empress. Aren’t you glad we seceded?’ quipped the President with his Western Libertarian charm to uproarious laughter. ‘We bow only to Hebron in our houses of worship. We also stand against tyrannical majorities like those in Ajibaba. Those so-called Fellsharists seek to steal from the rich to give to the poor. We are a nation who has earned everything and been given nothing, and we know that a nation built upon stealing can be no nation at all.’ President Hohenzollern ended his speech to a standing ovation, and the only disappointment from the audience was that, having been elected to four terms, only the third in history to do so, he is ineligible for reelection. Many had believed Vice President Grimshaw to be next in line until two months ago when President Hohenzollern endorsed his son, who has neither governmental nor military experience. Many were skeptical about such an endorsement, as that would make the last three incumbents of the highest office of that nation from the same family, a seeming dynasty in a nation that abhors monarchy. When asked about the endorsement, Vice President Grimshaw said, ‘Jacobius is a good friend and a Hebron-fearing man. I intend to vote for him, and I hope the good people of this nation do too.’ He may indeed need all the votes he can get, as polls show the Union Party candidate Carter K. Gent surging.’”

  “The Prince of El Diablo?” The mob back in the Grotto was whispering amongst itself. The General Secretary covered his face with his hand and laughed.

  “I presume the boy suppressing the Prince’s magic is the Unicabeza candidate. So tell me. How exactly did we come to this state of affairs?” Alejandro recounted a lot of what he had told the Unicabeza earlier. “So Leonardo is one of those aristocrats who wants to see what it’s like to be underprivileged for a day before returning to a life of luxury. He’ll probably tell all his friends that he knows what it’s like to be poor now.” Many in the mob booed Leonardo, but the response was more subdued than earlier. Vivian tugged at her mother’s mantle, and she looked a lot more apprehensive about being there with her child compared to a few minutes ago. Judah looked awkwardly around him. “And of course he goes out of his way to help an Ajibaban. Look at all of us.” The General Secretary pointed his finger and turned in a circle. “Do you think he would’ve helped you if you were dying on the side of the road? This is the first time the pretty boy’s seen true suffering, and he doesn’t help out his own countrymen. He helps out an immigrant! The King has taught his bastard son well.” Even with magical suppression, Leonardo’s eyes widened.

  “His features are a bit unusual for a Santean,” whispered someone in the mob.

  “Yes. I’ve seen the Crown Prince. He looks nothing like him.”

  “The King eloped with a Heacean?” That was the rumor surrounding Leonardo, who knew nothing about it. Vivian’s mother now held her daughter.

  “Mommy, what are they tawking abwout?”

  “Pay them no mind, honey.”

  “Comrades, you need not worry. The Prince’s life will be spared. I shall personally reeducate him.” The General Secretary’s mouth was almost watering. “I shall break him and take away his individuality. He will be rebuilt into a Fellsharist who uses his privilege to spread the cause across the planet. He will become a tool to fight against his family’s oppression.” Leonardo’s eyes looked dimly again. “But him,” continued the General Secretary, pointing at Udo. “He is a symbol of everything wrong with the Ironscar Kingdom today. He is a leech that drinks from the blood of our people. His life will be used to show the King that we the people shall no longer stand for this invasion of our homeland! Give me my sword.”

  “No!” cried Udo. The eyes that looked upon Leonardo with sympathy bore none for him. Leonardo attempted to reach out his hand, but it fell to his side just as soon. A member of the Unicabeza knelt before the General Secretary and presented a long box to him. He opened it, and inside was a sword whose golden handle was adorned with jewels of the finest water. He grabbed it into his hand. He was led to him, kicking and screaming, and was forced to kneel in front of him. He pointed the tip of the sword toward his neck as the mob cheered for his execution. Judah rubbed his temple.

  “Any last words? Even you deserve that.” There was a long silence.

  “Make Cynthia get mercy for una soul.” The General Secretary rolled his eyes. He lifted his sword and brought it down. A pillar jutted out from the cobblestone in front of him and deflected his sword. It came from Leonardo, who had placed down his hand as Alejandro held his hand in apparent pain. He then grabbed his sword and ran toward Udo. The General Secretary jumped away. Udo collapsed into his arms. The Unicabeza prepared to attack.

  “Stand back, and stand by,” ordered the General Secretary, placing an arm out and whispering into the masked female’s ear.

  “How the hell you lose control of him?” asked the masked male. Alejandro winced as his hand dripped with blood and blood dripped from Alexander’s teeth.

  “He bit me! He bit me like a pip!”

  “This actually works out perfectly,” began the General Secretary, smiling and baring his teeth. “The prince longs to be a hero. For an Ajibaban, no less.” For the first time in awhile, Leonardo spoke, his throat raw and his voice gravelly.

  “T-take me, but let him go.” Udo shook his head and hugged him tighter.

  “And where would be the fun in that? You want to be a hero, and here is your chance. You leave the Ajibaban—”

  “Udo.”

  “What?”

  “His name is Udo.”

  “How dare you talk back to the General Secretary, you privileged little shithead!” screamed the masked male, who had stood. “First Comrade, I’ll deal—” The General Secretary placed out his arm.

  “It is fine. Alright, then. You leave the ‘Udo’ in the middle over there. If you win, you and he get to leave scot-free. If I win, he dies, and you become my slave to do with as I please. That is, if you are alive by the end of this.”

  “Nah. You’re crazy if ya think I’mma let him away from me for a second. We are not interested in playin games with ya.”

  “Oh? Well, I am not sure you have much of a choice.” Just as the General Secretary said that, a thud emanated down the streets, and Alejandro fell face-first onto the cobblestone. Blood pooled from the back of his head, urine pooled from his trousers, and his body twitched. The masked female dropped a rock. Judah placed his hand into his trouser pockets and gripped the seventeen hundred gebaros, about the value of a month’s food. Gebaros were coins and served as the national currency of the Ironscar Kingdom. He owed them all to Leonardo, who shook with rage.

  Earlier that night, Judah sat against a wall and smoked a cigarette.

  It was just another day in the Grotto when he saw something that just did not fit. A boy wearing the finest fineries walked through the alleyway, looking at everything as though he had never seen poverty before. He reached into the back of his pocket and grabbed the hilt of his dagger, ready to pounce.

  “Uhh, excuse me. Do you know where—” Judah pounced on the boy, holding the dagger to his neck as he lay on his back.

  “Today ain’tcha lucky day. Don’tcha even try anythin funny if you wanna make it out alive.” Judah grinned, but that grin quickly went away.

  “Good. I’d be betta off dead.”

  “Wha—?”

  “I’m part of the reason you’re livin like this. My life’s in your hands. Take it, if you want,” said the boy lifelessly, crying silently.

  “Shut it!” Judah gulped. “I ain’t gonna kill ya if I dun hafta. I just want whatever money ya have.” He reached his hands and rummaged through his front pockets. No gebaros. He even rummaged through his coat pockets. “The fuck?”

  “Uhh . . . shit. I forgot ta bring some money.” Judah’s stomach grumbled.

  “You’re kiddin me!” Judah’s face reddened before he turned him onto his stomach and rummaged through his back pockets. He felt muscles but no gebaros. He released him and crashed out against a wall. “Just . . . just go! Hebrihn. Why’s my luck like this?” The boy sat, holding his knees against his chest, not running away. “Hey, kid. Not for nothin, but you don’t gotta put the weight of the world on your shoulders. It don’t make not no nevermind how we was born. All that matters is what we do with our lives.” The boy stared blankly before standing and taking off his shirt. “Wh-what the hell ya doin?” sputtered he, his face reddened again.

  “Here. It’s not much, but you can probably sell it for somethin. Name’s Leonardo by the way.” Judah hesitated to take it, so he threw it into his arm and began walking away. He stood and threw the shirt at him.

  “Fuck you!” shouted Judah, breathing heavily. “I’m Judah! I ain’t your charity case! Don’t you look down on me!” Leonardo stopped, looked back, and wryly smiled.

  “If that’s your concern, just tell people you fucked me up badly and robbed me. And thanks for that.” Judah was speechless, and Leonardo walked away.