I was correct in thinking that the police would search for me non-stop throughout the upcoming days. Despite their perseverance, I had become a ghost through the underground and small alleys of Berlin. After three days, the pain vanished and I could walk as usual. During this time I built a small house, mostly made out of boxes, crates, and plastic. I didn't have a lot of time to find items because I had to go after the thugs and get my revenge.

For a few days, I focused my attention on surviving. I needed to get healthy before I could find clues that would lead me to their location. I was not in a hurry to get injured or have my ass beaten again and until I healed up, I couldn’t protect myself.

However, maybe by coincidence or just a hint of luck, I saw the girl that fooled me along with an old homeless guy. My first instinct was to attack her and I almost lunged at her, but keeping secrecy would be better so I hid in the last five or six meters believing it could be a trap. I spied on them for a while and I was right, she handed one hundred Deutsche marks to him and left.

Instead of following her, I decided to talk to the old man; a risk I was ready to take in order to fulfil my vengeance.

“You seem on your lasts old man,” I approached him with caution.

“Boy, if you aren’t here to lend me some coins get away,” the man wouldn’t look at me, refusing to make eye contact.

“Why should I when you have one thousand pfennings in your left pocket?”

“You’re observant, but be careful who you spy on, it could get you in trouble.”

“I didn’t come here to drag around, I want information about the girl from before and I won’t leave until getting the info.”

The old guy rubbed his fingers together, looking at me with shrewd eyes. “do you have it?” Immediately by the expression he made I understood he was asking for money. Perhaps the girl and this old smelly homeless were just related by money and nothing else.

“No, but I came with a better offer. You talk about the woman who gave you those pfennings and I won’t kill you.”

For a moment he stared at me, then let out a barking laugh at my expense.

“Do you fucking think you can kill me? Just get away before I can’t control myself.”

“And do you think a decrepit man like you can fight me?”

He stood up and rose to my height while maintaining eye contact. Before I could warn him or even swing on him, he punched me in my gut leaving me out of breath, then lifted me up and smashed my face against the stone floor.

“You are weak, little punk. Never underestimate your opponent, now go to your daddy and cry over his arms.”

My face was a huge mess and I think I lost a few teeth but that didn’t stop me from hitting his stomach and stealing his pfennings.

“Y-you little bastard, give those b-back!”

“N-Nevaa inderstamate yuo opponent. N-nuw, where is she?”

I knew he would get up and strangle me to death. Also after seeing his deadly glaze and him shutting his mouth, I ran away. I imagined he would be following me, but I managed to avoid him pretty quick.

One thing I forgot about, is that homeless people are good and cheap spies, they are everywhere and they talk for a few pfennings. I really fucked up and made more enemies than allies.

The good thing though is that I had some money to spend and It would have been useful to buy information if I hadn’t stolen it from the old man back there. Maybe I could exchange it for some goods instead.

The day was falling and the night was coming so I went to what I called home. It wasn’t the most comfortable, neither the best place for a child of just 10 years old but it was the only thing I was able to make. Also, this place was far away from the main station and nobody usually cross this part of the underground so I could perfectly hide from any intruder.

The next day I could talk better, despite having some broken teeth and continuing to misspell some words. I was really hungry so I went to grab something to eat from the garbage in the alleys, I pretty much got used to it after doing so every day. While coming back I spotted the homeless man from yesterday.

We stood looking at each other for a few seconds before I rushed back home. In the railways, just when I assumed I finally put him off, he came, grabbed and threw me on the ground.

“Fucking little shit head, did you really thought you could avoid me forever?”

I stood quietly trying to get up but he was stronger than me and I could barely breathe and move.

“Where is the money?”

“I-In...Yora A-Ass.”

“I wonder how fucking sarcastic will you be once I break your legs.”

Dark thoughts crossed my mind at that moment and I could only think about one thing:

”Kill to survive, the weak perish, the strong lives.”

Suddenly I heard some whistles coming from far. At first, I didn’t guess what that could be but later on, I remembered we were on the railways of the trains coming from Südkreuz with destination Blankenfelde. I was sure it was a train and probably I had a few minutes as the sound was getting stronger and closer.

“What the heck is that?” Asked the old homeless, releasing the pressure put on me.

“I-It’s a trian, hopa youo have god legs because you will neeeed tham.”

I sprinted in order to avoid the train, and as I have been exploring this undergrounds for days, I knew all I had to do is reach the mainline.

I imagined it wouldn’t be really far, maybe at 15 meters or less from here. Also I wanted as much as possible to avoid uninvited guests such as the police.

Just when I was about to reach it, I heard the old man screaming for help. I looked back and I saw he was stuck between one of the railway sleepers. At that moment I did one of the most stupid acts I could even think about, risking my life I went back to save the homeless man.

“B-boy, you are back, god bless you. Quick release me.”

I tried hauling him by the arms but didn’t work. Then I found out that the left bottom side of his long torn pants were the ones knotted, but there wasn’t much time left. I panicked for a moment but seconds later I chilled out and I managed to untangle it. I saved him at the price of my life when I could simply let him die, although it was my fault. After all I threatened and stole him. However nothing mattered now, the train was going to hit me and I only could see myself cut in half by it, so I closed my eyes and I waited for the moment to happen.

I personally believed I was dead until I opened my eyes I saw the old man. He saved me by knocking me sideways of the tracks. Despite our bad first meeting, maybe he wasn’t as awful as he seemed to be.

“With this, we are in peace now, I don’t want to hear anything else about you so get lost already.”

“W-wea are in pece naw.”

Both of us went different directions, thinking we wouldn’t see each other for a while. Nonetheless, I had the feeling we would meet again, perhaps as friends or enemies. One thing I was sure of, next time but I would use him to get information and throw him when he ended up being useless. After all it was impossible for me to have friends sooner or later they would betray me.