EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO

I run through the streets, weaving through the crowd of people in front of me, a large loaf of bread held tightly in my hand. I bump into more than a few people and while they shoot me looks of anger and annoyance they mostly let me be. Behind me is the sound of multiple footsteps as the city's guards chase after me, shouting for me to stop as they do so.

I almost laugh to myself as I run. Are they really so stupid to think that I will really stop and just give up my hard-earned… no, hard-stolen bread? Only to receive a beating and be detained in a cell for a few days while wallowing in hunger before finally being carted off to that terrible orphanage? They will have to catch me first before that can happen.

I glance back to see a red-faced guard glaring at me as he runs, his expression one that says he won't give up until he has me in his hands. That is Dorun, the most dedicated guard I have ever seen to date. I heard that he was once a promising soldier in the army until he did something stupid and ended up being posted as a city guard. According to the rumors, if he can do this well enough he just might be accepted back into the army. He is the only reason I am unsure whether or not my little heist will be successful. The other guards will most likely soon give up on chasing me but he definitely will not. I will have to find a way to hide from him.

A layout of the Poor District, with all its nooks and crannies, appears in my mind as I try to figure out a way to get rid of Dorun. Soon I have the basics of a plan. I run forward and dart into one of the many smaller 'paths' that could be found in the Poor District. I chose this for one simple reason: to those not familiar with the Poor District, these smaller paths connect in ways that make them akin to a maze as they pass between buildings, backyards, and other non-conventional places. Dorun seems like someone from East Cherub, if I want to lose him, the best way would be by following these smaller paths.

Soon I dart into another path that brings me out of Dorun's sight for a very short period. But I know this is not enough. In my head, I have already figured out the path to take to lose him and I begin putting my plan into action. I rush through the paths taking corners left and right as though with no purpose and using any obstacle I can find to slow Dorun down, even if just for a second. Slowly but surely I begin to be out of his sight more often than I was within sight of him. I smile to myself, soon he will have nothing to chase.

Feeling elated at the thought that I am basically within reach of my goal, I turn the last corner and feel my heart drop. In front of me is a wagon containing various agricultural goods and which more importantly, blocks the path in front of me, ensuring that there is no way for me to continue along my current path. To get past the wagon I would undoubtedly have to make some, if not all its goods topple. If that were to happen, forget Dorun, even the merchant would be more than happy to beat me up before handing me over to Dorun for a second round. And to go back is basically impossible as I would run into Dorun.

In a dilemma, I stop just as uncertainty sets in. What am I to do now? For a brief moment, I consider turning around and tussling with Dorun, but I quickly dismiss the idea. After that incident, it is not improbable for me to maybe match Dorun's strength, but the consequences of fighting a city guard were far more severe than I would like. And besides, while one man might not be able to hold me down, two were more than enough to do the job. And if I fought him, more were sure to join.

My heart clenches as I imagine Dorun getting closer and closer with each passing second that I stand here. What to do, what to do? I look around frantically, trying to find something, anything that I can use to escape safely.

But I can see nothing. On my left is a dilapidated building that had been abandoned long ago and I quickly abandon the notion of hiding in there. The moment Dorun turns the corner and does not see me, the first thing he is going to do is check the building. The rest of the buildings are rundown residential buildings with the only shop being at the end of the street where the wagon is. Should I try to enter the other buildings, I will be immediately labeled a thief and be handed on a silver platter to Dorun.

Slowly I begin to panic. What to do, what to do?

A head suddenly pokes out from the doorway of the abandoned building. It is a scraggly-looking boy who looks around my age. He reminds me of some of the beggars recruited by the bigger gangs. He motions for me to follow him before quickly retreating back into the building and I immediately become suspicious. The first thing that pops into my head is that it's a trap and I stare after him with obvious distrust. Then once more I remember the incident. Even if it is a trap, as long as there are no adults around, a bunch of kids trying to ambush me should pose no threat. Who knows, maybe they might even have something valuable that I could take away. Plus, to be able to take advantage of me they would first have to get me away from Dorun. It is a win-win situation, with the only one winning being me.

Instantly I make up my mind and rush into the building after him, hoping that there would be at least a few more kids trying to take advantage of me.

In the building, I spot him towards a corner to the right as he crouches and his hands feel around the floor for something. His hands pause for a moment then he raises up a large tile that bears a striking resemblance to the floor. Beyond the tile is a dark hole, almost as tall as I am and as wide as I would be if three of me were to lay on the ground.

The first thing that pops into my head is that this building was most likely used by a gang in the past and that this particular hole was most probably used to store contraband items. I shoot a glance at the boy beside me, wondering how he got to know such a secret. But I waste no time quickly getting into the hole.

"Hold it up," he says hurriedly, nodding at the tile and I do so, placing a hand under it to make sure it does not fall, my other hand keeping my bread safe. He then let go and I feel the true weight of the tile. It is far heavier than I imagined it to be. Some part of me cannot help but wonder where he found the strength to lift something like this up.

Slowly I let it drop and in a moment we are consumed by darkness. The space is a bit stuffy but I don't mind too much. If this is the only price I have to pay to get rid of Dorun then I am more than happy to pay it.

Suddenly the boy sighs. "Dorun. I don't know why he can't just leave us all alone."

I do my best to make out his shape in the darkness. "Dorun's after you too?"

"Something like that." The boy replies, his voice vague. He shifts in the darkness, presumably to get in a more comfortable position. Then we both stiffen at the same time.

Footsteps. It can only be Dorun. The footsteps walk slowly around the room above, stopping for a good second above our heads before moving on. After a minute or so, the footsteps slowly fade away.

I let out the breath I had unknowingly been holding in. We are not out of danger yet, but I cannot deny the fact that the danger we had been facing was greatly reduced. As long as neither of us leaves here before at least half an hour has passed, we should be in the clear. As a city guard, I doubt Dorun has enough time on his hands to waste half an hour searching for two seven-year-olds.

A few minutes pass and footsteps appear above us once more, similar to last time. Probably Dorun, come to make sure he did not miss anything during his previous search. After he leaves this time, the probability of him coming back is very, very low.

Ten minutes pass when the boy stands up and pushes open the tile. Some part of me immediately tenses up and wants to ask him what in hell he thinks he is doing. But I hesitate, not wanting to alarm those in the neighboring buildings.

He uses this period to crawl out of the hole and turns to look at me. "Come on. Let's go."

For a moment I am stunned. Go where? We don't even know each other. Then I remember the ambush I suspected him of planning before and something clicks in my head. He probably used the whole Dorun thing to gain my trust, so that when it was time to lead me to the trap I would not be too resistant. I smile in my head. You've got another thing coming for you boy.

Cautiously, we leave the building and slowly make our way to another abandoned building not too far from where we were. I look at the building the boy goes inside and I feel a spark of recognition. I remember when this building was still lived in. Three families had been living there together, until one night when a section of the building collapsed killing some of its inhabitants.

Instead of following the boy straight into the building, I walk a bit to the side and soon I am able to see the collapsed portion. I frown. Ever since the day part of the building collapsed, no one had dared step inside, in case they were unlucky enough to have the rest of the building collapse on them while they were in it. Why would the boy want to stay in such an unsafe place?

After a moment's contemplation, I finally follow the boy into the building. After all, I can't be unlucky enough to have the building finally fully collapse while I was in it right?

As I enter the building I see the boy come out of a room to the right. The slightly worried look on his face disappears once he sees me.

"You can stay here tonight." he says suddenly, "Dorun's shift will end tonight so by tomorrow you'll probably be safe."

For a moment I am stunned. Where is the ambush? There is no ambush? Did he lead me here just to keep me safe from Dorun? Then finally I can't help but think. Is he retarded? How can he guarantee that I won't harm him once he brings me here?

In the end, I decide that he is one of those rare groups of naive idiots that appear every once in a while. They never last long before being sent to the orphanage.

All of a sudden I hear a pained groan from the room he just left. My heart jumps, as blood rushes through me, my mind trying to figure out what dangerous thing could produce such an eerie sound.

The boy ignores me and rushes into the room. After a second spent calming myself down, I follow after him. In the room, I see another boy who looks around our age, curled up on the ground and whimpering in pain. The boy I know stands in front of him, unsure what to do.

"Who's that?" I ask, staring at the boy on the ground.

"My brother."

"Is he sick? What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. He just keeps disappearing." the boy says in a worried tone, his eyes beginning to tear up.

Disappearing? I stare at his brother, wondering if the boy is insane. How is he disappearing? The next second leaves me speechless as his brother vanishes from the ground. The room originally with three people is now left with two. I stare at the empty ground blankly as I finally understand what the boy means by disappearing.

A second later he appears back on the ground, still curled up and whimpering in pain. As I stare at him blankly I get a flash of inspiration. The incident that happened to me, could it be just like what is happening to him too. It probably is.

"I think I know what is wrong with him," I say tentatively. While I am still not completely sure of my theory, it is the best explanation I have for what I just saw.

"What?" The boy asks me as hope flashes in his eyes. If he knows what is wrong, then he is halfway to finding a solution for it.

I turn to look at him, and after a moment's hesitation, I explain.