HMMMmmm~
The city sung—a chorus of engines, horns, and the tired lungs of its people.
"HEY! Oye! Muévete!"
The angry voice bounced between the cars, the man's face twisting with impatience as he argued with the driver who had cut him off.
BWAAAH!
A sharp siren wailed before cutting off just as quickly. Some people snapped their heads toward it while others ignored it altogether.
They tried to scurry off, but there was nowhere to go. Everyone was stressed, frustrated and frightened by the events that had already unfolded.
The sounds of the busy, noisy city rolled on, rising far above the ground they stood on—climbing the buildings around them, higher and higher until they slipped through a half-open window.
Tiiiing… tiiing… tiiiing… khrrhhhhh—
An air conditioning unit shut.
A change that reached no one's ears.
whfshh~
The blankets rustled, gathering into a tangled heap near the headrest. Soft sighs of struggle slipped from beneath the mound of blankets. The quiet struggle paused for a moment, then started again.
A series of quick but soft inhales followed, the heap rising and falling before—
nn-chh!
The sneeze was met with silence.
The bed creaked softly as the heap stirred around and then all at once, a small head popped out from the top.
Their eyes were drowsy.
A blurry mess surrounded them while the blankets clung to their shoulders. Their nose scrunched at the smell of the city outside. Their eyes darted around the room—one bathed in a soft, warm ambiance, for the most part.
Another sneeze rang through the room, and the little figure pulled the blankets closer to their body before shaking their head in defeat.
The blanket slid off their head, revealing a bundle of dark blue with the faintest hint of purple. Two little plumages of brown, almost black peeked from the top of their head like wheat in a field.
The little figure rubbed their eyes, clarity slowly returning. Their hands pressed into the bed before they crawled forward. Small feet found the floor—white and pink socks doing little to keep them warm.
A wildefowl plushie dangled from one hand, its white and brown fabric worn with age. Their steps were light, almost soundless even to themselves.
Placing the plushie on the seat with delicate care, they picked up a stool with some difficulty and carried it toward the air-conditioning panel.
Once the stool was in place, they grabbed the plushie again and placed one knee on the seat, using the wall for support. Once they managed to stand on the stool, their free hand stretched toward a button.
After once, twice and a few more, they kept pulling their hand back—one covered in band-aids that stiffened their fingers.
In the reflection of the control screen, was her own face.
With a small push, she sat down on the stool, balancing for a moment before sliding off with a quiet thump. A tiny, happy sound escaped her lips as she hopped back into her fortress of blankets and oversized stuffed beasts.
She burrowed deeper into the city of dreams with her plushie in tow, hugging it with all the strength her small body could give.
The fortress was warm, but beyond its walls, the outside was cold, the noises from beyond pierced through the thin walls. Her ears caught the patter of rain beginning to strike her window, the whistle of wind slipping through the gap and the faint wail of sirens sounding in the distance.
She closed her eyes while lying on her side, breathing softly for what felt like minutes—time that felt too long.
She tossed and turned within her fort, unable to sleep, only to catch herself staring at the wildefowl. Lifting it up, she made it stand up and swiveled its head, mimicking chirping sounds.
She scratched at her forearm for a few moments until a sharp sting shot through her spine.
Her hand froze mid-motion.
After a moment's hesitation, she raised her arm high into the air, her small silhouette casting a tower through the fort.
The faint shimmer caught her eye—brown, almost black masses etched along her forearm. She tapped them gently, twisting her arm as their surface gleamed under the soft light.
"Kwi-niyum"
She stumbled over the word, her tongue chasing sounds that refused to come together no matter how hard she tried. Her mind leapt through hoops, trying again and again.
"Chi-ni-yum?"
The air conditioning barely did its job, forcing her to tug the blanket up even more, her little head peeking out from what had once been a mighty fortress. She stared at the ceiling for a while before finally pushing the blanket aside and once her feet touched the ground.
She shuffled to a small desk, pulled the chair back, and dropped into it with a soft thud. In the same breath, her hand grabbed a sheet of paper, one corner already starting to go damp from the rain slipping through the window gap.
Her feet swung freely beneath the chair, kicking at the air while the minutes flew by—time slipping away.
kchhk...
The sound of keys jingling reached her ears, and she rubbed at her weary eyes. Two distinct voices bounced across the walls of her room.
The footsteps quickened as her ears caught the sound of a door closing—then one particular word drifted across to her. She puffed up her cheeks and narrowed her eyes in mock offense.
She pressed the pencil harder against the paper, her legs still swinging idly when the door to her room creaked open.
Groaning like an alarm.
"Are you awake?"
A gentle voice called out. She answered with a small humf, letting go of the pencil before crossing her arms like a tiny lady.
The little girl glanced back over her shoulder, then quickly swung her head away again, her hair flicking like a cape.
"Hah..." The woman sighed audibly, taking a step toward the center of the room. "Jie?"
"Mmhm!"
The little girl spun around with a radiant smile on her face, her round eyes sparkling with childlike smugness.
The woman's purple hair hung loose over her shoulders before she scooped the girl up like a doll. Jie's expression flattened the moment she was caught under the arms, her limbs dangling limply while her cheeks puffed out just a little before she turned her head away.
Jie looked at the woman, her mind already drifting toward something else.
"We're going to meet someone, okay?"
The woman set her on the bed, and the little bundle of mischief bounced back to life. She moved toward a closet near the door, rummaging through clothes.
Jie kept bouncing on the bed before diving into her sea of blankets and stuffed beasts, a catastrophe in motion much like the city around her until, after some time, she surfaced triumphantly with her plushie clutched tight in her arms.
The woman pulled out an outfit and, with practiced ease, changed little Jie's clothes before she could even protest.
Little Jie now looked like a miniature adult—her chubby face full of seriousness, plushie in hand. A small bow sat neatly beside one of her feathered tufts.
The woman smiled to herself before pulling a bag from inside the closet, nearly filled to capacity.
The door creaked, drawing both their gazes toward the entrance to the room. A man stood in the doorway, a tan cap pulled low over his dark hair.
His cheek looked bruised—or maybe that was just the cold. Jie's little mind churned hard, working in overdrive to decide which answer to settle on.
"Uncle?"
The little girl leaned to one side and stared harder, a light smile creeping onto her lips before her face lit up.
"Uncle!"
She raised one hand into the air and the little hand was met with a high five while the woman smiled, amusement shining in her eyes.
The man said nothing. He stepped into the room, grabbed the duffle bag, slung it over both shoulders and slipped his arms through the straps.
WRAA—WRAA—!
The little girl ignored it, but the two adults shared a quick glance.
The woman reached down and took Jie's small hand. They stepped out into the living area, red and blue flashes already spilling through the glass.
Jie's face turned worried, and she pressed herself closer to the woman. She felt a hand rub her head and looked up at the woman's reassuring face, the lights painting it in shifting colors.
"Little Jie." The woman said softly.
"...why don't we eat something, okay?"
The little girl nodded before she walked off toward the kitchen, conveniently set next to the living room.
"What is it?"
The man asked.
The woman fixed her gaze on his head, studying him for a moment before stepping forward and plucking his cap right off.
His face came into view—slightly rough and worn, but still handsome enough to please the eye. He wore brown dress pants, the creases down both legs still razor-sharp.
Just like the rest of him.
"You look good."
She stepped closer, her eyes pinned to his, smoothing the few wrinkles from his clothes with her hands. He held her gaze for a second before pushing her head away with one hand.
"How much do we got left?"
"...we'll be lucky if we can make it through the month, we're running out of money."
Jie's quiet munching filled the background.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small amber bottle, its white lid stark against the plastic.
"Pain killers, for your head—I got them on the way back."
He tapped the side of her head with it. The woman took the bottle after a moment, popped it open, and shook two pills into her hand.
She tossed them into her mouth and swallowed them dry before handing the bottle back.
"I can manage for a bit more you know?"
He grabbed the bottle back and slipped it into his pants.
"And you wouldn't stop complaining that your head felt like it was being squeezed."
His tone stayed quiet but rough, his green eyes unwavering as he pointed toward the window, where faint red and blue lights still flashed.
"Then those folks came up, and made it worse."
His accent slipped through harder at the end, frustration starting to show in both his eyes and the way his body moved. She could practically see the tension twisting through his silhouette with every sharp motion.
"Wel—"
"Done!"
Both of them turned at the shout. Little Jie barreled toward them, hands covering her eyes with thin slits between her fingers. She wedged herself between them and used every bit of her childlike strength to push them apart while huffing under her breath.
She puffed up her cheeks like little balloons the moment she was picked up.
"Up we go."
She squealed, grabbing onto his head while her little legs stiffened.
The woman pressed a finger to her lips, that same smile still drawn across her face.
He closed his eyes for just a second, then pushed forward. On the way to the door, he stopped by the kitchen, grabbed the plushie from the table and handed it to little Jie.
Click.
He turned around just in time to find the woman putting on her glasses, the thin frame catching the light around her eyes.
The man inhaled dryly and stepped into the hallway.
"You look worse wearing the glasses."
She fought the sudden urge to punch him in the stomach.
The woman joined them outside after a short pause, pulling the door shut behind her and twisting the knob to make sure it was locked.
Their footsteps echoed as they walked down the corridor. A few minutes later, they reached the elevator at the center of the floor. She pressed the button, and the doors slid open after a moment.
Once inside, they hit the ground-floor button. The doors slid shut with a chime, and the elevator descended floor by floor.
When the doors opened again, they were met by a lobby full of people, their faces carrying all kinds of expressions—some worried, others frustrated and some simply fed up.
They said nothing while they moved through the sea of bodies, snippets of conversation brushing past them.
"Mira, que ya se pasaron. I bet you they'll close that one off too."
After a few more steps, they crossed through the front doors—the cold air hitting them hard, the roar of the street surging into their ears like a wave. The woman looked up at the girl on his shoulders, watching Jie's eyes dance from one thing to the next.
The little girl's ears caught every sound, every shift in tone spilling from the street, the concrete sidewalk strangely calm compared to the rest of the city.
They turned right, and the people below looked small from her height—some dressed well, others worse for wear.
But every so often—no, more often than not—uniforms moved through the crowd, watching as they went. The man's hand around her legs kept her steady while Jie's eyes roamed over the bright city lights.
They moved with the current for what felt like forever. Every step he took sent tiny tremors through her body while she looked at everything the city had to offer.
Then she noticed a figure forcing its way against the flow, bodies shoved aside as it came straight toward them. Voices flared and died—curses snapping through the air as people stumbled out of the way. Jie made a small sound and tapped the man's head, pointing at the oncoming figure.
Her eyes darted farther back and found three more shapes moving quickly, the crowd parting around them, some people turning to look.
The woman moved closer to the man, gripping his arm while keeping her eyes fixed ahead.
They edged nearer to the street, trying to steer around it all. Flashing lights flickered a few meters ahead. For a second, Jie could have sworn someone's gaze locked onto hers.
The first figure stumbled suddenly, pitching forward—right at the woman's feet. She lifted one foot on instinct.
Then stepped back quickly, pulling them both with her in one sharp motion.
The fall caused a stir. Heads turned and a few conversations stopped altogether. The person lay sprawled on the sidewalk, shabby clothes setting him apart from the rest of the crowd.
The man stayed down for less than a second before shoving an arm under himself and forcing his body back up with visible effort.
He looked up with famished, exhausted eyes full of desperation, then bowed his head and covered his mouth with one hand, coughing harshly.
When he looked up again, some of them got a better look at his face.
His eyes were cloudy. Hazy.
And on one cheek, clinging just beneath one eye, were the same little brown crystal masses.
"Help me...tell them I'm with you!—Anyone!"
He looked toward them, his voice cracking. He glanced around and tried to stand, but his legs failed him and he collapsed again. Murmurs rippled outward while the uniformed people closed in.
They were practically on top of him now.
He glanced back once, panic flaring in his eyes, then threw himself forward—using his elbows and knees to drag himself away until he finally managed to lift himself up.
The uniforms shoved bystanders aside, one of them raising a compact device—something like a crossbow, only smaller.
PFFT!
The man at the center of the crowd stumbled hard, his legs cinched tight by a thin cord that barely caught the light.
He yanked and clawed at it, trying to free himself from the weighted line. The crowd was a mix of everything—some people backing away while others lifted their phones or wrists to record.
The man's pleas cut through it all, his voice ragged with desperation.
"Let me go!"
One of the uniforms forced his head down, pressing hard until his cheek flattened against the ground. The man's face flushed red with strain, but he still managed to plant one arm beneath himself.
It didn't last.
One of them yanked his hand away, and his chest slammed hard against the pavement. The others wrenched his arm behind him, one produced a baton-like device, jabbing it into his back while the rest loosened their hold for only a moment.
"Gyah!"
The man's body went rigid the instant the baton flared, spasms tearing through him while white sparks spat from its tip. The uniforms shoved back anyone who got too close, barking orders and driving the crowd away.
The three of them didn't stay to watch the end of it. They slipped sideways through the sea of bodies, forcing their way out of the crowd one step at a time.
Little Jie twisted in his hold and looked back over his shoulder, still clutching the plushie in one hand. She caught a final glimpse—one uniformed feline pinning the man's wrists together before locking something around them, while the others lifted his limp body off the pavement.
"Why?"
She leaned forward until her head nearly bumped into the man's face, her weight resting against him while her eyes searched his for an answer.
"Why what?"
He answered, encouraging her to finish her question. Her gaze pondered before opening her mouth.
"Why are they beating him?"
Her eyes full of curiosity.
"He must've done something wrong."
The woman answered more quietly this time, reaching out to give little Jie's nose a playful shake. The little girl scrunched up her face and pulled away, an annoyed huff slipping from her lips.
"He was scared."
Her voice came out pouty—small and stubborn, her gaze dancing anywhere but the ground. Neither of them said anything else, keeping their thoughts to themselves.
The three of them kept moving, the scene behind them shrinking until Jie could no longer make out the commotion. Only the flashing lights remained, bouncing off the walls and storefronts.
The busy street swallowed the moment whole, traffic only seeming to get worse—the cars packed so tightly they were practically on top of each other.
When little Jie lifted her gaze, her eyes caught the giant screens clinging to the sides of the high-rises ahead, glowing through the gaps between the buildings.
As they reached an intersection, the woman and the man spoke quietly while Jie watched the screen across the street, resting her weight on the man's head.
"Stretching our legs was the right call. Too much traffic."
The woman answered with a soft hum, lifting her free wrist as a dim screen appeared, lightly illuminating her face. She dragged a finger through the air, trying to call someone.
On the screen ahead, a crowd filled a street somewhere else in the city—a sea of bodies moving together, signs scattered throughout, patches of people lit by shifting light. A few figures at the front seemed to be leading them onward.
Her bracelet rang for several seconds—brrt—brrt—brrt!—before the voicemail picked up, a short message playing right when she ended the call.
Brrt—brrt—brrt!
Still nothing.
She breathed sharply through her nose and lowered her wrist, the faint screen fading away. A few minutes later, little Jie pointed toward a small café, her eyes locking onto the window display where rows of sweet buns gleamed beneath the warm light, calling her name.
"Concha!"
"Do you want some?"
the man asked, bouncing slightly to keep her from slipping off his shoulders.
Little Jie bobbed her head enthusiastically, nodding along with happy little bounces while the trio changed course. A few steps later, the woman grabbed the handle and pulled the door open, and a wave of sweetness drifted toward them.
When their eyes scanned the inside, it was packed with people—their features plainly visible, no one paying the city outside any mind, their voices overlapping one another in a constant blur.
The door swung shut behind them with a soft chime.
They walked up to the short line, different dialects drifting past their ears while it slowly but surely disappeared.
Jie's little nose wrinkled when she drew in a long, happy inhale, exaggerating the motion again when she breathed out through her mouth. She lifted her plushie, holding it up to mimic herself. The stuffed animal's beady eyes reflected the warm light.
"Hello! cuál es su pedido?"
She was short—the barista that is, her hair tied into a neat ponytail.
"You have any liberica?"
The woman asked, looking at the roast list on the counter through her glasses. The feline bent down, her knees popping lightly when she checked under the counter.
"oomás ono."
"Just for one more."
The young woman repeated, with a small smile wile her canine ears twitched. The barista's tail swaying lazily behind her.
"Three sugar and two cream please."
She pushed her glasses up from the edge of the rim while the girl noted the order down, then turning her attention to the duo.
"Black, two sugar, two cream, and tw—"
"Concha!"
Little Yan blurted out with gusto. Her ears flushing from a few patrons who turned to glance over.
They finished ordering, and the man tapped his phone against the terminal to pay.
[Procesando…]
The word flashed briefly before the receipt printed out. The feline handed it over with a polite nod, then moved off to prepare the drinks.
By the time the woman picked up the slip, little Jie was already happily nibbling at her sweet bread.
The trio made their way to a small table in the corner. The man lifted Jie from his shoulders and set her in her seat before settling beside her while they waited for their order.
The woman sat down, rested an elbow on the table and lifted her wrist, already trying to call again.
Only for the lights all around them to turn off after a few flickers, the floating screen above the bracelet providing them a guiding light.