High above, the sun shone indifferently upon a scarred and broken world. A lone child waited in a dilapidated hut filled with abandoned junk by the side of a barren road.
The child sat on the floor, his right eye focused on the broken TV on the floor while his milky white eye caught the light like dull glass. The screen flickered, then stuttered to life, revealing a man in a sharp black suit fixing his tie.
|| "Folks, another cult is parading the streets of Redford, shouting about the end of the world. Please pay these blockheads no mind and go about your own businesses, World War 3 has ended 9 years ago. Half of the world may have perished and the majority of the countries have disappeared, but we are here, standing. It's time we start rebuilding people, we can't forever remain in the past." ||
"John, stop watching that shitty old thing and help us carry these sacks" An older child rebuked from behind him, John turned around to see his older friends each carrying 3 sacks over their shoulders.
"Here take these two from me." The girl handed two to John.
"Why are you giving him two, he's so skinny and is smaller than you." berated the older guy.
"But he's a boy, he's much stronger than me." retorted the girl.
"Bullshit Alicia, just give him one and you carry the two." barked the guy before walking away.
Alicia leaned towards, winked at him, before slipping two sacks into his arms. "Tell Lucan that you wanted to carry two." John just opened his mouth in disbelief before closing it and begrudgingly taking the two sacks the size of him, he slung it over his shoulders, he then dragged it on the floor before following his friends.
"Brother, Sis, how much are these gonna get us? Do you think we'll have enough for a week?"
Lucan turned to the little kid and noticed him dragging two sacks over his shoulders before answering weakly. "A week? Let's hope we'll have enough for two days." He slowed down and shifted towards John's right along with Alicia.
***
The three entered a rundown shack where a shaggy middle-aged man was playing with his cat on a shabby table.
John's eyes lit up and he threw the sacks aside and ran towards the man. "Mister!! Let me play with your kitty."
Lucan smiled and picked up the sacks John threw aside and asked. "How much will we get for this?" he asked before setting down the sacks on the table. Alicia also went ahead and put her sack.
The man stood up and left his kitten with John. As he inspected the contents of the sacks, his hand froze. "Where'd you get this?" He asked with a serious tone. He gripped a pistol in his hands.
"Oh, that's a Glock that I picked up. No bullets, I don't know if it works." Lucan answered attentively.
"You went all the way to the town just to find junk? I can't buy this, I don't have enough funds to take this from you." Lamented the man.
"Mister Shopkeeper, what's her name?" John interjected from the side.
"I'll just take it then, don't worry, I won't show it to anyone." Lucan slid it under his shirt and tucked into his shorts.
"All right, you know what to do with it. I can give you 5 dollars for everything, do you want cash or food?" The man ignored the little kid.
"You're all gray... I'll call you Ash."
"We'll get 2 dollars as cash and the remaining as bread." Quickly answered by Lucan.
The man nodded then went behind the counter to rummage some coins before handing Lucan two coins, he then went through a door to the back before promptly leaving and handing Lucan a paper bag. "Here's three breads."
Lucan thanked him and prepared to go out. The man sat down and tapped his index finger on the table.
The man looked at the kids and hesitated before asking. "Do you have plans to leave this town? I will most likely be gone from here by tomorrow. I was just waiting for you before I packed up and left."
The uninterested Alicia who was watching John suddenly looked at the man and asked. "Where are you going?"
"Somewhere peaceful and better than this god-forsaken place. I'm going far away so I won't take you kids even if you beg me. Buying this junk from you is the last thing I can do for you."
"Sit! Sit kitty. This is how you sit, understood?"
"Also, you, little kid." He pointed at John. "Stop using that name already, you should just go pick a better one, I was too lazy to think of a better name."
"But I like it, it's simple to write." John sheepishly smiled. "Your name is worse! Why are you named shopkeeper anyway?"
The man clicked his tongue defeatedly and just ignored him. "Anyway... You kids should leave this place, there's no future in swimming through trash forever."
Lucan nodded. "We'll think about it, thank you for all your help. We'll forever remember you, David."
The man let out a disappointed sigh and threw a small sachet to Lucan. "You will need this." Lucan opened it before promptly closing the bag, he bowed before finally turning his back.
The man gestured with his hands to call John. "John, do you want to take care of this cat?" Alicia's eyebrows knitted upon this question.
"Will you give her to me!? I'll take good care of her, mister!" John smiled wholeheartedly and embraced the cat carefully. The cat snuggled in his embrace and purred softly.
"Another mouth to feed." A voice echoed in the back.
Lucan lifted John by the arms and proceeded to leave, Alicia glanced at the man, gave a small bow, and followed after them.
The man watched them leave with a melancholic look on his face, before closing his eyes in peace. "I hope you kids will survive in this playground of gods." He murmured before lighting a cigarette.