Scale of Reality

Abandoned: Final

Muji POV

A little over two years had went by.

I'm currently 11 years old, Karin was 8, Daiki was 6, and the twins were 4.

To call the last two years a struggle would be more than an understatement. People had began to close their stores down during the night time, meaning I wouldn't be able to steal from them anymore.

Desperately needing a way to make money or find food, I snuck into someone's house.

The biggest mistake I had ever made.

That night I ended up getting stabbed by the man who owned the house. I ended up escaping but I got sick from the wound getting infected.

I worried Karin and Daiki to death, and we all didn't have food for another two weeks. I eventually had to get up even while being sick and the scar not fully healing, and I got even more injured while getting food.

I learned my lesson since that day, and decided to pick up a different method of getting what we needed.

Pick pocketing.

It was much safer than what I had been doing.

When I first started I was caught a number of times and beaten until my bones were on the brink of breaking. I always made sure I put on a smile to not worry the children, even though Karin could see through it.

In reality I felt like crying every time.

Sometimes, rarely, Karin and I silently cried whilst holding each other for hours.

However as time passed I became really good at it. Now I can pickpocket someone without them even noticing, and I don't have to bump into them either.

As messed up as it is, I'm proud that I've come this far with it. Now I can feed the kids and get them clothes without having to get hurt every time.

Right now, Karin was teaching the twins the alphabet while I was with Daiki doing push ups.

"I-I can do 10 push ups Muji! That's more than you!"

I laughed a bit.

"Really? Let's see then."

We both dropped to the ground as I fake struggled to do one. Daiki laughed proudly as he passed me in the amount of push ups.

"See! I'm strong too! Let me go with you when you get food!"

My smile disappeared.

Daiki didn't know what I did, but he knew it was dangerous. He thinks I need help, but I can't let him go out there with me.

If I'm ever caught and get imprisoned I need him and Karin to look after the twins. I plan to get a job as soon as I turn 14 and work so that they don't have to.

"Nope. You're still too little."

I tackled Daiki and began to tickle him, causing him to laugh loudly. I stood up and walked to the room where Karin was with the two younger ones.

"Muji!"

"Hi Muji!"

The twins ran over and hugged me, causing me to smile. Unlike Me, Karin, and Daiki, the twins had whitish hair and purple eyes. I guessed it was probably since they had a different Dad.

I ended up learning a little about genetics and sexual reproduction from some books I bought a year back.

All I have to say is...eww.

They asked once crying, saying we weren't real family and all I said was they were special, successfully avoiding a catastrophe.

"Hey guys. Are you guys listening to Karin?"