stray

Chapter 1: The Shattered Illusion

My childhood unfolded against the backdrop of a big city, its rhythm syncing with our family's laughter and everyday moments. We were a middle-class unit, and as the city grew more expensive, our lives took a turn toward Kowloon City, a refuge for those seeking affordability over extravagance.

I'm Li Wei, aged 10, grappling with the upheaval as we packed our existence into boxes. Kowloon wasn't a choice I made; it was a consequence that would paint my world with unexpected hues.

As we transitioned into Kowloon City, the towering buildings and narrow alleyways became the canvas of my new reality. The once-familiar metropolis was now a maze, each turn leading to interconnected structures and hidden shadows.

In the initial days, the city seemed like any other neighborhood, and the warmth of community embraced us. Yet, beneath the surface, a darker truth loomed. My innocence, a shield against the complexities of human nature, remained intact.

Days melted into years as I wandered the labyrinthine streets, blissfully unaware of the dual nature of the city. Polite gestures masked hidden agendas, and neighborly smiles concealed deeper truths. The innocence of my childhood began to crack under the weight of concealed malevolence.

My bedroom, a haven in the night, became a space for questions. Why did the seemingly amicable community feel like a distorted theatre of goodwill? The city, once seen through the lens of opportunity, now challenged the foundation of my understanding.

Part 2: Echoes of Silence

My childhood home in Kowloon City bore the scars of an absent father, a spectral figure lost to the allure of distant opportunities. The apartment, shared by my mother, solitude, and me, echoed with the emptiness that lingered in his wake.

As my mother toiled for a meager living, the streets of Kowloon beckoned me. "Go and play outside, make friends," she urged, a tinge of desperation in her words.

Initially, the narrow alleys and interconnected buildings held the promise of camaraderie. However, as time unraveled, the illusion of friendship shattered, revealing the cold reality of Kowloon's underbelly.

I, Li Wei, unwittingly became the protagonist in a darkening tale, the target of whispered cruelties and veiled aggression. The city, once a canvas of potential friendships, transformed into a battleground of words and fists.

Day after day, I faced a harsh truth—I was different, an outsider. The verbal daggers, thrust by those who feigned friendship, cut deeper than the physical scars left by their fists. The more I tried to respond, the louder the echoes of violence became, drowning out my voice.

When our parents appeared, the narrative twisted, casting me as the antagonist. Every plea for understanding metamorphosed into a twisted tale of my alleged wrongdoing. My mother, perhaps burdened by her own struggles, chose silence over advocacy, apologizing for mistakes I never made.

Home, meant to be a sanctuary, transformed into a prison of echoing screams and unwarranted accusations. I, relegated to the status of a misunderstood intruder, bore the weight of a thousand unspoken words.

In the shadows of Kowloon City, my silence became a shield, protecting me from the torment outside. I navigated the intricate maze of hostility, my footsteps echoing the isolation that enveloped me. The darkness within my home and the shadows of the city intertwined, forging a bond that only strengthened with each passing day.

Part 3: Whispers in the Dark

As the years unfurled in the labyrinth of Kowloon City, my existence became a delicate dance between the suffocating silence within the walls of home and the cacophony of whispers on its chaotic streets.