One Piece (SSW Backstory)

Chapter 8

Saphira's POV

It was becoming clear that we will live on the streets for the rest of our lives if we didn't do anything. Something dangerous and drastic. Charlie was first against it, but starvation made him cave in. We've gone days without any food, and the other poverty stricken people made it harder to find any. If it's not the kids that steal from us, it's the adults that are desperate to eat too.

Charlie and I glance around a wall we are hiding behind as we watch the vendors put up their stalls. Our plan is dangerous, but hunger makes us do incredibly stupid things. I give Charlie a nod and he returns it. He dashes out and snatches a fruit off a vendors stall. "Hey! Get back here, you thief!" As expected, the vendor abondon his stall and gave chase after Charlie.

I quickly run out of my hiding spot and towards the abondoned stall. I pack as many fruit my shirt can take and dissapear from the scene. I run as fast as I can back to our alley where Silver and Winifred are waiting. Hopefully Charlie outran that vendor and is on his way back. I turn the last corner as I reach the alley we made our home. Silver jumps up to her feet when she saw me.

"Here, eat slowly." I give her a fruit as I make my way to the far end of the alley where Winifred's bed was made. She smiles happily when she saw me. I put the rest of the fruit under our blanket to hide it. I take an apple out and bit into it. I fight the urge to swallow it whole. I chew it until its mushy. 'Now comes the disgusting part'. I spit the mushy apple into my hand and started feed it to Winifred.

It was the only way we could feed her. She doesn't have any teeth to chew the things herself. Silver sat down next to us as she ate her fruit as slowly as she can. Its best she does this. There was this one time where we were so hungry that the moment we found food, we scarfed it down like savage wolves. Silver choked on a big piece, Charlie and I had to help her get it dislodged from her throat. Lesson learned.

Silver jumped up and pointed to the entrance of the alley. I look to see Charlie shuffle on his feet towards us. I frown in concern, "What's wrong?". That's when I saw him clutch his side with his hand. I stood up quickly and went to help him. "That bastard had a knife..." It was all he could get out as he groans in pain. I help him sit down against the wall. I move his hand out the way to get a better look.

I grimace from the sight. It wasn't a too deep a cut but this was going to be a big problem. "How are we going to clean this? There isn't any clean water..." If we leave the wound as it is, it will become infected. Charlie flinches as he presses his hand back to the wound. "Nothing we can do about it..." I deadpan at his response.

"Idiot, you could get an infection and-" He cut me off with an angry glare, "I know that! But what can we do? Do you have medicine or clean water?!" I flinch at the reality of the situation. "But, we can't just not do anything!" I shouted back just as angrily. Charlie sighs in exhaustion, "I know..." The dread of the situation was obvious on his sunken features. There has to be something we can do, and I'm not stopping until I find a way to safe him.

I got to my feet in determination, "I'll be right back, stay here and watch over my sisters." I move to leave, "Wait! There's nothing you can do! Don't do something stupid!" Charlie shouted after me but didn't get up to stop me. I ignore his words and started my search. My plan was to see if the local docter would be willing to help a poor sick child.

After asking around for directions and getting lost for a while, I finally found the doctor's house. I knock on the door impatiently. "What?! What?!" An angry middle aged man ripped oped the door. He didn't saw me at first,  but then looked down. "Go away, you street rat! I'm not giving you anything!" He shouted at me and I watch as spit flies out of his mouth. I ignore his comment and asked him before he slammed the door closed in my face.