THE LEGEND OF THE ARACHNID

THE FLAMES OF CASHFIRE

Summary of context and setting: Alex Henderson grows up in the small town of Dustwood Creek, a dusty and soulless town on the edge of the Mexican border. Known for its bustling saloons, crowded taverns and markets, Dustwood Creek is not a place for children or the faint of heart. It is a city of passage, a place of trafficking, where wealth passes through, but rarely stays. For a boy like Alex, this gloomy setting quickly becomes a playground for survival.

Alex's childhood and the pain of abandonment: Alex was only five years old when his father abandoned him, his little sister Nita and their mother to run away with a woman he met in a tavern. This abandonment broke his mother's heart and, over time, transformed fragility into silent rage in Alex. The latter very quickly developed a shell, showing few signs of the pain that this abandonment had left. His mother, for her part, struggled to provide some semblance of life for her children.

To provide for their needs, with no one to turn to, she was forced to sell her body. Alex understood very early on the burden his mother carried, and he promised himself to help her, whatever the cost. This promise, born from an unconditional love for his family, became his first code of honor, imperfect as it was. The street then became his school and survival, his art.

The beginning of the passion for flying: At the age of ten, Alex discovered his talent for flying. At first, he was satisfied with small things: apples on market stalls, coins left by distracted customers in taverns. But, over time, he perfected his technique and his ambitions grew. It was at this time that he had the idea of ​​leaving his trademark after each misdeed: a small inscription on a wall, a piece of paper slipped under a broken bottle – “The Cashfire was here” – accompanied by a drawing of a mischievous smile. This symbol soon became his signature, his own means of existing in a world that seemed to ignore him.

The Evolution of the Young Delinquent: In his early childhood, Alex enjoyed tormenting the salesmen in the saloons and taverns of Dustwood Creek. The shopkeepers, at first amused by the mischievous kid, ended up fearing him, because he always managed to steal something, even in front of their eyes. Empty pockets, deserted stalls and missing bottles became common occurrences as soon as Alex was around. Rumor of a "mysterious young thief" spread through the town, and residents began to fear the name Cashfire.

Alex knew exactly when to strike. He observed, planned and executed his thefts with a flair that even the adults in the neighborhood recognized. Despite his young age, he was already feared and respected for his boldness and intelligence. From his point of view, it was not delinquency, but a way of helping his mother and sister survive in this unforgiving world.His attachment to his sister and the role of protector: Nita, his little sister, meant everything to him. She was unaware of the reality of their mother's daily life, and Alex made sure that she never lacked for anything. He told her stories, brought her little trinkets and tried to preserve her innocence. Alex's pain, the sense of betrayal he harbored against his father, and the shame he felt for his mother's work, he buried deep so that Nita could grow up in a world a little gentler than the his.

A striking end of the chapter: This chapter ends with a scene where Alex, now more daring and determined than ever, slips into a saloon in the middle of the night. He steals a purse left unattended, but before leaving, he leaves his famous message, “The Cashfire was here”, accompanying it with a smile drawn in chalk. As he slips away, he leaves behind the laughter of drunken men who have not noticed his presence and a lighter purse.

That evening, he promises to become a legendary thief, for the honor of his family and to prove that he is better than the man who abandoned them.