Golden Moon

Chapter 5

"Here, try some cotton candy little girl," a gruff voice said. The small child, only about 8 years old, shied away and into the side of her best friend. He scared her, the thin man. His face was gaunt, all the bones in his face visible and he reeked like death. The skin on his fingers holding out to her a swab of cotton candy sagged with age. Yet, he moved like a gazelle; quickly and effortlessly.

"N-no thanks,' she whispered back. Deon hugged her into his side protectively. His shaggy sandy blonde hair hung in his eyes. "Deon, let's go."

The man huffed, shoving the sugary delight closer. The color was bright blue, and tantalizing but Kimi knew she shouldn't. Deon stood a little taller and in a threatening voice for a 9 year old said, "If she doesn't want it then she doesn't want it, old man! Leave her be." Softer, as a brother to a sister, he said, "C'mon Kimi. We can find our own cotton candy."

With that, he steered his friend away from the creepy old man. He glowered at him as he walked away. "You better watch yourself, boy! There are those who wish you harm!" Deon felt a shudder run down his skinny spine. Don't let him scare you. Everyone says that to kids who live on the street. He thought to himself. He kept his pace even as they walked around the corner.

"You okay?" he asked Kimi, turning her to look at him. She had been awfully reserved lately.

Her brown bangs fell into her eyes as she looked down, away from his gaze. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me back there." She glanced at him, a half smile on her lips.

Deon knew she wasn't being truthful. Years of living on the streets together had taught them how the other thought. "Let's go get some breakfast. That old man looked like he was about to be worm meal." He skipped away, a grin on his face again. Kimi smiled, taking the hint, and skipped right back up to him.

"First one to the market gets the first bite!" she exclaimed, the white-blonde streaks in her hair shimmering against the brown. With that, she took off at a dead run towards the open air market, where they would be able to steal at least something fresh for once.

He laughed, and followed suit. It was nice to run for fun again. Usually it was the slum police, chasing them for stealing food or a blanket or even medicine one time when Deon's mother had been sick. It was too late though. When he returned she was already dead...

He shook off that memory, instead focusing on finding Kimi. In his remembrance, he had let her get out of sight and deep into the the flourishing colors of the market. He felt a jolt of alarm, then relaxed as he kept up a steady jog. It wouldn't be the first time. As he slowed down, fighting the mass of market goers doing their daily shopping, he saw just a glimpse of stained and tattered clothes and brown-white hair whisking around the corner into the food area of the market. Sweet smells wafted through the streets, making his stomach rumble. With a renewed glint in his eye and a classic smile on his lips, he ran once he saw a break in the crowd. He knew exactly where she was headed. As he passed by a confectionist, tables heaped with fresh pastries and sugary goods. Again he inhaled the scent, aching for just one good thing today but he kept going. He could corner her.

There, not two blocks away on a corner, she stood with a danish pastry in each hand, and the trademark smirk of triumph on her face. "I got one for you, slowpoke," she said, laughing as Deon reached for one. She laughed to herself, her mood lightening. "Let's go and eat it away from here. I think the vendor recognized me."

Laughing, they both jogged off and back towards the less crowded part of town. "Where to today?" Deon asked. They tried to eat in a different location each day in case the cops caught on to them. If they were ever caught they would have to go to a children's home for orphans and kids who lived on the streets. And then they would never see each other again.