Random Short Stories

]] ASH [[

Alright, before we start story time, I'd like to clear something up. Everyone knows who Day is, he's the legend, the champion, whatever, but he's not the only criminal in the Lake sector. There are some of us who'd like to be recognized for our crimes too, you know? But, alas, we cannot, as every crime is apparently Day's masterpiece. But don't get me wrong, cousin. I love Day. He's pretty cool, yeah? So, as there is a rumor going around that Day's getting his "life story" told in a book, I've decided that I want to have mine noted down too. Sounds good, yeah?
Alright, cousin, I'm Story. That's, of course, my street name. It not worth knowing my real name, so don't you worry your little mind. I'm exactly 15 years, three months, and six days old. I know that because I had a recent run-in with June and she...yeah. She kinda told me everything about myself. Very strange, that one, yeah?
Speaking of my recent run-in with June, she told me that someone was trying to locate me. Great. I don't necessarily need someone stalking me, thanks. But she insisted that it was someone I knew well.
Well, what the plague does that mean? Someone I know well? How? My whole family's dead! Shocker, yeah? My life wouldn't be a good story if there wasn't a tragedy involved, as with all stories. Anyways, let's go to the past for a bit.
I was about 8. My mother was making our first real dinner in weeks. I guess I should introduce you to my family, too.

My mom, dad, and I were super close. Super close. I'm guessing you want to know about my siblings? Okay, I had an older brother and a younger sister. Her name was Lillie. Poor little Lillie. She was so sweet and innocent, with her big brown eyes and blonde hair. My brother's name was Caden. He was not so sweet. He was insane, actually. No joke. Literally insane.
Now, my mother was making dinner. The air smelled of chicken and fresh bread. As Lillie and I washed our hands before the meal, we heard a loud knock on the door. Mother cautiously walked to the door. When she opened it, my brother rushed in, carrying a bloody dagger. He stabbed my mother first, cackling. He then turned and threw the dagger at my father. It gleamed with blood as it streamed through the air. He retrieved the dagger from my father's chest and laughed at the blood dripping on his hands.

Then he turned to Lille, who was sobbing.
"Oh, little baby wants her mother? Then join her." He said, stabbing her in the heart. Lillie collapsed.
I can't remember exactly what happened next. I just remember that my vision tinted scarlet and I attacked my brother. When the tint went away, I found myself holding the hilt of the dagger, embedded in my brother's chest.
I ran.
Enough backstory, yeah? Alright. Back to present time.
So June warns me about some person stalking me. I do the logical thing; I hide in my alleyway. "My" alleyway. It's just an alley in the Lake sector, but it's home to me. As homey as a dark, dirty, humid old backstreet can be. As I slip off my hoodie to hang on the fence near the entrance, I notice something rustling in my food storage. Heh. Joke's on you sucker, I have no food. But it still worries me that someone's in my alley. My home. I must've left the fence gate open, yeah?
As I slowly approach the trespasser, I take note of their position and possible escape routes. They must be planning to use the pile of rotten boxes in the corner to leap up to the window sill, and then to the roof from there. Smart. Suddenly the crouching figure rises, a black hood hiding their face and identity. Just as I expected, the figure leaps up to the top of the boxes, and nearly begins the jump to the windowsill when I take the tail of their shirt and pull them down roughly. Before they can defend themselves, I've got them on the ground with a dagger to their throat. Their hood slides down, revealing a boy about my age with unruly blonde hair. His eyes are wide with shock, yet I sense that he's not new to the streets. His eyes frantically search around for a way to escape, but I push the dagger down harder, but being careful not to cut him.
"Thought you could steal my food, yeah?" I say as he looks up at me with striking blue eyes.
"I-I just needed..." He chokes out. I let up a little on the dagger. He takes a deep breath. I look closer into his eyes. I can't trust him just yet, but he doesn't look like a crazy murderer. But again, I don't either. Heh. Funny joke, Story.
"Can I trust you?" I ask. He replies in an instant.
"Yes."
I lift the dagger up, watching him as he slowly stands. He looks a little dazed at first, but then stabilizes. He gazes around my alley, taking in what he hadn't earlier.
"Uh...nice alley you got here." He says awkwardly, rubbing his throat and looking to the ground.
"Thanks, cousin." I say, sliding my dagger in my boot. I straighten the front of my shirt, neatly tucking it in. Just because you're poor doesn't mean you can't have style, yeah?
He looks up from examining his boots. "And, um, thanks for not slitting my throat earlier. That would have been slightly painful." I laugh at that comment.
"Only slightly." I reply, still giggling. He smirks.
"So, have any food?"
"Ah, no. But we could steal some?" I suggest, wondering what his tragic backstory must be. Judging by the untrusting gleam in his eyes, he must have been abandoned?
"Definitely. I was left without any when my ally was killed." Yep. Abandoned. I love my analyzing skills.
I take a deep breath. "Alright, well, it's beginning to get dark- perfect time for robbing fruit stands, yeah?"
I take my grey hoodie off the rotting fence, check the laces on my boots, and leap off the wall over the fence. The boy follows me, seeming to wince as he pushes off the wall with his right arm.
As we walk down the darkening street, I gesture at his right arm.
"Hurt?"
He subconsciously rubs his wrist but then stops himself.
"No, no, I'm fine." He replies quickly. "I-it just, you know, hurts sometimes."
"Really, now," I say, "it's not hurt?"
He looks down, biting his lip. He considers my question for a bit, and then answers, "Okay, yeah, maybe it is..."
I smirk. "And how did that happen?"
Before he can answer, we see two people arguing at a fruit stand.
"No, sir, this orange is five Republic notes, not two."
"But it was two yesterday! I can't afford five notes for an orange! I need to feed my family!"
"Sorry, I don't play the pity game. Sir, you need to pay the full price."
I watch as the boy walks over to the man buying the orange and taps him on the shoulder.
"My friend and I are about to steal some of this fruit. You can just stand in the alley, and we'll get you some for your family, yeah?" He whispers in the man's ear. The man nods furiously, a huge smile on his face.
"Thank you, boy, thank you." He says, retreating into the alley. Now for the plan. I play-limp up to the fruit stand, whimpering in fake pain. The fruit stand man looks up with no pity in his eyes.
"I-I need f-food..." I stutter, turning so the man is facing away from his stand.
"Have the money?" He asks, uninterested. I see the boy sneak up behind the stand and take five oranges and three apples. Odd numbers. Interesting. He ducks behind a building and gives me the signal- dragging three fingers from the top of his shoulder to his chest. Then he turns, gives some fruit to the poor man, and runs to my alley.
"I..." I begin, acting as if a wave of pain washed over me. Suddenly I turn around and bolt down the street, leap up to window sill, and climb up the building. The fruit man watches me, confused, as I jump from roof to roof, alley-bound.

When I return to the alley, the boy is eating an apple against the wall.
"Hey." He says, nodding at me. I nod back and sit down across from him.
"So who are you?" I ask, knowing he's not going to answer.
"Ocean Grey." He sticks his hand out to shake mine. I immediately become suspicious.
"Why'd you actually tell me your name? I'm a murderer." He laughs and shakes his head.
"You're trying to scare me. You're not a murderer. And anyways, I'm not afraid of being caught by the Republic. I haven't done anything seriously wrong." I shake my head.
"But I am a murderer." He laughs again.
"You're funny. What's your name?"
"Do I look like someone who would tell you? If anything, I'd tell you Story." He looks confused for a moment, then realized why I skipped a word.
"Oh, clever. Your name's Story? Cool."