Walking through the slums, Theo's small frame looked far too fragile for a child his age. His arms were as thin as branches, his legs no better, and his skin stretched so tight over bone that his ribs and joints jutted out like broken glass beneath it. Theo bit down on the hard bread.
On either side, wooden buildings stood half-collapsed, their frames torn apart and crumbling ,a total mess ,yet people still lived in them.
The alleys between the houses were littered with the homeless, the starving, and the dead.
The contrast between the new capital and these old slums was striking.
Theo kept to the dirt road, making himself small as he nibbled at the bread. Hollow eyes turned to him from the shadows, the homeless watching his every move, making him pick up his pace.
"Feels like home," Theo thought as he turned into one of the countless alleys crowded with people like him.
"Where did all the children go?" he wondered, maneuvering between the tightly packed bodies. "I didn't see any friend since today."
As he passed an old man lying on the ground, the man's ragged breaths caught his attention.
"Careful, young boy… They were at it all night… I've seen it," the man wheezed with great effort.
Theo stopped, turned back, and crouched beside him.
"What do you mean, old man?" Theo asked.
The man was a pitiful sight: his beard and hair were long and white, his body reduced to skin and bone, and rags barely covered his malnourished frame.
"They started kidnapping kids at night… those damn cultists…" the old man rasped, struggling for breath until his voice gave out entirely.
"Alright, old man, I'll be fine…"
Theo stood, about to walk away ,but the image of the frail man gnawed at him.
Even though he had almost no food left, he made his decision. He tore the remaining half of his bread and held it out to the old man.
"Are you… sure… young boy?" the man asked, sweat beading on his sunken face.
Theo slowly nodded, pressing the bread into the man's hand and helping him sit upright.
"HYUP." With great effort, his legs trembling, Theo lifted him until he was seated. Theo wasn't strong, but his swiftness and determination carried him through.
"Thank you… young man," the old man whispered, tears welling in his eyes and streaking down his gaunt cheeks. Crying softly, he clutched the bread with trembling hands, overwhelmed with gratitude.
Theo patted his head gently. "No need to cry, old man, I hope that will satisfy you!"
Waving back, he darted into the narrow, crowded alley and disappeared.
…
Theo ran through the maze of alleys, exploring, as usual, the old, crumbling capital. Ragged cloth fluttered in the wind, broken planks and splintered wood littered the streets.
Collapsed buildings loomed overhead, with people lying half-buried beneath the debris. Others slept on the bare ground. Theo passed them, glancing with pity, until something caught his eye.
In an empty alley stood a man cloaked entirely in black robes, his body hidden from head to toe.
Strangely, the sight of the robed man didn't shock Theo. What unsettled him was the alley itself, it was completely empty, not a single soul in sight.
He hesitated, then stepped back, curiosity gnawing at him. He watched the man carefully.
The robed figure turned and walked around the corner.
Theo blinked, taken aback, then crept forward. Slowly, he moved to the corner and peeked around, catching a glimpse of the man as he turned sharply again down the next alley.
Theo picked up his pace, his small feet padding against the dirt road. As he reached the corner, he peeked again, only to see the man vanish around yet another turn.
Frustration bubbled in Theo's chest. Impatient, he rushed forward, determined not to lose him.
As Theo neared the corner, he leaned out,
and a hand shot out, seizing him by the neck.
Cold fingers squeezed tight, lifting him effortlessly into the air.
It was the man in robes. His face wasn't visible, only a void of swirling blackness, like a gaping hole in the world.
Theo clawed at the hand, kicking wildly as agonizing seconds passed. His lungs screamed for air. Darkness crept into his vision.
And then , nothing.
His small body went limp as consciousness slipped away.
The man released his grip. Theo dropped hard to the ground, pale and unmoving.
The robed figure stood over him for a moment, then crouched low. A slow, creeping smile spread across the shadowed void where his face should be.
Reaching down, the man grabbed Theo by the hair.
Without a word, he dragged the boy's limp body into the darkness of the alley.