A childish dream (1)

Although Olivias company that day had been a welcomed and effective distraction thoughts of the past still crept their way back as the storm intensified that very same night.

It had been late spring when Amelia first met William. The memory of him still remained clear in her mind despite the passage of time.

That spring was not unlike any other that she'd already experienced in her childhood. Dirt and debris left behind by the long melted snow firmly packed in the cracks of the cobbled pathway that cut through the run down buildings and a stench of sewege that lingered in the air.

She was only thirteen at the time and already thought of herself as an adult.

Though there weren't many options for a young girl to make money she often ventured out during the day while her mother slept, determined to use every method at her disposal in the naive hope of someday getting herself and her mother out of the brothel. In hindsight it was a childish dream that she'd simply been too stubborn to let go of even though the money she made never lasted more than a few days.

The day that she spotted him in the alley had been an unusually warm one. Hunched over on the ground a young boy sat wearing torn clothes that looked like they had been expensive at some point in time. He'd not sought shelter from the heat, merely staring into nothing with empty eyes.

Amelia had ignored him in the beginning with the belief that it was every person for themselves. But as the boy remained there for days, even through the heavy rainfall, she was eventually unable to ignore it any longer.

"You'll starve if you stay like this" Amelia said and leaned her back against the wall next to the unfamiliar boy.

"If you have a death wish this is not the way to go about it. Hunger hurts like hell if you let it go on for too long, you know."

The boy didn't even look her way and she found herself growing annoyed by his blatant disregard for life.

"No one will help even if you remain like this. People here don't care even for children laying dead in the street."

The boy merely turned his head away from her.

When Amelia took a closer look at him she realised that it was not only his clothes that looked expensive. His skin was elegantly pale in a way that was only possible for those who had not worked a day outside in their lives. Although dirty his hands were smooth and his nails neatly trimmed.

She paused.

"Did you run away from home? Or were you abadoned here?"

Realising her words fell on deaf ears she sighed. She could hear her frinds calling, by their excited voices seemingly having come across something of value.

"I'm leaving now. You better snap out of it if you don't want to die, yeah?"

Only after she left did she realise his resemblance to a cat that she'd raised when she was little. A thin and mangy one with the same blank stare. It had only taken a few weeks of feeding it until the lights in its eyes returned and it finally snapped at her. A scar still remained on her hand as a memory.

Using that same logic Amelia went back to the boy that same evening. Although the back of her head still burned from the hit she'd recived for stealing she proudly displayed a burnt loaf of bread in her arms.

"Here" she boasted and pressed the loaf towards his face.

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

The boy finally raised his head and met her eyes with an icy glare. If looks could kill Amelia would already be six feet under.

"You don't want it? Then don't mind me" she grinned and sat on the ground in front of him.

Taking a big bite of the loaf she made a point of loudly enjoying the meal.

"Mmmm. How can this still be so scrumptious after being burnt? I was feeling kinda down but it was definitly worth the trouble. Too bad you didn't want any, I don't feel like sharing anymore."

The boy answered by kicking her leg.

"Will you leave me the fuck alone, kid?"

Amelia feigned ignorance.

"Oh, am I troubling you? I'm simply enjoying a meal that I worked reeeeally hard for. If you have an issue then maybe you should leave."

The boy groaned.

"Will you leave me alone if I eat that disgusting thing?"

"For now" she shrugged.

So it had continued. Every day Amelia returned to the alley with her latest findings. On the days that she hadn't managed to get a hold of food she'd buy some for the money that she had made through begging or stealing.

In return the boy always made sure to not let his annoyance go unheard.

"What am I supposed to do with an entire ham" he snapped one day.

"Eat it of course."

The boy scoffed and Amelia giggled.

"You're covered in dirt and you're worrying about the refined way of eating?"

"Are you really one to talk about being filthy?"

"That's unfair, I happen to be very clean! I only look like this for protection!"

His irritated look seemed to ask her to speak more clearly.

"Human trafficking is frequent in these parts. The best way to remain safe here is to look unappealing. That's why mom cuts my hair to cover my face as well, see?"

She pulled matted hair away from her forehead.

"I'm actually kinda pretty, aren't I? Though I'm sure its nothing compared to the rich girls you've known."

"What makes you assume that I was rich?"

"It's obvious, have you looked at yourself? Speaking of which, we better get you some different clothes if you're going to survive here else you could become a target. Since the days are getting hotter you need somewhere else to sleep as well, I will introduce you to some friends who are shacking up in the warehouse. And for money I'll teach you how to pickpocket."

As she monologued he only stared at her.

"Why are you pestering me? I think I've made my feelings towards you very clear."

Amelia held back her smile. Surely she couldn't tell him that he reminded her of a dirty streetcat.

"Because you're handsome?" she suggested.

Her comment was swiftly followed by a familiar kick in the leg.