"Children!?! Come here, time to come home" my body lurched up hopefully. My eyes opened to search for family, causing for me to blink wildly against the brightness. I felt hope flutter though my chest, the woman's voice had evoked the memory of my aunt. After my brain awoke I processed my surroundings and the words again. Sorrow swallowed up the hope; she wasn't calling for me and Sammy. Hot tears trailed down my hollow cheeks. I looked at my corner of the alley, the tallies over took the bland gray walls. My relatives said they would be back for me and little Sammy. I tried to stifle my tears, making a cough rattle through my body hurting my ribs. They would never come back, I was alone.
My bare callused feet prickled with pain as I walked through the alley dodging other scrawny children a couple of years younger than myself. My hand wrapped around the freezing rock as I carved another tally to the wall. Another day, another start. I thought of Sammy and shook violently in the crisp air. I collected myself and began the trudge down the cold gloomy streets. Each step I took made me want to retreat and crawl up to cry.
Vivid yellow, orange, red lace and ruffle dresses scurried away from me, each led by a man clad in fall apparel. Each mumbling something like, "Street urchin" or "thief." I sniffled and avoided looking at my torn up and dirt covered dress. I had giving up on trying to prove myself to others, but that didn't mean I wasn't ashamed of appearance.
I stumbled along a gravel path that led to the back of the clothing factory, and coughed repeatedly. The other children guided me along the road. My mind wandered to the image of my brother's fragile body, limp in my arms.
YOU ARE READING
Abandoned
Short StoryI didn't know then what it was like to be poor, hungry, almost out of hope, to be working for your brother's next meal each morning. Knowing that each hour isn't earning enough. Now I do, now I know it more than some. You might not know the cold as...
