Prayer Of The Refugee

Dark and Drousey

"Hey it's okay if we have to sleep here tonight."

I smiled at him. For someone so young he was pretty understanding.

I held him in my lap. My arm touched something really moist on his side.

Blood.

"He-"

"It's okay! It doesn't hurt." He cut me off.

I ripped off a piece of long sleeve  shirt and wrapped it around his torso. It was my best way to stop the blood.

Even with all the pain he had, Hector looked happy. He has probably seen worse than I have. Not to mention, no parents to claim him. He must know much more than he shows. He must be so sad and broken, but he never shows it.

"How old are you hector?"

"I am six!" He showed with his fingers, but only held up four.

I laughed at his gesture and patted his head.

I was getting tired of holding my lighter down. I had to think of a place that would hold it up, and keep the flame.

I sat Hector down on where I was sitting.

Getting up, I took my jacket off and found some tiny rocks lying around.

I placed my jacket around Hector and he smiled at me.

I felt the goosebumps rising on my skin once again. It was even colder under ground than above.

I turned off the lighter for a second trying to construct a way for it be out of my hand and always on.

I took out one of my shoe laces and tied it around my lighter switch to one of the smaller rocks.

"Hector can you pass me the pack of gum in my jacket pocket?"

He tossed it towards me and I began chewing a piece.

Once I got it round and soft enough, I took it out of mouth and stuck it to the bottom of my lighter. Then I pressed my lighter to the ground feeling proud of how well it stood up right. I tightened my shoelace around the lighter switch, receiving a warm glow in the process, then tied the rest of my shoe lace around two bigger rocks.

I always loved to tinker with little things like these, and it always came in handy.

Sighing to myself I leaned back into the wall. I looked at the sewer water deep in thought.

I think back of all the suffering I had to have as a refugee. I am happy I am older now, and can understand a lot more than I am used to. I can take a lot more than I was used to as well. I don't think about crying often, I've been sort of numb.

I wonder what Hector was in this world. Was he a refugee? An orphan? A runaway? Or just...lost?

He didn't deserve any of this, but there was no one to tell him that.

He was left in this big world, with not a single soul to rely on.

I decided to break the silence and ask, "Hector, if it's okay me asking, where are you from?"

He scooted close to me, and I felt his small head lean on my shoulder.

"I was left behind." He simply replied.

He was left behind. His family left him.

I felt a deep pain in my heart, and the beating metronome of it suddenly quickened. I felt my eyes heat up.

I was never left behind at camp, but I had to leave behind things and people all the time. I never felt like this, towards anyone or anything. It's the numbness I spoke about.

I forgot how to cry.

"Please don't cry." He whispered.

"I have to. I forgot how to."

He only sighed and laid his head on my lap.

We tried to sleep that night. I heard rain above the sewer. With nothing to eat and nothing to drink, I had to find a way to steal something, or somehow sneak him into camp. I knew Hector didn't mind this situation, but if I was taking care of him, I had to do it right.

He didn't deserve to have this life. So young too. I sighed and looked over at his innocent face. He was fast asleep on my lap.

Feeling my own eyes close. I relaxed. I turned off my lighter, afraid I might cause a fire while asleep.
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After what felt like 10 minutes, I heard clicking sounds that shook my insides. I opened my eyes to pitch black. My eyes taking less time than usual to adjust to the darkness. I try to make out what the clicking sound was. It wasn't water. It sounded like a button.

'Click click'

I heard the noise again. Then I realized what it was. It was a lighter wanting to be lit.

"Oh come on!" I heard a manly voice yell just above a whisper. My eyes widened at this. There was someone else down here with us. I didn't know what to do. Do I trust them?

My mind immediately turned to the answer "No!" 

I decided to follow my brains advice. Waking up Hector, and motioning for him to be quiet, we both crept silently along the walls.

I picked up my lighter and decided not to light it, because it would make the same exact clicking noise.

I heard foot steps in front of me signaling that I was close to the person. I turned a steep corner with Hector next to me. It was a narrow and tight corner.

I didn't know what tunnel I was in but then I realized.

But my realization was a little too late.

I grabbed Hectors hand as the sound of rushing water was soon upon us.

"LILLY!" I heard him yell.

"Come on! We can still get ou-"

My voice was cut off by rushing sewer water devouring Hector and I.