The Dark Knight

Chapter 2

My muscles were in agony. Not moving for three days takes it tolls but still I did not dare to move from my hiding spot. I curled a bit farther under the old vendor cart and tucked behind an apple crate.  My stomach cried out but I ignored it. I'd gone longer with out food.

I contemplated whether or not I should leave my hiding spot and find a new one. Gathering up all of my courage I slipped out from under the stand into the alley way.

Since Spruga was underground I couldn't immediately tell what time it was. I peeked out of the alley and spotted the giant clock tower in the middle of the city. You could see it from anywhere in town and it was against the law the block it. It was just after sunrise.

I took a deep breath before venturing out. I would have to be extra careful today since Malcolm the Knight was arriving and the Choosing was today. I walked along the currently empty street. No one was up this early in the morning except for us vermin.

I saw a few others and let myself relax which was the first mistake I made. I halfway to my new hiding spot just two buildings over. It was an old dumpster that no one used and it was a pretty spacious hiding spot. When little Mica came running.

Mica was a little boy who's parents had abandoned him and now he was fending for himself on the streets. See, Mica wasn't the problem but rather what he was running from. Mrs. Polk.

Mrs. Polk was a firm believer that all of us street kids were no better than rats. She wanted us off the streets but not in homes. She wanted us dead. Mrs. Polk would never get her hands dirty though so she settled for beating us with her beating broom which she now waved over her head as she ran.

I froze. This was bad. Very very bad. Mrs. Polk and Mica were coming from the direction I needed to go. I frantically looked for a place to hide but it was too late. She has seen me. Now, I've never done anything to Mrs. Polk. She just hates me since I'm Atkian.

The Atka used to be this powerful race of Magi that no one dared mess with. Some believed that worshiped the Dark God Andenes. People hated them so much that about 7 years ago there was a bloody war and by the end you could count all of us Akian left with your fingers and toes. I was one of the unlucky few left.

As soon as Mrs. Polk locked eyes with me I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Even though I was small for my size and didn't get very much food living on the streets made me quite fast. That doesnt mean I enjoy running however. The only thing I hated more was being chased by an angry old lady with a broom.

I was darting in and out of alleys and ducking behind buildings. My feet hurt from running for so long without shoes. I placed a hand over my iron necklace, its presence soothing me. My second mistake was not realizing how far into the city I had run. See the outer city, the slums, was my friend. It's where a street kid had a fighting chance in this world.

Now the middle ring of the city was not a friendly place for me. People here were very hard working people and did not want to take the chance of us stealing their wares. Police forces were everywhere and a force to be messed with.

Next was the inner ring. I couldn't even begin to imgine was it was like. No street kid had ever made it past the middle ring.

I looked around to try and get my bearings when I saw with much horror where I was. The middle ring. I looked onto the streets from my alley but it was getting to be business hours so the streets were filling up. Police men were everywhere. Blending into the crowd would normally work expect as meationed earlier the people of the middle ring took no chances with my people.

I slouched my shoulders in defeat. The only way out was magic but I tried my hardest not to use mine. Also, if there was a single Magi in that crowd they would catch me faster than you can say, "Dianos help me!"

I couldn't just stay here though. Malcolm the Knight would be here soon if he wasn't already and I didn't want to go to the Choosing. I clutched my pendant and slipped out of my cover. I ran as fast as I coukd sticking to the walls and mixing in with the crowd. I moved quickly to make sure no one got a good look at me and could tell I didn't belong. I was only a block away from safety when I heard a shout. "Vermin! There's a flithy vermin!"

The kid was young. Younger than me and it hurt to hear such a young innocent child using that kind of language. What a sick world we live in.

All pity I felt vanished though when the full meaning hit me. I had been spotted. Sure enough guards from all over the block starting to rush after me. Pure choas ensued amd I ran even faster. I knew it was hopeless. My frail body that had gone without moving or eating for three days straight just was too slow and the police caught me very quickly. One of them tried to put a pair of handcuffs on me but they slud right off since my wrists were so thin. They resorted to grabbing my arms and dragging me.

The man on my right was holding with way more force than nessicary. Being the little brat I am using my most sweet voice asked, "Exuse me sir, you're hurting me. Could you please be more gentle? If you use any more force I think my bones will break."

The man laughed and gripped my arm even tighter, "Let's hear them break you vermin." I stared at him, not with anger or fear but curiosity. I wonder if he though in the war or a street kid stole all lf his money. What happened for him to be so mean.

My momma taught me one very important thing. No matter how cruel a persin thinks don't judge them too harshly . No one is born mean, they're made mean. That was a lesson I planned to take with me all the way to the grave.

The men brought me to the small city jail. Spruga had two jails. One was a massive, high security facility for actual criminals. It was located deep inside the mountain and almost impossible to get to.   The other jail had just become a building that they lock all of the street kids in since we hadn't technically done anything wrong. Unless you got caught stealing.

As we approached the heavy iron doors of the jail building I couldn't help but be scared. I'm only 13 and yet here I am about to go the jail for wandering into the wrong place. It didn't help that I was Atkian meaning they might kill me for fun.

The guards yanked open the doors and shoved me into the room. It was just a giant room filled with street kids. All of the windows were covered with iron bars and the door would be too heavy for any of us to open. We were rats in a cage.

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The picture is Malcolm
Author here. I don't know what to say so just comment on anything you liked