3rd Person's POV
Everyone avoided this part of the street because of the foul smell. Nearby is a dumpter where theres already generations of garbage packed in. No one had come to pick it up, and no one would dare to.
7 year old Rie was born here. He's been here for so long that the smell no longer bother him.
This deep in the slums housed many kinds of people, some are nice but most are evil. And like the grimes and dust and spiderwebs decorating their house his father is as disgusting.
The boy have a hard time reaching for the door knob, everyone in the neighborhood is poverty-stricken so nothing really helps him grow. He is pale as snow,and he's a literal skin and bones. Even his clothes are picked up from the dumpster, full of holes but hundreds of them combats the cold snow.
He finally able to turn the door open. The air immediately fills up his nose, and excitement lights up his eyes as he take on his favorite time of the year.
The once graffiti-filled floor is now thickly covered with red and orange leaves, and they still keep coming -falling like magical snows from rainbows, all sparkly, wrapping the stains of his reality.
Suddenly dread wiped out his smile.
This season is his favorite at the same time a misery. This is a warning for the upcoming winter, it's when cold takes up the whole place and when they have to suffer with an empty stomach. All they have are old dusty fabrics and nothing more.
"Someone's excited for the fall."
His smile widens when he realized who just spoke.
"Kelly!" He waves his hand in excitement. "Let's play by the leaves! It's like a mountain out there, I saw it, it's this tall!" He stretch out his arms as much as he can, but with his small undeveloped stature it's too far from the real one.
His neighbor, Kelly, is a year older than him. She once had an older brother, its just that one day he left home and was never seen again.
Maybe he simply left, tired of the poverty clinging onto him. Or maybe he died. There are so many possibilities, and there are so little the poor can do. All he knows is that like his family, everyone else also argue a lot.
Money is power. Money is peace. Without is bound for chaos.
"I guess I'll go. Not much I can do when a kid asks."
"Hey! You're only a year older!"
"When you're 8 you'll understand. Everything seems to become different, like the world has become smaller, see?" She stands on her tiptoes and she easily reaches up to the doorknob, "Like the adults do!"
He couldnt help but gape in awe. She always seem to know everything even though they both couldnt go to school. Truly, his friends are the only ones that make life a little better.
"Let's go over to Jane's! She's gonna be so pissed!"
Jane is also their neighbor who's a little older. She's 10 years old and a giant compared to both of them. She usually boast about her life: Like how she gets to eat cereal for breakfast like the ones they see on magazines; how she got better hair; how she looks healthier, prettier.
And how she got her period............. That was yesterday.
When they arrived at her house they saw an unfamiliar man. He has a beer belly, balding, and he have a huge tattoo running down his arm. All in all he is out of place in this slum where beer is a luxury, and the only ink they can afford are from moldy fruits -though it doesnt last as long.
Since then Jane is barred from going out. And more so often, unfamiliar men walk out of their house.
Her mother first said she's sick, then years passed and her excuses altered. She said Jane hated them, and that they shouldnt come by ever again.
The kids protested for a few months but with no signal from her, they eventually gave up.
Maybe she do hated them. Maybe she realized she's of better than hanging out with smelly kids who's only toys are the leaves and rocks off the road.
She hated them so much that she wont even peek a glance out of her window.
She hated them.......
Hate.
Even though Rie has enough of that at home.
Another few years passed and Kelly have turned 11 years old. Sometimes she grumbled that she wouldnt ever beat Jane. Though we never heard of her again, she still longed for a reunion.
"Please move on, she never even bother to come see us!" Rie whined.
"Im not! It's a grudge! Im having a grudge towards her." She assured, yet theres a faint sadness on her tone. "I've been praying to get my period since I was eight, and now Im almost 12 and its still not here!"
He kicked a pebble in dread. He couldnt relate. He atleast knows that guys dont get periods. He innocently asked, "Is that fun?"
She nods in anticipation, "You betcha!"
"How? Why do I cant get that?"
She suddenly grabs both of his shoulders, her eyes glimmering like stars despite the bright sky. "My mom said it's a magic girls have. It makes them ooze this magical scent that's filled with magic sparkles!"
He crinkled his nose, "I only hear magic."
"You wont understand, kid." She messed up his hair. " This scent is so powerful that everyone looks in your way. They cant resist watching you and following you. You know maybe Jane hating us is just an excuse."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it. Maybe she used this magic to get out of here."
His eyes widen in realization. That must be it! That's why the haven't seen her since! "That's mean she could be eating chocolate now!"
"You're so naive. It's the city! She could be eating everything, like real eggs!"
Rie blubbered as his imagination goes wild. "Then there's milk and candies and cake! Especially cake. They also have a cloud candy too."
"It's cotton candy, idiot." She slapped him on the back of his head but Rie didnt think too much of it. Happiness is running through his veins as he thought of all the food he could eat, Kelly is the same and she couldnt help but voiced out her dream. "I'll definitely get out of here."
She didnt.
Just days after proudly announcing about her period she disappeared. And like Jane, there are old men coming in and out of their house.
He got lonely. There are no other kids in their neighborhood so he started spending more of his time at home. After all, he's still hoping that his father will return to normal.
His father was once a clean man. He always believed that life depends on the way you take care of yourself. If you're dressed ragged, then you'll lead a ragged life. But if you're dressed clean, like without a hint of stubble on your face and a sparkling clean shirt then that speaks for what you'll lead.
One day, for the first time in Rie's life, he saw his father came back home with swollen knuckles, red eyes, and bruises all over his arms.
He thought it's a one time thing, until he returns often with more and more stains all over his body. Then sudden anger would possessed the man to beat up his wife -Rie's sweet lovely mother.
And somehow that beating ended up infecting his mother, like a curse that's been passed down.
She once told Rie that he is her life, and that she would protect him from any harm. However, as the virus jump down to her blood she started wishing death for the little boy.
'I wished I never had you!'
Her words continuously echoes in his ears, and it hurts..... It hurts......
The boy was internally scarred but he's still hoping that the infection is irreversible.
He's on his way home from the dumpster. He thought he could find a toy there, instead he's met with a couple of adults who revered his face. He's always been creeped out, especially since they only throw in words and not pennies.
Useless, he thought. Not like I can eat their praises.
He stopped on his tracks when he saw Kelly running down the street. He lights up, he always knew that she would come back for him.
He have so many questions! Like how the city is like, or did she saw the tall buildings in magazines.
He waved his hand. Anticipation building up his chest as she got nearer.
But then, as their distance lessens her red-and-blue colors also got more visible on her body. His smile dropped. Worry splashed his face.
He was about to ask what's wrong, he was so worried that he didn't saw the knife she was holding. Especially, when she slashed him across his face that left him severely bleeding.
There's so much blood. And Kelly's parents ignored him as they continue to chase down after her.
That moment he swears he would die.
He barely remember stumbling down to an abandoned clinic, helping himself with expired materials in hope to stop the bleeding.
But he do remember that when he woke up, he realized that the virus is infecting the people to madness.
And he swore he'd save them first.