MIA

Mia poked her head above the collapsed ruins of an abandoned building. A large droplet fell from the rooftop, splattering against the moss-covered stone. She winced. Rain fell incessantly. The violent pitter patter was relentless—drumming against the ground like a thunderous stampede.

Barely ten minutes had passed since the rainstorm arrived in the slums, and yet she was already drenched. The rags she wore clung uncomfortably to her childish body—heavy after soaking up rain.

Using her tattered sleeves, she wiped her eyes clear as she searched through the mist.

Where is he?

The unyielding drizzle drowned her ears. As she focused, she picked up on the sounds of muffled shouting nearby. Against her friend’s wishes, Mia crawled out of her hiding spot and approached the racket. Eventually, she saw the silhouettes of the parties involved.

There was her friend. Outnumbered. Alone. Under the frigid rain, he was desperately fending off his two teenage assailants.

Emil!

He was struggling. His opponents were ruthless, beating on him together without mercy. Emil ducked and weaved beneath their attacks as he tried to maintain his distance. The heavy rain, however, dulled his movements.

I have to do something. Mia searched the vicinity. A stone. A stick. A piece of metal. Something. Something that even her scrawny body could throw. Something to help Emil.

Squelch!

She spun towards the disturbing sound. Red splatter sprayed into the misty air. A painful cry shrieked over the downpour, followed by a loud thud against the wet concrete.

Emil had his fist outstretched, towering over the teenager that just dropped. His victim laid still, foaming at the mouth, unmoving.

Without hesitation, Emil charged at the other assailant. Panicked by his companion’s fall, the remaining teenager swung wildly. His desperate attack fell short as Emil stopped on a dime.

Catching his opponent off-balance, Emil delivered a savage sweep at their knees. A gruesome crack pierced the air. Mia grimaced as the teenager screamed. There was a loud splash as he crumpled to the ground—whimpering, clutching onto his broken leg.

“Tell me!” Emil spat, hands clamped on the teenager’s collars, “What the hell were you doing in my territory?!”

“I-It was an honest mistake!”

“Really?” he hissed, unconvinced, “So the two of you wandered in here, laid your hands on my friend, and decided to pick a fight by accident?”

“I, umm—”

Squelch!

Another cloud of blood sprayed into the air. Mia looked away, unable to stomach the violence. Over the thunderous rain, the gruesome noise of bone grinding against flesh continued to shake the air.

By the time Emil stopped, the teenager had lost consciousness. His head was arched back; blood pooled beneath his body. Emil mercilessly dropped him onto the ground. Instead, he stomped towards the other interloper who got knocked out earlier.

“Your affiliation?”

“H-Huh?” the other teenager stammered, still dazed from being struck on the jaws.

“Who are you with?”

“T-The Red Fangs!”

Mia flinched. It was a name that she was sick of hearing. The Red Fangs were a gang with a formidable presence in the Lower Dannan slums. Their reputation was mauled by bloody turf wars and aggressive attempts to expand their influence.

Emil clicked his tongue before smashing the teenager’s nose. “Get the fuck out of my face. The two of you are dead if I see you here again.”

The two Red Fang members slowly limped down the alleyway as they retreated. Emil eyed them like a hawk—his fists clenched, ready to pounce if they dared to take a detour. Gradually, their silhouettes faded amidst the rain.

“Mia, you can come out now,” Emil suddenly said.

H-How?! She froze, holding her breath out of instinct. Chills crawled down her spine. She swore she didn’t make a sound.

“Mia. I know you’re there. Stop wasting my time.”

Realizing that she had been caught, Mia reluctantly stepped out into the open. Their eyes met. The boy wore a nasty scowl. Purple marks smeared beneath his large, intelligent eyes. His soft features defiled by scars and bruises. Mia always thought he looked strange—someone with his appearance shouldn’t have belonged in the slums.

“I told you to leave, did I not?” he snapped.

“Y-Yes,” Mia stuttered. The intensity on his face was terrifying. “Yes. Y-You did.”

“Then what the fuck are you still doing here?”

“I…” I was scared you were going to die. “…I thought you needed help!” she blurted out.

Emil stared at her in disbelief before letting out an exasperated sigh. Shaking his head, he beckoned her over, the glare in his eyes softening as she got closer.

“Are you alright? Did they do anything to you?” he asked.

“No. Not really,” she said. Unconvinced, Emil lifted her arms and gently turned it to the side. She winced. There was a nasty gash on the underside of her right arm. The glaring wound was still bleeding. Mia caught a glimpse of madness flash across his face.

“I just fell! They dragged me by the arm and I fell,” she immediately explained. Emil raised an eye.

“I’m serious!” she pleaded, “Nothing else happened.”

“…Fine.”

Mia silently let out a sigh of relief once Emil dropped the issue. Thank goodness. I didn’t want him to run after them again.

“Grab the stuff we’ve scavenged. We’re heading back to the compound,” Emil said as he went to pick up the bundle of miscellaneous junk that they had collected for day.

“And please,” he pointed at her injury, “keep that a secret from Raz.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

***

The two of them walked in silence through the somber corridors of the Lower Dannan slums. The thundering rain continued to pour. Finally, they arrived at the compound.

Mia glanced up.

A tall metal fence towered before her. The only visible entrance was a large gate constructed from a bizarre mishmash of iron and wood. Rust and rot littered across some of the pieces, puzzled together haphazardly with nails and screws of irregular sizes.

On the flanks of the gate stood two sentry towers crudely repurposed from abandoned scaffolding. The top of the gate and fences were reinforced with metal wires. They were barbed and sharpened to deter any ambitious intruders from climbing over.

All of these contraptions were Emil’s ideas. Mia watched as he approached the gate. There was a bell dangling by the side—he grabbed it and gave it a violent shake.

“Identify yourselves!” A scrawny boy immediately peered over from the top of the sentry tower.

“Dale! It’s us!” Emil screamed back.

“Who the hell is us?! Identify yourselves and state your purpose!”

“It’s Emil, you idiot! I got Mia with me! Open the damn gate!”

Mia could have sworn she heard a panicked grunt escape Dale’s mouth. The boy immediately disappeared below the sentry tower. A few seconds later, the gate to the compound creaked open.

She stepped inside. Her shoulders automatically relaxed. Tension poured out of her body. The encounter with the Red Fangs now a mere afterthought.

Finally, they were home.

***

“Emil!” Dale rushed towards them. The scrawny boy was a bundle of nerves. “I’m so sorry! I really couldn’t tell it was you from the rain,” he pleaded. His voice was shrill and desperate, devoid of the aggression he displayed earlier.

“It’s fine,” Emil said, frowning, “Dale, is your eyesight getting worse?”

The question must have caught Dale off guard. He flinched, averting Emil’s scrutinizing gaze as if caught in a criminal act.

“Should I take you off sentry duty?” Emil asked.

Dale squirmed. “…Does that mean I’m not needed here anymore?” he whimpered. The corners of his eyes were trembling.

“No, you idiot. Do you think this place is some heavenly paradise that maintains itself? I’ll find work for you. There are always things that need to be done.”

Mia saw Dale’s shoulders drop. Relief. The terrified glint in his eyes disappeared. Good for you, Dale. She understood exactly where he was coming from. The children living in this compound were all orphans. The one thing they all feared the most was being abandoned again.

“I-I’ll think about it.”

“Sure, let me know.”

Emil turned around and ventured deeper into the compound. Mia followed closely. They soon passed an array of makeshift tents—each fabricated from an assortment of rags and drapes scavenged from the slums. A boy poked his head out from one of the tent flaps. His face instantly brightened into a wide smile upon seeing them.

“Emil, you’re back!” Without warning, the boy sprinted out into the rain. “There’s a problem with the well that you should look at.”

The boy’s loud voice resounded above the pitter patter. Soon, more kids emerged from the tents, apparently overhearing the commotion. Within seconds, Emil was suddenly swarmed by a group, all clamoring for his attention.

Mia smiled as she waited for him to address all of their concerns.

“Mia, welcome back. Let me help with that.” An older boy scrolled up to her with outstretched hands. She happily obliged. Her arms were starting to grow sore.

“Thanks Bruno. Can you please take that to the supply depot?”

As she passed over the bundle of scavenged items, she winced. The wound on her arm suddenly throbbed, exacerbated by the rain and the weight she carried. Remembering Emil’s warnings, she immediately fixed her expression. Discretely, she pulled down the rags on her arms to cover the glaring gash.

Bruno didn’t seem to have noticed as he walked off with her items in hand. The rest of the kids were still crowded around Emil while he was giving an explanation.

***

“Ughhhh…” Emil groaned. Mia watched as he slumped against the wall. His eyes closed shut. Speaking with the other kids seemed to have sapped all of his remaining energy.

Mia stared absent-mindedly at the window, observing the rain cascade down the dirty pane of glass. They were inside Emil’s dwelling within the compound.

It’s been almost two years since I’ve lived here.

This compound that they called home used to be the site of an abandoned lumbermill. Emil and Raz discovered it by chance two years ago, claiming the spot for themselves and fencing off the perimeter with fortifications. After securing the place, they picked up orphans like stray animals until the compound grew into the community it is today.

Mia was one of the first strays the two had found. While Emil always lamented the dilapidated state of this place, for Mia and the others, the compound was their paradise. A safe haven that kept them fed and safe from the malice and violence of the Lower Dannan slums.

Orphans in Lower Dannan were treated like livestock. The lucky ones were recruited into gangs or adopted into brothels. The misfortunate ones were kidnapped and enslaved. Most starved, waiting to die in the alleyways for better luck in their next life.

Emil suddenly shot up from his nap. “Alright, let’s get your arm looked at.” He began sifting through the collection of bottles and jars stored on a nearby shelf.

Mia frowned. You could have rested a bit longer, you know.

After a few seconds, he came back with a clay bowl. A patch of dark green paste clung along the bottom.

“Looks like I need to make more again. Damn Raz and his crew keep getting into fights.” He scratched the back of his head, visibly frustrated. “Stick out your arm and unroll your sleeves.”

She did as she was told. Emil scooped up a line of the paste with a wooden spoon and smeared it along her wound. The gash burned slightly at the pressure until the cooling sensation of the paste began to soothe. Emil then teared a piece of cloth that had been boiled in water and wrapped it around her arm.

“Does it hurt?”

“No,” she lied, fighting to keep her face as neutral as possible. The last thing she wanted was to add to his list of worries.

“How many herbs do we have left?”

“We’re low. The markets haven’t been putting them on sale.”

“Great.” Emil sighed. “How about the bandages?”

“I think the ones you’re using are the last batch.”

“Bruno brought back more cloth.” He beckoned at a pile beside him. “Can you cut them into strips and boil them later? Or find someone else to do it if your arm hurts. Maybe Dale, if he’s changed his mind about—”

Thud!

The door suddenly slammed open. A tall boy stomped into Emil’s dwelling. Towering at six feet tall, his head was nearly at the ceiling of the house. His tanned face blemished with nasty scars.

It was Raz, the other leader of this compound.

“Mia,” he uttered, nearly growling. His wild eyes landed on the bandages wrapped around her arms. Emil shot her an accusatory glance. She shook her head in denial. Bruno must have saw it.

“What the hell happened to you?!” Raz yelled, livid.

“Calm down, Raz. She’s—”

“Answer the damned question!” Raz swung, smashing his fist into a nearby shelf. Mia covered her mouth in shock. Emil shot up—his eyes narrowed on the damaged items fallen on the floor.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re angry. I get it. But how about you don’t destroy every fucking thing around you?” he snarled. The two boys glared at each other in silence, hands balled into fists, chests flaring. Mia slowly stepped back, trying to create some distance in case a fight broke out.

Emil was the first to relent. “…Two outsiders intruded on our territory. They saw her.”

“Who?”

“The Red Fangs.”

Raz’s eyes grew wide. Without another word, he spun around, stomping towards the door.

“Raz!” Emil grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?!”

Raz glanced back, eyes blood-shot. “To teach them a lesson, obviously.”

“I already broke one of their legs! The other one has a smashed jaw! I’ve made our stance clear!”

“That’s not enough! This shit is never going to stop at this rate. They need to learn not to mess with us ever again,” Raz declared as he ripped his arm free and broke out of the door. Emil immediately gave chase.

***

By the time Mia caught up, a crowd had already gathered around the two. She managed to squeeze through the thin gaps towards the front, taking care not to disturb her bandaged arm.

Emil had Raz by the collars.

“Let go,” Raz spat.

“This is fucking stupid. And you know it.”

“You’re the one who doesn’t understand, Emil! If we let this pass, the whole slum is going to look down on us. They’ll think we’re soft, we’re scared, we’re a bunch of cowards! They’ll walk all over us and the same thing today will repeat itself!”

“You’re wrong.”

Raz snorted. “Of course. You know best, right? You’re the smartest out of all of us here.” His eyes suddenly narrowed into a murderous stare. “But that doesn’t mean you know everything. Now, let go before I lose my patience.”

“Try me,” Emil retorted. Madness danced in his eyes. The crowd, who had been anxiously quiet before, suddenly burst into a frenzy. The somber ambiance was immediately overtaken by the excitement of a potential brawl.

“Hahaha! Did you forget you’re a head shorter than me?” Raz smirked dangerously. “You think taking out two of the Red Fang’s trash suddenly means you’re hot shit?”

Raz tossed out a vicious left hook. Emil ducked, forced to let go of his collars as Raz’s fist swiped the air. Both of them jumped back, hands raised before their heads, sizing each other up for the next exchange.

The crowd exploded. Gasps and cheers rippled amongst the kids like wildfire. The entirety of the compound buzzed with excitement at the matchup between its two leaders.

Mia clasped her hands, praying for a quick resolution.