Death is a sweet relief for most who experience severe radiation poisoning.

The most dreaded consequences of being exposed to ionizing radiation lie not in temporary pain, nausea, or headaches. The permanent damage to not only skin and muscles, but also organs like the thyroid gland, liver, and even the brain.

Lich got lucky, because, during the destruction of Cape city, his head was in a place that just so happened to shield it from radiation, saving his life. Of course, the rest of his body was exposed.

He would have died if not for a group of scouts sent out of a shelter. Everyone in the city knew about it, but it was mostly treated as a joke, and not a sign of inequality.

Only the richest of the people were let inside, and, apparently, they felt bad after closing the gates and letting all the people outside die. Lich was not the only one who survived the bombardment itself, but radiation poisoning slowly killed the other people.

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He was taken care of by a woman called Sophia. She lost her husband and children after they failed to enter the shelter, so Lich was treated like her second chance at being a mother. Back then, he was a 14-year-old lonely kid, who was pretty sure that his parents didn't lose him by accident.

It was not rare that he heard them cursing him at night, or advertising abortion to all of their friends. Sophia was like the mother never had (because the person who gave birth to him cannot be called with such a name).

The people inside quickly got bored of healing the poor. They stopped caring about their guilt of killing so many, so everyone wanted Lich out.

Even 11 years later, he still has dreams of her talking with him, as a black wall is screaming at them and hurling insults.

One of these dreams appeared after sleeping in Windhoek, but he sadly woke up. The reason for his awakening was purely physical, and it was called hunger.

But a prime cut of meat was sleeping right next to him, so after turning the dress of a skeleton he slept next to into a towel, he tied it around his waist, and ended the life of his breakfast.

He would have quite a feast!