The Knife and the King

The sky was already bright when I realized we couldn't go any further.

My eyes were barely open, and my feet were burning. Still, I kept walking, trying to get us as far away as I could. But then, I heard my sister fall to the ground. I remember that she didn't even make a noise or complain, she just fell and stayed there.

"Hey...Kuchel?"

My hand reached for her, but she spoke before I could touch her.

"I'm okay."

She said, barely lifting her head, burying her face in her knees. Her voice showed the opposite, though. I didn't know if she was lying so I wouldn't worry. Either way, I didn't buy it.

"Let's rest for a bit."

I told her. I didn't know how much we had walked, but since I didn't recognize the place, I just sat in a corner with Kuchel. It smelled like shit, flies were all around us, and the fact that I still stank of blood didn't help.

I looked around. The alley was narrow, but the walls were filled with paintings and marks. Right in front of us the words "Fuck the king" were carved in the stone, whoever made it must have really wanted to leave a message. Idiots...as if rebellion would emerge from something like this. I did understand, though, why they made those things. That was just another message on a wall full of countless others, one more scratch in a wall carved by people no one listened to. Even then, it was pointless, wasn't it? 

Then I heard snores coming from my sister. Even after what she saw, she still trusted me enough to close her eyes next to me. I don't remember how much time I was there, just looking at the walls, reading the cries of children that the world ignored. One said, "My mom died screaming and no one came", another said, "I'm about to die from hunger," and so on. All of them hit me a little inside. As pointless as I might've thought it was, I was one of those children too. I got the knife I brought to protect us and stood up without making too much sound. 

I stopped for a moment with the blade in my hand, thinking of what I'd carve in that wall. However, it didn't take me too long to decide, as the only thing on my mind was what I had done the night before. "Death to all MP's". That was perfect. 

I started slowly, being careful with the blade, but the more I carved, the angrier I was, each letter bigger and stranger than the one before. By the time I finished carving the letter "H", a chill went down my spine, and I felt like I was being watched. My grip on the knife got stronger as I looked to the side. There stood a man, bald with shiny blue eyes and what seemed like military clothes. The strange thing was, I did not recognize which faction he belonged to. He didn't move, hell, not even a blink, he just stared at me. I stared back, heart pounding in fear, but ready to defend myself if I had to.

However, after a few seconds...he just kept walking. Even after he left, my body was tense, and I still held my knife tightly. Only after I was sure he wasn't close anymore did I rest.

My eyes shifted to the wall again, where I had already written "DEATH". I kept carving, every slash possessing the anger inside me. After some time, my masterpiece was done. For a moment, I felt free. I stepped back, admiring my work, and sat next to my sister who was still asleep.

I finally felt my body giving up to exhaustion, and it didn't take too long after closing my eyes for me to fall asleep.

Somehow, I woke up before Kuchel did. Not so long after I closed my eyes, I was already awake. The sun was hitting directly above my head, and my stomach screamed for food. I thought it was likely lunchtime.

I stood up again and placed the trash bins in a way to hide my sister from the view of anyone who passed the street. I didn't walk far, though. I sat on the sidewalk of the street, begging for some food. I don't know how long it took, but it got to the point where the sun wasn't hitting my head anymore. Dirty looks or looks of pity, rich or poor folk, no one seemed to have anything. Fuck them...at least the poor ones had the excuse that they have to feed themselves, but the rich bastards didn't even bother to make one.

"What are you doing?"

I looked back and saw my sister standing.

"Trying to feed us."

I responded, my tone spiteful. She didn't need me to say anything else to know I had nothing. After a few seconds, she spoke again.

"Maybe we can go to a restaurant and ask for it...We could work there to pay."

Honestly, I was a bit disgusted by the idea. I didn't want anyone's pity, I was done wasting my time. I took my knife from my pocket and stared at it.

"Could you wait here for a moment? I'll be back soon."

I told her. She frowned her eyebrows, confused.

"Where will you go?"

"Just trust me."

I assured her. I walked off without another word. I didn't know where I was going exactly, but I knew I wasn't leaving empty-handed. 

I walked into a store near the place. It didn't have many people, and what looked like the owner, an old man with a big white mustache, was distracted helping a woman. I took my opportunity and silently grabbed two pieces of bread, hiding them inside my shirt. I walked slowly to keep the bread hidden, but then...

"What do you have there, kid?"

As soon as I heard it, I took the bread off my shirt and started running. The old man couldn't run, but two other fellas who were outside close to the door when I left started to run towards me. But my little legs were too fast for them. I ran back to where I was before, my sister already in my sight again.

"Kenny?"

She screamed, clearly worried. I kept running towards her and grabbed her hand, making her come with me. I didn't even feel my feet, I just ran until I couldn't see anyone anymore, bumping into people while hearing Kuchel scream behind me.

After some minutes, we finally stopped.

"Got us this."

I told Kuchel while shaking a piece of bread, still panting. She sat down and buried her face on her knees again. Patience was never my strength, so I instantly snapped.

"Stop doing that! I got us food, and you're still not happy?"

I shouted at her, blinded by anger. She lifted her head, shaking.

"Joren doesn't like when you do that!"

She screamed, her words choking through sobs and her voice cracking with every word while tears rolled down her face. But I was an idiot.

"Joren is not here anymore! Do you want to starve to death?"

I shouted back, louder than I should have. Those messages carved on the walls flashed before my eyes again. I didn't want her to end up like one of them.

Once again, I sat next to her, and like the day before, put the food next to her feet. 

For days, we walked more, and for days, we tried to spare as much bread as we could. I wasn't even sure of where I was going, but I didn't feel safe anywhere. Kuchel barely spoke to me, still hurt. Whenever I tried to be nice, she just acted like I didn't exist. Maybe the Kenny she knew really didn't exist anymore. 

Four days had passed, and we had finally run out of bread. Once again, I tried to beg for food, but all I got were pennies. I had to do it again, no matter what Kuchel thought. I looked at the pennies in my hand and got ready to get the knife. I was thinking I'd probably threaten someone, I couldn't take the risk of people coming after us again.

"Don't go."

I heard my sister say from behind me, looking at my hand reaching for the blade.

"You're getting sick. I can't see you like this when I can do something about it."

I stopped for a moment, looking at her.

"I'll be back soon."

My feet were already heading towards the street when suddenly, my arm was grabbed.

"No!"

My sister shouted, gripping my wrist with the little strength she had.

"Let me go!"

I shouted back. However, this time she didn't hide or cry.

"You can't hurt people!"

"I'm not going to hurt anybody, I'm just gonna threaten them."

I responded. I tried to take my arm off her hands, but her grip tightened, showing strength that I thought she never had. She stared at me in a way I thought she never would, almost like she was daring me to fight. If anything, a battle of wits, even if she had the force of an army, I know she wouldn't pull punches. I only saw her resort to violence one time later in life, but the little girl in front of me in that day...she didn't want to hurt anyone.

"I asked the lady at the bar if I could help while you were here. She says we start tomorrow."

I was surprised, and yet...disgusted again. I didn't want anyone's pity.

"We?..."

Before I could finish my sentence, she screamed at me.

"Yes we! You're not better than other people! You will come with me tomorrow!"

I couldn't even speak. I had always thought Joren's cowardice had gone to her, but perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps it wasn't even cowardice...

I sighed and finally gave up on getting out.

"Okay..."

I whispered so the world wouldn't see me in this state. Kuchel took a bit to let go of my arm, but after a while, she finally rested. After her hand left my wrist, a burning pain came to me. I raised my arm and saw the mark she left behind; my wrist was red from her grip. I was impressed to say the least.

She was already lying down on the floor when I felt that same chill from the other day go down my spine. I felt like I was being watched again. The air became thicker, and I became aware of every noise around me, my hand reaching for my blade again, this time not to threaten, but to protect.

Then, I heard screams behind me.

"Kenny!"

Kuchel screamed as a man tried to hold her. I was ready to attack the bastard, but my vision started to blur. The needle had already gone through my neck before I could realize it. As I fell to the ground, my sister stopped screaming. Then, I was lifted up, and before I closed my eyes, I noticed something...shiny blue eyes and a shaved head, paired with that same uniform from the other day.

"Recognize me boy?"

Those were the last words I heard.