Chapter 12. The Little Child [1]
The sun had set over the refugee village of Anshik's 13th District.
For a place where people fled the horrors of war, it brimmed with an oddly vibrant energy.
Magic streetlamps glowed softly in every alley, and from homes spilled the rich aroma of roasting meat mingled with warm, cheerful laughter that overflowed the fences.
"Daddy, the meat tastes sooo good today!"
"Heh heh, eat up, kiddo. Tomorrow it'll be even tastier."
Tender conversations drifted through open windows.
But in a dark back alley, not a single inch of that cozy warmth reached.
Behind a cold dumpster crouched a child so frail it was hard to believe she was ten years old.
Lulu's nails were caked black with grime and dried blood.
Her numb fingers rummaged desperately through the massive iron bin.
The people of the 13th District weren't stingy about leftovers.
In this land of plenty, the trash bin was Lulu's only table.
"...Nuffin'."
A tiny sigh escaped her.
Strangely, not even a meat bone turned up today.
Night wind sliced like a blade through the thin straw mat, cutting her scrawny skin.
Lulu dug deeper into the pile with trembling hands.
Then.
Amid damp cardboard boxes, she spotted a bread crust lightly dusted with white mold.
Inside lay a miracle: a slice of ham and half a jam sandwich.
Someone had clearly taken one bite, deemed it tasteless, and tossed it.
"...!"
Lulu's eyes sparkled.
She cradled it carefully with her grimy sleeve, as if it were the world's greatest treasure.
A bit of dirt didn't matter. This was her lifeline to survive the day.
"Mimi... look... meat hewe."
Whispering to the ragged rabbit doll in her arms, she slipped out of the alley—when a long shadow engulfed her.
"Hey, trash! Stealing behind houses again?"
Children in clean cotton clothes and leather shoes.
Kyle, son of the 13th District's vigilante captain, and his gang.
Unlike the village's lively vibe, their eyes on Lulu were brutally cold and cruel.
"What's that in your hand? Hand it over, you filthy beggar!"
Kyle snatched her arm roughly.
Terrified, Lulu hid the sandwich deep in her bosom, but she couldn't escape their vile stares.
"No gimme... this... Lulu's."
"Get your dirty hands off! You'll spread germs, gross!"
Kyle's kick slammed into her chest.
Lulu toppled backward without a sound, the sandwich tumbling out.
Right into a puddle of sewage-mud by the gutter.
"Ah... aaah...."
Her eyes quivered.
The sandwich soaked instantly into unrecognizable black sludge.
But Kyle didn't stop. With a nasty grin, he slowly ground it under his shoe heel.
Squelch, crunch.
The soft bread mashed into muck.
Each sound crushed Lulu's heart too.
"You were gonna eat this? Even animals wouldn't touch it, idiot!"
Kyle cackled, then spotted the worn cotton tuft peeking from her arms.
"Huh? What's this? Yo, the beggar kid's got a doll?"
The gang closed in.
Terror shook Lulu's eyes wildly.
The sandwich was fine to lose. But Mimi—no, not Mimi, never.
"Lemme see! Let's check it out."
As Kyle reached, Lulu twisted instinctively, pulling Mimi deeper into her chest. She curled into a fetal ball on the cold dirt, shielding the doll with her tiny body.
"Nooo...! Mimi... Lulu's... no gimme!"
"That's it? Grab it, guys!"
At Kyle's order, they pounced. They yanked her hair back, stomped her shoulders and sides mercilessly.
Thud! Thud!
Dull impacts echoed in the alley, but Lulu bit her lip and endured. Her slender fingers clenched Mimi white-knuckled.
Even as her elbow scraped bloody on the stone and chunks of hair ripped out, she never let go.
"Eek... nooo... don't take Mimi!"
"Damn, tough little shit. Just rip it away!"
One kid pried at her fingers, trying to snap them.
Lulu screamed but squeezed every muscle to hold on.
No matter how they kicked and crushed, to Lulu, Mimi wasn't just a doll—she was her only remaining 'family' in the world.
"Ugh, screw it! Won't let go. Forget it, guys. Stinks too bad to touch."
Finally, Kyle spat in disgust and backed off. The trash stench and her stubbornness beat him first.
"Ptoo! Filthy brat, rot with that garbage doll forever. C'mon, let's go before we catch something."
They snickered away.
Only after their laughter faded did Lulu slowly uncurl her trembling body. Her face was a mess of dirt, tears, and blood from scratches, but she checked Mimi first.
"Mimi... sowwy... Lulu keep you... safe..."
Ignoring her screaming pain, she wiped dust from Mimi with her sleeve, murmuring softly.
Darkness should have fallen by now, when people vanished—but hunger drove her out too early.
Her haste cost her the precious sandwich and left her body bruised.
Lulu wiped her throbbing cheek with her sleeve, staunching tears, then limped to the village edge's trash dump.
In the corner stood a battered wooden box she'd dragged there with effort.
Inside: dry straw and torn rags she'd scavenged over days.
Trash to others, but to Lulu, her one allowed 'sanctuary' in the world.
Squeezing into the cramped space, she first gently stroked Mimi's face.
Her empty belly thundered, but she whispered brightly to Mimi.
"Mimi... Lulu not hungwy... ate lots earliwer."
Lulu forced a weak "hee hee" smile.
Then she grabbed a dented can from the corner.
Rainwater inside. She wet her finger, dripped some to Mimi's mouth first, then gulped the rest.
The cold water chilled her hollow stomach, making her shiver.
Lulu hugged Mimi tight and lay on the cold rags.
"Ung...... just a bit... when it's all dark... we'll go out again."
Vowing to venture out later, she closed her eyes.
The 13th District's lights and laughter filtered faintly through cracks, but she ignored them, waiting for night in the dark.
Meant to rest eyes briefly, sleep claimed her fully.
Lulu jolted awake to unfamiliar warmth at her back.
Not the usual biting cold that tormented her, but a cozy blanket of comfort enveloping her whole body.
"...Huh?"
Rubbing her eyes, she looked around.
This wasn't the box. It was vast, warm, scented sweetly.
Lulu believed it real.
Behind her tiny frame loomed a huge, sturdy someone hugging both her and Mimi in massive arms.
His chest warmer than sunlight, his hand patting her back like soft feathers.
No more fear.
No mean kids stealing sandwiches, no scary uncles hurling stones.
Just this protector holding her tight.
"...Hee hee."
Lulu nuzzled into the broad embrace, smiling.
The first perfect peace she'd ever known since birth.
With this person, no one could hurt her anymore.
'So this is what 'Daddy' feels like.' Overwhelmed, Lulu soaked in the warmth with her whole being.
But in that blissful moment,
a sharp chirp pierced her ears.
"Tweet tweet."
A peaceful birdsong squeezed through a box crack.
Still dreaming of the warm hold, Lulu opened her eyes joyfully.
Dazzling sunlight poured through the hole, shining as radiantly as that dream person's smile.
"...Waaah."
She stared blankly, reaching out.
Such a pretty, warm morning.
But her hand grasped cold rags, not cozy arms.
Her nose caught musty straw, not flowers.
Her body froze stiff.
"...Hic!"
Swallowing a scream, she bolted up.
Her head thunked the box lid, snapping her to reality.
The giant who'd held her was gone.
And this blinding sun wasn't a blessing—it signaled her hiding time was over, a harbinger of despair.
Daylight was Lulu's most dangerous hour.
Adults threw stones, calling her bad luck; guards kicked her away as unclean.
Clutching her growling belly, Lulu crammed into the box's darkest corner.
The lingering dream-warmth made this cold reality feel a thousand times hungrier, chillier.
Hugging her throbbing knees, she buried her face in the shadows.
'...If I stay quiet... it'll be okay...'
Then, heavy footsteps neared the box, with adult voices.
"Damn demon bastards ruining everything."
"Tell me about it. When the hell does this war end?"
Trash dumped in heaps, rattling her ears.
Lulu bit her lip, clutching Mimi.
She didn't grasp 'demons' or 'war,'
but their venomous irritation prickled her skin with goosebumps.
"Eh, we're better off. Other districts are all old folks and orphans—dropping like flies."
"Exactly, should just clear 'em out quick. Tsk, our captain's something else, huh? Keeps this district livable."
The men chuckled away.
After long silence, Lulu peeked out.
No one around. She scrambled into the fresh trash.
"...!"
Luck struck.
A meat bone with scraps and a moldy hard bread lump.
Lulu knew instinctively: eat mold straight, and her tummy hurts bad.
With delicate fingers, she peeled fuzzy bits, stuffing the bone, bread, and a scrap cloth into her bosom.
Back in the box, she held the dirtied bone to Mimi, smiling quietly.
"Mimi... meat... hee hee...."
Gnawing dry flecks, she gazed at the distant sky through a crack.
"Today...... when it's all dark... we'll find... yummier stuff......"