Nightmare Celinox
Malfoy
Emiko and I have been hiding out in an abandoned studio apartment as of late. There isn't any electricity in the outer limits of the city, so most of the rich folk have moved to a more comfortable area. The two of us have gotten pretty good at fending for ourselves. When we we were younger we learned how to pickpocket the police officers that roamed the streets. We have a code, Emiko and I. We only steal from those who live comfortably.. and police officers. Because they have no respect for anyone but the rich. And as often as they go around beating up innocent bystanders for simply looking at them, I no longer care if they have enough money to get by.
Tonight there is supposed to be a fight down at the bar in Sloan. Those were always a good way to make money. Onlookers could bet on who they thought would win each round, and I am almost never wrong. I grab what little money Emiko and I have saved up and shove it in my jacket pocket. "Good luck, Ryusuke!" Emiko calls from her spot on the balcony. She's still too young to be around these sorts of events. There's no way I'd risk her safety by bringing her to one of these fights. I smile at her and head out the door.
I arrive at the bar as soon as the first fight begins. I place all of my money on a girl named Raine. I've seen her fight several times in the past, and I've yet to see her lose. She has a red phoenix tattoo going up her arm, and short black hair. There's only one reason why she doesn't lose, and that's her speed. At the moment she's dancing circles around her opponent who is attempting to get a punch in. Raine dodges the punch, and kicks the man right in the ribs. I let out a laugh and turn back around to the bar tender. This was going to be an easy night.
By the end of the night I've made nearly six times the money I came in with. I was much more successful than usual. As I pocketed my earnings, I noticed a cylinder object rolling along the floor in the crowd. Tear gas. The police were here. These fights are illegal in Nevada, but that doesn't stop them from happening. The lower class sectors need entertainment, just as the rich do. I immediately look up and try to find a back way out of the bar. There's a window back towards the end of the fighting ring. I sprint towards it, pushing my way through the crowd. Others start catching onto my idea and run towards it as well. Just as I reach the window, the police announce their presence and start rounding up people in the crowd.
I rip open the window and dive through it. Once outside, I get on my feet and look up the side of the building. The police never think to track people on rooftops. Though this is probably because typical people can't scale a building as quickly as I can. I jump from roof to roof until I'm able to climb down to an alleyway a few blocks away. I sprint all the way back to the abandoned apartment and collapse once I get inside.
Emiko is asleep in a corner, using her jacket as a pillow. I crawl over to my little sister and lean my back against the wall near her. Tonight was a close call, but it wasn't the worst thing that's happened to us. Emiko and I have gone through much worse. The world is a scary place now, and I hate that my baby sister has to go through it. She deserves so much better than this... but deep down I realize that I can't help but feel greedy. I'm happy that I don't have to go through this alone. The world wouldn't be worth living in if I had to do this alone. I lean close to Emiko and brush the hair out of her face. I lay my vest over her as a blanket and lean back against the wall. I don't remember falling asleep that night.
Character influenced by Marie Lu's Legend Trilogy
