The sweetest candies

'Creek, creek, creek' the sound of a bed creaking in a rhythmic manner and an old mans grunting sounded though out the one room apartment. ''Harder! HAARDER!!'' mother yelled from behind the curtains as I held my hands over Layla's ears as she was rocking from side to side.

''AHHH!'' the man grunted loudly, which soon followed with a sound of complete silence. It lasted only for a short moment before the bed creaked again as someone had gotten of it. The old man walked out from mothers 'business office'. I looked up at the tall and skinny old man, seeing him looking at me with a creepy smile that I had gotten used to a long time ago. Just as I had gotten used to him not wanting to wear any clothes after finishing.

''You've gotten so big Aris… almost too big for my liking'' he said as he stopped in front of me.

My hands moved from my sisters' ears and around her shoulder, as I slowly pulled her tighter towards me. Then his eyes turned further down towards Layla as he bent down. ''But your sister…'' he said as he bit his lip and raised his hand to touch her hair.

'slap'

I slapped his hand away and looked him in his eyes. ''Don't touch her'' I said back as I got up from behind her and held my hand towards my back.

''hehehe, don't worry Aris. I won't touch her'' he said as he started walking towards his uniform that was bundled up in the corner and I could hear him whisper 'yet'.

''What did you say you senile old man!'' mother yelled from behind the curtains. ''If you want my kids, then you must pay for it''. She stuck her head out and looked at him with a disgusting grin. Her black sunken eyes, pale sickly skin all showed signs of what she had gotten addicted to. I glared back at her and as if she had remembered something, she said ''ah, but not Layla. She is too young. Right Aris?'' mother said as she put on her motherly smile that i felt nothing for.

The old soldier looked at her and nodded ''I know, i know. Only Aris and not Layla'' he said as he blew her a kiss and put on his clothes.

''I'll see you in a few days'' he said as he walked out and closed the door behind him.

Soon a sweet smell invaded the house as I could see puffs of smoke coming from behind the curtains.

And just as usual, Layla grabbed my hand as we walked out for a few hours.

The chilly wind was blowing as I opened the door, with the lights from the streets shining down on us. ''Layla is it cold?'' she nodded back. I took of my worn down jacket and put it on top of her 'new' jacket I bought for her.

''Aris!'' I heard a kid yell as I looked towards him. My friend Luka was walking towards us with a grin on his face. Luka, unlike me, was an ophan. That means he doesn't have any parents. He was wearing a jacket that was almost too big for him, which he had stolen. His brown hair and dark tanned skin showed how much he worked outside.

''What did you steal this time?'' I said back with a smile as he walked up to us.

''Shhh'' he looked around a few times before taking out something covered in plastic.

''I hit it big time today!''. He opened his hand, and a four candies were revealed. Even Layla was standing on her toes to look at them. He took two for himself and gave me two.

''Where did you get them?'' unable to hide the excitement in my voice. It had been so long since I had eaten anything with sugar.

''Ha Ha Ha, a great thief never reveals his hands'' he said while fake laughing, which in turn made me laugh. I felt Layla pull on my hand, and when I looked down, she was looking at me with these big eyes that were almost watery.

''hehe, did you think I would forget you? obviously I didn't forget Layla'' Luka said as he pulled out his other hand with three plastic covered candies. I could feel her hand clenching my fingers and her eyes staring holes in the candies, yet she didn't take them.

''It's okay, you can take them'' I said and only then did she take them.

For the next few hours, we just sat and talked while slowly enjoying the sweetest candies in the world.