Humans... Never Change

Leila wandered down the street, her eyes wide with curiosity, drinking in every detail of the bustling city around her.

From the outside, she appeared to be just another little girl, though a particularly adorable one. Her features were almost unnaturally perfect, as if sculpted by a master artist—delicate cheekbones, a small nose, and lips that curved in a gentle, almost innocent smile. Her pale skin glowed under the sun, casting a stark contrast to her simple black dress, which fluttered slightly with each step she took.

But despite her small, delicate frame—seeming like the kind of child who might be blown away by a strong breeze—her true nature was something far different. In reality, her age spanned eons, far beyond the reach of human history. She had seen the rise and fall of civilizations, the changing tides of life on Earth, and countless generations of humanity come and go.

She wasn't even human. The innocent, childlike appearance was merely a disguise, a clever illusion crafted to blend seamlessly with the world around her. Her real form—something far more alien and ancient—remained hidden beneath a veil of perception, an optical trick that allowed her to move through the streets unnoticed.

[TL Note - Damn, even Traps can evolve these days]

In her small hands, she clutched a popsicle—her latest discovery from a quaint little grocery store she had passed moments earlier.

What had initially caught Leila's attention was the sound of a child's wails, cutting through the usual noise of the city. She had paused outside the store, tilting her head curiously, her hair catching the light as she peered through the glass. Inside, a young boy was throwing a tantrum, clinging stubbornly to his mother's arm, insisting that he needed a popsicle. The child's face was red and streaked with tears, his cries filled with frustration and longing. His mother, weary and exasperated, finally relented and purchased the frozen treat.

As soon as the popsicle was in his hand, the boy's tears stopped instantly. A look of pure joy replaced his earlier distress, and he began licking the cold treat with a wide smile, trailing after his mother as they left the store together.

Leila stood by the door, her gaze fixed on the pair as they walked down the sidewalk, her mind turning over what she had just witnessed. She watched them until they disappeared around the corner, the small child now perfectly content. Only then did she shift her focus back to the freezer inside the store, pressing her small hands against the cold glass and staring at the rows of colorful packages inside.

Her expression was one of deep curiosity, as if she were trying to unlock the secrets hidden within those brightly wrapped treats. How could something so simple—a small, cold snack—transform a child's sorrow into happiness in an instant? It seemed almost magical, a kind of power she hadn't encountered before.

The store manager, an older man with a kind face and a well-worn apron, noticed the strange little girl with her pale skin and unusual dress. It was hard not to notice her—her presence seemed to radiate an air of mystery, like something out of place.

With a warm smile, he leaned over the counter and asked, "Hey there, little one, would you like a popsicle too?"

Leila hesitated, blinking up at him with her icy blue eyes. After a moment, she gave a small, uncertain nod.

The man chuckled softly and handed her a brightly colored popsicle, the cold seeping through the thin paper wrapper into her hand.

A few minutes later, Leila stood outside, savoring the strange, sweet taste of the popsicle as it melted on her tongue. She marveled at the simple pleasure it brought, a sensation so novel to her that it filled her with a quiet, almost childlike joy.

But it wasn't just the taste that fascinated her. It was everything about this moment—this world that humans had built, with their towering structures and bustling streets, their seemingly endless inventions. It was all so different from the time she remembered, from the ancient world that had existed before her long slumber.

Perhaps it was just a matter of perspective, she mused. In the past, she and her kind had viewed humans as little more than fragile creatures, no different from any other living things. Weak, transient beings whose lives flickered out like candles in the wind. They feared power and submitted to those stronger than themselves, yet among their own kind, they schemed and fought, constantly locked in struggles for dominance.

She had never found anything appealing about them—nothing that warranted her attention.

But now, she felt a twinge of something new, a faint stir of interest.

Maybe it was the passage of time that had changed her view. Human civilization had evolved in ways she had never imagined, and the humans themselves seemed to have changed, too. They built vast cities that stretched toward the sky, filled with vehicles that raced along their paved roads. She saw technology everywhere—machines that moved with a hum of energy, lights that banished the darkness, and countless other things she could barely recognize, yet instinctively understood.

But what fascinated her most was the change in the humans themselves.

They seemed more... connected than before. They looked out for one another, cared for each other's well-being, and worked together to create something greater than themselves.

Leila took another lick of the popsicle, feeling a strange warmth in her chest that contrasted with the cold treat.

They even extended kindness to strangers.

It was incredible.

For the first time, she felt a faint longing—a desire to understand this world that these tiny creatures had built, and to know more about these humans who had transformed it.

"Little girl, where's your mother?"

The unexpected voice broke her thoughts. Leila turned to see a man standing a few feet away. He wore a black vest that strained against his broad frame, and his face was round and slightly flushed, his smile wide but somehow unconvincing.

Her icy blue eyes met his, unblinking, but she said nothing. Instead, she took another slow lick of the popsicle, savoring the sweetness on her tongue.

"Are you here all by yourself?" The man's voice took on a softer tone, but a gleam of something darker flashed in his eyes. "Come with me, and I'll get you all the popsicles you want."

Leila tilted her head to one side, her expression thoughtful as she considered the offer. After a brief pause, she nodded and fell in step behind him, following without a word.

A grin spread across the man's face, a look of triumph flashing in his eyes.

Hooked.

Most kids these days were too smart, too wary. It wasn't easy to trick them. But here was this perfect, innocent-looking girl, not too bright and completely alone—a golden opportunity. He couldn't believe his luck.

As they walked, the man's mind raced with possibilities, already calculating how much money he could make and how he might spend it.

He led Leila through a maze of narrow alleys, twisting and turning until they left behind the busy streets. The cheerful sounds of the city faded into the distance, replaced by the dull echoes of their footsteps on worn pavement. The air grew colder, the shadows longer, as they moved deeper into the city's forgotten corners.

The further they went, the fewer people they encountered. Soon, there were no cars, no pedestrians—only abandoned buildings and dimly lit alleyways. They passed through an old neighborhood where time seemed to have stopped, the streets littered with debris, and the walls covered in faded graffiti.

Most children would have sensed the danger by now. Even those who lacked experience would feel the wrongness in the air, the shift from the safety of the city to this silent, empty place. The man kept glancing over his shoulder, prepared to grab her if she made a run for it.

But there was no need. Leila showed no signs of fear or hesitation. She followed him with a serene expression, her focus still mostly on the popsicle in her hand.

The man frowned slightly, wondering if she might actually be simple-minded. But he quickly dismissed the thought.

Even if she was slow, it wouldn't matter. Her ethereal beauty would fetch a high price, and that was all that concerned him.

He led her up a rickety staircase in an old, dilapidated building, the steps creaking under their weight. He fumbled with his keys before unlocking a rusty door that groaned open, revealing a dimly lit room filled with the clatter of voices.

Inside, four men sat around a small table, engrossed in a game of Dominos. They wore a mix of undershirts and worn-out clothes, their faces flushed from excitement and cheap alcohol.

When the door swung open, one of them turned, his eyes widening when he saw the girl.

"Damn, where'd you find a prize like this?"

The other men left their game and crowded around, their eyes glinting with a mix of curiosity and greed as they studied the delicate girl in her black dress.

"Unbelievable luck today. I just found her wandering on the street. Only had to ask once, and she followed along like a little lamb," the man boasted, spit flying as he grinned.

"Damn, that's a real stroke of luck."

"She doesn't seem too sharp, though. Hasn't said a word."

"Maybe she's a bit... slow?"

"Well, it's a shame if she is, but it doesn't matter much…"

Leila finished her popsicle, licking the last bits of sweetness from the wooden stick. She looked up at the men surrounding her, her expression unreadable.

She realized then that she might have been too quick to form her earlier conclusions about humans. They were indeed different from before, but perhaps not as much as she had thought.

It seemed they were simply better at hiding their true nature.

The men continued their conversation, but then one of them went silent, his eyes fixed on Leila.

"Wait a minute... Look at her... Are her eyes glowing?"

The chatter died abruptly as all eyes turned to her.

In that moment, time seemed to freeze. A wave of fear washed over them, the kind that came from the deepest part of their minds, a terror that gripped their hearts and squeezed until they could barely breathe. It was a fear that stripped away the layers of bravado, leaving them raw and vulnerable.

The girl before them was no longer the innocent child they had imagined.

Her small, delicate frame remained the same, but the air around her had changed. Her blue eyes now glowed with an unnatural light, radiating an ancient power that sent chills down their spines. Staring into those eyes felt like staring into the abyss itself.

(end of chapter)

[Damn, I hate human traffickers with a passion; always blowing up my phone with amber alerts.

If you ever encounter one, make sure to put a bullet in their head.]