Mike.

09/25/2077

They came by again today. The thugs. The criminals. The police. They came for what they always come for. Women young and old, any money they missed the last time they were here, and for fun. Their favorite pastime is to abuse,disfigure, destroy little kids that have the misfortune of entering their sight. The little kids that have the misfortune of living in the slums. Of living in this world.

Life had always been like this. For as long as I can remember. Crime is rampant through the world, the police cooperate with the criminals and plan their next plan to get money no matter who gets hurt in the end. The government is busy embezzling from each other or worse.

The old people in the slums speak of stories when justice was the law of the land and if people tried to violate it and harm people they would be punished.

"There was a time my father told me when a man would call the police when he was in trouble and he would get help from them for free!" said Jasper the grandfather of the slums. He gave food away when he had it, and was a kind old man who helped the kids whenever he could. He was also my actual grandfather and best friend.

"Are you sure old man? That seems like one of those fairy tales you tell kids to make them sleep at night" said one of the kids in the crowd.

"But of course it's true when have I ever lied to you?" said Jasper with a smile on his face.

Most of the kids didn't really believed his stories and thought he was just trying to make them feel better. But I did, I believed them and even yearned for those days to come back.

"Well that's all for today kids come back tommorow for more true stories of the old days." said Jasper as he began walking home. He then suddenly stopped and looked around. "Mike!" he called and only then was I awoken fron my daze.

"Coming!" I yelled as I started running after him.

Little did I know despite the constant search for my next meal and hiding when the police and criminals came around to avoid getting beaten up again, this was one of the happiest times of my life if only for the times I was siting around with the other kids listening to my grandfather's stories. Looking back at it now it was truly bliss.

What I also didn't know it was about to all come crashing down and everything was about to change. Permanently.