The Sanctum Chapter 5

"Where are you going now? You just got back. You'll tire yourself out running around like this." Buggy told me, pout on her face.
"We need to eat Buggy," I said, "I'll be right back."
Buggy sighed, "All right. Just stay where you can run back if you stumble into trouble."
"I will," I lied, knowing I'd go to the other side of town, where the streets were crowded and shop owners more occupied.
I turned on my heel and began to run away.
"Be careful, Arrow!"
"I will!" I called back to Buggy.
My feet pounded on the rough cobblestone road, but made no sound.
The streets were quiet right now, the inklings of dawn appearing just above the horizon. But I knew that in less than an hour, what seemed like a quiet city would burst into crowded masses with hot breath, struggling to get the best deals in the open air market.
I took short cuts through alleyways, stopping only when I see other kids, like me and Buggy, sleeping in the open, so I can wake them up and tell them to hide.
It's dangerous for kids like us. With no parents. The second a Corpie cop sees them, bam. They're gone. That's why I couldn't let Buggy out. She's a runaway from an orphanage. There's lots of those here. Once you leave the orphanage, your subject to the law. Which means if anyone sees you they must report you to be dispatched. And they get a large reward.
I could hear the voices of the people even before I stepped onto the street.
Like always, there was a crowd.
I pulled the collar of my brown leather jacket up to my jaw and walked, head down, dark blonde hair falling in front of my eyes.
"Get your hot potatoes here, folks! Best potatoes in the New Order!" a pudgy man called from a stand, a potato raised in one hand, above his gray stained apron. I watched as the man stumbled for a second, dropping the potato. I stood poised as it began to roll to me.
Just then a small mutt ran across the road from an alley, scooping up the potato in his mouth.
"Damned dog!" the man yelled, grabbing a rifle and firing at the mutt.
The dog's small legs quivered and it fell to the ground, only to be stepped on by a couple walking by and kicked to the gutter by an elderly woman.
I shook my head slowly and kept walking.
I walked over toa bread stand, where the baker woman had her back turned to the right side of the cart.
Feigning curiosity, I went over to the very side of the market tent and craned my neck as if trying to see what she was doing.
When I was sure no one was looking, I pushed a bun of bread up my sleeve with one finger,not even looking down at my hand.
I gave a agitated sigh as if I couldn't see and attempted to walk around the crowd to get a better look.
It was no use, the crowd here was too big to slip through.
I kept walking until I hit the peach stand, my favorite stand. I didn't care too much for peaches, the fuzz freaked me out, but Buggy loved them.
I walked up to where the elderly woman was selling.
She was talking to someone I assumed was a friend.
"Those darned Corpies! My taxes are so high now, I can barely afford food without taxes, I don't know what I'll do now."
I've heard people say before that Corporates own the world, and I guess in a way they do.
A young woman with a baby in arms stepped up, hearing the conversation.
"Why must they take so much?Corporates have everything they need." she said while tickling her child's foot absentmindedly.
Not everything, I thought,watching the baby giggle and grab it's mother's dress collar with its tiny fist.
I was about to make my move, eyeing asmall peach, things were tough all around but that didn't make me want to really rob this old woman.
"Look at that smoke!" I heard a man call and whipped around.
My heart nearly fell tomy stomach.
There was smoke. Alot of it. Coming from the other side of town. My side of town.
"No...Buggy.." I breathed, strangled.
"What was that dear?" the elderly woman asked, suspicion in her eyes as she realized I was very close to her cart.
I didn't answer her, I just ran.
Ran towards my alleyway.
Ran towards Buggy.