"That's enough, Trey."424Please respect copyright.PENANAYvwhHelXNA
424Please respect copyright.PENANAkpau7haB5S
He looked down to his sister's reddened face, quiet sobs shaking her body. Tears streamed down his own as he dwelled on the moments that just happened. His father cut through like meat in a slicer, telling his cherished little brother that his father had just died...he couldn't fathom the sadness that was to overtake him. He clutched Nooks to his chest. He could feel the soft shaking through the fabric of his shirt.424Please respect copyright.PENANAtJIAgEASit
424Please respect copyright.PENANAc6IPMpofFq
"You're right." He pulled away from Nooks, smiling sadly and brushing tears off his brother's face as they fell like raindrops from a clear blue sky. "We should start gathering resources and training."424Please respect copyright.PENANAQAa4tqIqTC
424Please respect copyright.PENANAxtpHLt7Mod
Ashe blinked. "T-training? Whatever do you mean?"424Please respect copyright.PENANALnZ5Adkia9
424Please respect copyright.PENANABk0gFkzsIk
"We're going to make sure that we're in good physical shape and that we can defend ourselves," said he. "It's not every day that people like us are captured and forced to join gangs, or worse."424Please respect copyright.PENANAxlH6Rqw1nl
424Please respect copyright.PENANAQwSvrQTJhd
Ashe and Nooks gulped in unison. "You're right," mumbled Nooks. "Let's do this for Daddy."424Please respect copyright.PENANAHqo5kF2LSv
424Please respect copyright.PENANAXqvbqOPxop
Ashe smiled at him. "Let's make him proud."424Please respect copyright.PENANAdNaYQ84dkQ
424Please respect copyright.PENANArxnuq9ur19
Trey nodded curtly. "I'll get the goods, and Ashe, you train Nooks." He looked out the window with an expressionless composure that his father always admired. "Mother taught you mixed martial arts, so we shouldn't be far off track." 424Please respect copyright.PENANAkgSo2OqwAd
424Please respect copyright.PENANAbAE7zwpyjp
He looked back at his two siblings, ribs showing through their shirts and faces gaunt and sunken. It had been a long while since they had eaten something a luxurious as a custard roll, and it was his job to find one. His first operation of business--find work and earn money. It didn't matter to him what job he found, but as long as he made money to sustain what little family Trey has, he's game. He leapt out of the empty space and landed sharply on the fire escape.424Please respect copyright.PENANAc7Fg192su9
424Please respect copyright.PENANAURw0lUicNH
He could hear the noises of the city, the noises of women being mugged and men fighting in the alleyways. It wasn't every day that people were left alone. In fact, most of Trey's life consisted of begging daily at a street corner with his mother and father. They were young then. Ashe could stay home if she'd like, but she always came with them. They earned money much more quickly when that was a daily part of their lives.424Please respect copyright.PENANAsMEgqr24D2
424Please respect copyright.PENANAzOmsIKRC7b
But that was no longer. Now he had to find real work. He ran down the fire escape like a frightened mouse and landed on two feet atop the street. He tore down the asphalt, his eyes darting left and right like an estranged animal. He felt like a ghost, hardly noticeable among the suffering of the citizens around him. It couldn't all be like this. There had to be free places!424Please respect copyright.PENANAgbTR3QRB8q
424Please respect copyright.PENANAqTmsMXsHty
He stumbled upon a sign. Work is found here, it read. Whoever wrote this sign must be well educated, perhaps schooled at home by his elders. He turned to the right, facing into an alleyway. 424Please respect copyright.PENANAAdT7H7AmAM
424Please respect copyright.PENANAuLhewwyXNO
What he saw there shocked him.424Please respect copyright.PENANAe1Q4u7bnuZ
424Please respect copyright.PENANAL1uAmcMsXp
"Well, who do we have here? Trey Fogge...it's been too long."424Please respect copyright.PENANA1fXXwzf1Yp
424Please respect copyright.PENANAcynFKP7grU
His jaw dropped. "Samuel...?"