08-26-2019, 04:45 AM
[table]
Kelly Sparta
test
The crack in the ceiling was not the best distraction. It dropped plaster dust into his face, and sometimes spiders. Once, a chip the size of his palm fell onto his leg, and it was probably a matter of time before the whole building collapsed on top of him.
But that didn't stop Kelly from staring up at it, night after night. He'd grown used to sleeping indoors, and though that was months and months--maybe years? ago, he couldn't shake the loneliness when he tried to curl up in an alley again. It wasn't his alley. So he'd taken up residence here; in a crumbling office building with rats and roaches and moss for company. He hadn't managed to bring much along when he'd scarpered in the middle of the night, fear gripping him and chasing any sense from his head. And he hadn't been back to collect his things--he knew they were still there, who would steal his garbage?
But he didn't want to go, regardless. Someone might be upset with him, and worse still would be if they weren't upset, somehow. So he lived here, now. He was pretty sure he wasn't the only one in the city, besides; it was huge, and there were nooks and crannies everywhere. He carried a rusty old knife he'd found, just in case, but for the most part he'd been safe from other humans. He had been ambushed a few times by sneaky rats crawling over his chest at night, but it ended up being their loss. Rat was surprisingly tasty, and Kelly had quick reflexes. Sure, they might carry diseases, but that only mattered if you lived long enough to get sick. He was pretty sure he wouldn't. So he ate. No sense in starving, right?
One thing he liked about this building was that the second floor was..relatively stable. It was where he lay now, staring up at that crack, imagining rivers and streams, brooks branching out and spiders crawling, pouring from the--
crunch.
With a jolt, Kelly rolled over, groaning. He'd fallen asleep; and his dreams tended to contain spiders. Coughing up some dust, he sat up, reaching for his knife. That noise could've just been something falling, but he didn't want to take chances.
But that didn't stop Kelly from staring up at it, night after night. He'd grown used to sleeping indoors, and though that was months and months--maybe years? ago, he couldn't shake the loneliness when he tried to curl up in an alley again. It wasn't his alley. So he'd taken up residence here; in a crumbling office building with rats and roaches and moss for company. He hadn't managed to bring much along when he'd scarpered in the middle of the night, fear gripping him and chasing any sense from his head. And he hadn't been back to collect his things--he knew they were still there, who would steal his garbage?
But he didn't want to go, regardless. Someone might be upset with him, and worse still would be if they weren't upset, somehow. So he lived here, now. He was pretty sure he wasn't the only one in the city, besides; it was huge, and there were nooks and crannies everywhere. He carried a rusty old knife he'd found, just in case, but for the most part he'd been safe from other humans. He had been ambushed a few times by sneaky rats crawling over his chest at night, but it ended up being their loss. Rat was surprisingly tasty, and Kelly had quick reflexes. Sure, they might carry diseases, but that only mattered if you lived long enough to get sick. He was pretty sure he wouldn't. So he ate. No sense in starving, right?
One thing he liked about this building was that the second floor was..relatively stable. It was where he lay now, staring up at that crack, imagining rivers and streams, brooks branching out and spiders crawling, pouring from the--
crunch.
With a jolt, Kelly rolled over, groaning. He'd fallen asleep; and his dreams tended to contain spiders. Coughing up some dust, he sat up, reaching for his knife. That noise could've just been something falling, but he didn't want to take chances.