I refused to let them see that I was bothered. Even though the screeching slam of the metal bars in front of me rang in my ears and my jaw throbbed, I kept my expression a blank sheet. The guard in front of me wrinkled his nose in abject disgust, muttering a wry comment about enjoying my stay, his halitosis-ridden breath hot in my face before he strut down the hall.

My heart clawed up my chest to my throat, searching vainly for an escape route I wouldn’t allow. I wasn’t stupid, I knew better. Even a hint of weakness, and I would regret being sent here even more than I already did. With a sigh, I shuffled my way over to a bare cot in the corner of the cell, the scritch of the chains across the cement sending a chill up my spine. This would be another thing to have to get used to, along with the drab jumpsuit and unevenly buzzed haircut I’d been forced into.

Staring at the acid-washed wall ahead of me, I let out another sigh. I was so stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. I had known what happened if you stepped out of line. But today I just couldn’t stand by. I tried to ignore it—I swear I did. Officers did terrible things to plenty of innocent people in this part of the city. It was as guaranteed as dying. I must have seen it a million times over the past seventeen years. Sometimes it was only minor harassment: a kick or a shove. I’d seen it end in hospitalization.

It was always the same story on their part. We had done something to provoke the attack, of course, and no one question our word against theirs. As far as the big guys thought, we were lucky to live in their slums, so we didn’t have much room to protest. Or argue for a fair trial. Or beg for some change in their proceedings. Whenever someone tried to, they didn’t make it long enough to hold their cheating court.

I grew up with this. It was all as much fact as the sky was blue. Until now, I managed to keep myself out of trouble. When I broke laws, it was out of necessity, and I only took what wouldn’t be missed. I isolated myself to pits and corners just dark enough to hide in, but not so dark that they were suspicious. I kept to myself, instead of trying to find friends to protect or help me. They liked to target anyone who was content, and being with people was a threat. Either I would have gotten attached, or they would have gotten me found. In a world like this, it was better just to worry about me.

But that kid today. I don’t know what it was. Maybe I finally lost my mind. Maybe the fact that I hadn’t eaten in days clouded my judgement. Even now, I was still dizzy, and the pain wasn’t helping. Rubbing the back of my hand at my nose, dried blood flaked off, falling to the floor like some genocidal snowfall, a weak red that couldn’t have been healthy. Maybe some part of me wanted some sort of security or punishment or whatever this prison was for.

God. The look on that kid’s face.

Maybe I just grew tired of accepting things the way they are.
This morning, I guess the pot just boiled over. Just thinking about it pissed me off so much, I was glad I did it. I had been walking down an alley, bitter air pricking at my skin like dull needles. I just needed to find something to satiate the starvation just a bit, and then back to hiding. It should have been like every other day.

Screaming wasn’t anything abnormal in this part of town. Shrieks and sirens were the closest thing I had to a lullaby growing up. But this one sent chills down my spine. A high pitched cry like a wounded dove struck my ears like lightening. I didn’t think as I sprinted towards the source. I couldn’t stop myself, even as every shred of sense screamed at me to turn back and mind my own.

The scene I saw froze the blood in my veins.

An officer, a good foot taller than myself, rolls of fat flowing over the waistline of his uniform held a girl no older than ten by the arm. Wide forest green eyes were slick with tears, pleading for savior. Her limbs were willowy, her youthful face gaunt and ashy, as if she had been born of ghouls. Clothes that were far too big cascaded off her limbs, drowning her in coarse and fraying fabric. Tears mixed with blood stained around her tweaked nose, as her screams became more frenzied, filling the sky with an illegible prayer.

I knew I it was none of my business. But her hair newly was trimmed. Although the job was choppy, as if the scissors used were in dire need of sharpening, it showed one clear thing—she had people that cared for her. People that would miss her. I didn’t have anything like that.

Our eyes met, and I swore my heart stopped. There was so much pain, so much fear. She had experienced far too much in her life. I didn’t know her, and I couldn’t fix it. But I could give her one good thing to remember. I could try to preserve some innocence in her.

The rest of it was a blur. I jumped on the cop’s back, and the girl managed to get free. I didn’t see where she ran, but neither did he. That’s what really mattered. She got away—got to go home and get cleaned up and cared for by decent people. It was what made it worth it.

I shifted onto my side, closing my eyes in favor of staring at the wall. My stomach twisted as I tried to ignore the different sounds that floated into the cell. I’d die here, I realized. Every ounce of self-will kept me from curling into myself. I would have probably gotten tossed in here at some point, of course. At least it had been for something good. I got to die with just one accomplishment, even if it only mattered to that one girl. If I was really lucky, she’d do something spectacular. Change the world, destroy the system. I snorted audibly at the thought.

Not with my luck. Not in this world.