Łêş§ ţhăņ à Hēřø, Môŕę ťhąń ä Ģåmêŕ

Chapter 0.2 - Respite

Earth: 2009, December 25th

A young boy, no older than 9, sat on the flat roof of a small rust-colored house. He took a deep breath and then exhaled with a peaceful smile.

'The air is so much cleaner than the air back home.'

The boy looked at the stars. The clouds had moved on an hour ago leaving behind a clear back sky covered with millions of glowing lanterns. The city had too much smog to make out more than the occasional satellite, so this was a nice change of pace.

"Kiddo," the boy heard from behind him. He whipped around to see a long-haired woman with a red scarf on holding a pitcher of juice.

"You were supposed to be in bed ten minutes ago. Besides it's freezing out here, you'll catch a cold," the woman scolded.

"Can't I stay out here for a little longer?" pleaded the boy, giving the woman his best puppy dog eyes.

The woman didn't give in, having built up a resistance over the years.

"Alright you can stay up," the boy flashed a quick smile, "If you can give me a good reason," the boy stiffened and tried to think of a decent answer.

"Well...it can be a birthday present?" the boy said unsurely.

"You're literally wearing your birthday present," she pointed at the blue hoodie hanging loosely off the boy's shoulders.

"Then it can be a second present."

"You ate that already."

"Third?"

"I put in in your suitcase before coming up here. And don't even say fourth because we agreed on the three present limit."

"Aww man," the boy's eyes were downcast and his mouth twisted into a defeated frown. The woman saw the sadness on his face and groaned

"Alright, alright. You can stay up for ten more minutes, but then it's straight to bed."

The boy pumped his fist with a grin, "Thanks, Auntie!"

The woman smiled at the boy's giddy expression, "No problem kiddo," She walked back downstairs, briefly turning back to look at her young charge, looking up at the stars with a bittersweet smile.


"Can't I stay just a little longer?" the boy pleaded.

The woman sighed, he had been asking the same question over and over and it was starting to annoy her. "We've already talked about this. I'm barely able to feed myself as it is, and your parents said to bring you home ASAP. I had to bargain with them for you to say this long."

"I can bring in some extra money shoveling snow, and it's not like it matters to them when I get back."

"They're your parents kiddo, don't you miss them?"

"Nope," he said instantly.

"Well, I'm a hundred percent sure they miss you. I bet they're setting up a welcome party for you right now."

"You don't know that." the boy had a sour look on his face. He looked like he had something else to say but bit his tongue and hoped into his bed.

"G'night auntie" the boy pulled the covers over him and quickly fell asleep.

The woman gently rubbed her nephew's back until his light breathing turned into snores. She smiled and went to her room, turning the lights as she left.

"Goodnight...Max."