65. Neglect
A young, blonde orphan girl plops down onto a patch of dried grass, letting out a small yawn.
Her brother, Len, joins her, sitting crosslegged beside her and gazing out at the bright stretch of ocean before them. He rubs his hands together, feeling the chill of the oncoming cold evening through his tattered clothing.
Rin rubs her eyes, feeling exhausted from moving all day. "Do we have any food, Len?" She asks, pouting.
"Sorry… We ate what we had earlier this morning." He says apologetically. "I couldn't find anything else…"
She sighs heavily. "Oh…"
Silence follows. The sun touches the edge of the water, beginning to slowly disappear, casting rays of orange flame across the rolling waves.
"Len… do you think we'll ever have a home?" Rin asks quietly, her voice small.
Her brother glances at her, taking in her frail frame thoughtfully. "...Yeah. One day." He says after a moment of consideration. "Really soon, even. I'll make sure of it."
"No matter where that home is… Will we always be able to be together, just like now?" Rin asks, her dulled blue eyes looking at him, showing how much she's had to grow up even though she's barely past eight.
The twelve year old doesn't hesitate to answer her. "Of course. We'll stick together forever," he says, taking her hand and squeezing it reassuringly.
Quiet falls once more, but it's comfortable, and the two poor siblings gaze out at the brilliant sun vanishing below the viridian ocean's waves.