Growl~!
Ahh, being hungry is painful.
A gnawing, hollow sensation spread through my gut and crept all the way up into my head, leaving a dull, steady ache behind my eyes. I pressed a hand against my stomach, willing it to be quiet. Being hungry was painful — not just in the body but in a deeper, more exhausting way. The kind of pain that wore you down slowly.
I knew I am not the only one that is feeling this way. The destruction of many stars across had caused a lot of homeless people to roam to other stars for the sake of living. Around me, hundreds of people — maybe more — stood waiting in the outer city, all of us refugees of the same disaster are waiting for today's food distribution.
"Brother," Astelin tugged at my sleeve.
I looked down at Astelin. "I know." I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry — it's almost time for the food distribution."
"Mhm~" He gave a small nod and fell quiet.
Astelin is my little brother - the only blood relative I have left in this universe. Just the sight of him was enough to remind me why I couldn't afford to fall apart. I am definitely going to find a work by tomorrow and move from here. I know that Astelin doesn't like this place. No one could like a place like this. All you could see in the eyes of the people around you was pain, sorrow, and the exhausted, desperate longing to survive.
Thud ~ Thump
A loud voice of footsteps came from the eastern side of the road. It started low, then grew louder, and the crowd stirred.
"They are h-here..." someone nearby whispered.
"Finally, they have arrived..."
"The people from Central Order are here. "
The carriage filled with food stopped near the main circle of the of the outer city. It was a plain, unremarkable vehicle pulled by Dromos — monsters commonly used for hauling loads, the kind merchants used most often. They were mostly used in old civilization stars.
One tall guy that was standing next to carriage with few more central guards raised his voice over the crowd.
"Everyone line up. If anyone causes any disturbance, they will not receive food."
Everyone began to move, forming two lines. I took Astelin and lined up. We started waiting for our number to come. While around us, people muttered under their breath.
"Why the people in front are not moving?"
"Yeah, they should move faster."
I was silently waiting for our number. Astelin was quiet too, but I could see on his face - the brightness in his eyes, the way he kept glancing toward the carriage. He was happy. He could not wait to eat.
After waiting for some time our number came. The guard distributing the food wore his disgust openly, his expression making it clear what he thought of every immigrant standing in front of him. I understood what he saw. None of us were in good shape — our clothes had dirt ground into them, our hair was dusty, our hands were unwashed. But this was not what any of us had wanted. This was what the constant destruction of the stars had brought us to. I still did not understand how it kept happening — stars being destroyed again and again, in different places, at unexpected times. The Central Order had not been prepared for any of it.
"Hey. Take the food, or you don't need it...?"
The guard said to me, and it snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked around and realised that Astelin had already taken his food and was waiting for me in the right side. I didn't even realise that my number was up.
"I am sorry, I was - "
The guard cut me off, shoving food into my hand and shouted
"Just move on. We don't have the whole day."
I moved to where Astelin was waiting and looked at my brother and spoke
"Let's go somewhere near and sit down and eat the food."
It had not been a full day since we arrived here, but it feels like it has been ages. We had come here the previous night. Before the guards leave for the main city today, I planned to go with them to main city - with my brother. I had already asked a few immigrants who had been here for a week or more about the place where we were and how to go to main city. The central guards came every day around evening to check the situation of the outer city and to distribute food.
I slipped one hand into my pocket and felt the marbles inside. I had money with me - not much, but enough. I haven't told anyone here about it. Not even Astelin. Before we had fled our star with the first rescue force, our father had pressed some money in my hands for safety. I had searched the entire outer city for our parents since arriving, asking anyone who would listen, but it seems like there were on different star.
Travelling with the guards was the safest plan. I am going to talk to guards after eating and travel with them to the main city so that no one will attack us or try to steal the money. If I had walked toward the main city alone, every immigrant in the outer city would have assumed I had money. There were many ways to enter the main city as an immigrant from the outer city, but having money was the simplest — pay the entry fee, receive a pass, and walk through. I just needed to reach it without drawing attention.
I looked around and found a quiet spot along the road. "This place looks fine. Let's eat here."
"Okay," Astelin said.
We sat down on the footpath and started eating the bread that had been given to us. I chewed slowly and looked around.
This is the outer city of a star named O-Astra. The road of the outer city was broken, riddled with deep potholes and uneven ground.
There were almost no proper buildings, just tents — most of them torn, all of them old. The few structures that could loosely be called houses were barely standing, their walls cracked and leaning as though they had already given up.
Then I noticed Astelin eating his bread too fast, tearing into it like he was afraid it might disappear. I almost laughed. But then I remembered that neither of us had eaten food for 2 days, and I looked at his clothes — torn in places, dusted grey — and at the dirt sitting in his hair, and the urge to laugh faded.
I felt a heaviness settle in my chest.
Just a few more hours. Then we would reach the main city, and things would be better.
I stood up after finishing and looked at Astelin, who had already eaten the last of his bread. He noticed my shadow shift and looked up at me.
"Let's go," I said.
"We are getting out of here."
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