Chapter One: Bread a Cheese: Part One

Citizens lined up in the square, yellowing papers clutched in their hands. Numbers were pulled, people stepped forward.

A boy hid in an alleyway, his sparking blue eyes scanned the people as he ate a loaf of warm, soft bread.

"841127," A solder clad in the traditional red armor yelled.

A trembling woman stepped forward and was then ushered away.

There were over fifty people in the square.

Half of them would die in a few months, if they were lucky. The other half would be used by the monarch in other ways.

"136947," The same soldier called out.

Tears fell from the eyes of the boy as a small girl walked forward. He scribbled something in the dirt as he let out a small whimper.

"I wou' be carfu' of don' tat if I twa you," An older boy said, swiping the boy's bread. "Bac' ho you wo' be tur' in fur tat'."

"But I am home," The boy said, looking up at the boy. "Please, give me back my breakfast."

"Wh' wo; I do tat? Tis goo' bre," He said, taking a big bite.

"618664."

He threw the bread back at the boy and walked to the soldier. "Ri' ere si"

The boy plucked the bread off the ground and dusted it off. He then peeled of the layer of dirt covered crust and began to eat the soft insides as the next number was called.

A boy about his age walked to the soldier. The boy had no emotion. Not a single tear graced his eyes.

The young boy cocked his head at the spectacle. Everyone always had some sort of emotion at the gate. Why not him? He looked to be only thirteen after all.

"Hello," a small voice said, knocking the boy's attention away.

He let out a small smile when he saw the little girl who had snuck up on him.

"Hollow Morn," The young boy said, brushing a lock of blonde hair out of his eyes.

"May I," The girl said, using a finger of all bone to point at his pile of crusts.

The boy handed her what eh had left of the inside of the bread. "here," he said. "have this instead. I can't finish it. I need to get home."

The girl's face erupted into a large grin as she accepted the bread.

Then, as the young boy left, he saw her pocket the bread and begin to gather up the crusts.

His smile fell.