food. I’ll be right back.”
“Where?” Leon’s face was flush, even he could see through such an obvious lie.
“Yeah, the markets closed so where are you going little sister?” Gunther leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. His eyes honed into Lissandra’s. “It’s pretty late, what could you possibly be doing?”
Lissandra frowned, her brow furrowed. “Mind your own business, Gunther.”
“You’re my little sister, this is my business.”
“You don’t own me. I’m just going out for a walk.”
“But I thought you were getting food.” Gunther’s voice was firm and sharp. It reminded Lissandra of when her father would scold her. Gunther was becoming to look like him too. “Liss, I’m the man of the house now, tell me where you’re going?”
“Are you going to ground me then, big brother?”
Gunther stepped toward her. “No, but I will stop you.”
Lissandra curled her hands into fists. “Do it then.”
They glared at each other, neither moving. At last, Gunther looked away. He grabbed Leon’s hand and led him back into the house. With a scowl, he said, “I know you’re trying to make money. But don’t do anything you can’t explain to Leon.”
What the fuck do you think I’m doing? Lissandra’s teeth clamped together like she had just been hit. She would’ve preferred that.
“I’d like to see you bring home some money then,” she muttered, but nobody was there to hear her.
She could guess what Gunther thought she was doing. The thought made her grind her teeth together. But she didn’t turn back. No matter what he thought, they would all starve without her. She turned and left.
GUNTHER
Gunther sat at the edge of the bed, his leg shaking. Both Leon and his mother were fast asleep. He stared out the window as the last bit of sunlight crept away.
He had tried sleeping, but every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was Lissandra. What could she be doing so late at night and how was she making money? He didn’t dare answering the question.
Back when their father was still alive, whenever he left the house, he’d always call on Gunther to take care of Lissandra. After all, it was the older brother’s duty to do so. But now, Lissandra was coming home with all sorts of bruises and cuts, and secrets she refused to tell.
If dad could see me now, he’d be so ashamed.
Gunther hammered his shaking knee with a fist. Only then, did his knee finally settle. Careful not to wake Leon or his mother, he left the house. There was only a single man he knew of that had the money to employ him. He walked to Hawk’s Lair.
The entrance doors stretched a few feet higher than him. They looked like they were built for giants. Gunther grabbed one of the golden handles and pulled the door open. A cool breeze of lavender wafted over him. If heaven existed, it probably felt like this.
“Hello, welcome to Hawk’s Lair,” a black vested receptionist said from behind the podium. Her lips split into a bright red smile. As soon as she saw him, the smile waned. “I thought we told you that you’re not allowed here anymore.”
“I need a job,” Gunther responded. “My father used to work here, I can take his. I’m a fast learner. I’m willing to do anything.”
The receptionist whispered into the microphone clipped to her vest. When she was done, it was like Gunther had disappeared. She stared straight through him, ready for the next customer to walk in the front doors.
Gunther looked over at the flashing lights reflecting off chandeliers worth enough to feed his family for life. All the tables and chairs in this place was made of wood so polished he could see his reflection in them. All over the place, people tossed around more money than he’s ever held onto in his life. His grimy and loose-fitted t-shirt looked disgusting next to the two-piece suits that they wore.
“It’s this kid again,” a guard said as he approached the podium. He looked over at Gunther
“Where?” Leon’s face was flush, even he could see through such an obvious lie.
“Yeah, the markets closed so where are you going little sister?” Gunther leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. His eyes honed into Lissandra’s. “It’s pretty late, what could you possibly be doing?”
Lissandra frowned, her brow furrowed. “Mind your own business, Gunther.”
“You’re my little sister, this is my business.”
“You don’t own me. I’m just going out for a walk.”
“But I thought you were getting food.” Gunther’s voice was firm and sharp. It reminded Lissandra of when her father would scold her. Gunther was becoming to look like him too. “Liss, I’m the man of the house now, tell me where you’re going?”
“Are you going to ground me then, big brother?”
Gunther stepped toward her. “No, but I will stop you.”
Lissandra curled her hands into fists. “Do it then.”
They glared at each other, neither moving. At last, Gunther looked away. He grabbed Leon’s hand and led him back into the house. With a scowl, he said, “I know you’re trying to make money. But don’t do anything you can’t explain to Leon.”
What the fuck do you think I’m doing? Lissandra’s teeth clamped together like she had just been hit. She would’ve preferred that.
“I’d like to see you bring home some money then,” she muttered, but nobody was there to hear her.
She could guess what Gunther thought she was doing. The thought made her grind her teeth together. But she didn’t turn back. No matter what he thought, they would all starve without her. She turned and left.
GUNTHER
Gunther sat at the edge of the bed, his leg shaking. Both Leon and his mother were fast asleep. He stared out the window as the last bit of sunlight crept away.
He had tried sleeping, but every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was Lissandra. What could she be doing so late at night and how was she making money? He didn’t dare answering the question.
Back when their father was still alive, whenever he left the house, he’d always call on Gunther to take care of Lissandra. After all, it was the older brother’s duty to do so. But now, Lissandra was coming home with all sorts of bruises and cuts, and secrets she refused to tell.
If dad could see me now, he’d be so ashamed.
Gunther hammered his shaking knee with a fist. Only then, did his knee finally settle. Careful not to wake Leon or his mother, he left the house. There was only a single man he knew of that had the money to employ him. He walked to Hawk’s Lair.
The entrance doors stretched a few feet higher than him. They looked like they were built for giants. Gunther grabbed one of the golden handles and pulled the door open. A cool breeze of lavender wafted over him. If heaven existed, it probably felt like this.
“Hello, welcome to Hawk’s Lair,” a black vested receptionist said from behind the podium. Her lips split into a bright red smile. As soon as she saw him, the smile waned. “I thought we told you that you’re not allowed here anymore.”
“I need a job,” Gunther responded. “My father used to work here, I can take his. I’m a fast learner. I’m willing to do anything.”
The receptionist whispered into the microphone clipped to her vest. When she was done, it was like Gunther had disappeared. She stared straight through him, ready for the next customer to walk in the front doors.
Gunther looked over at the flashing lights reflecting off chandeliers worth enough to feed his family for life. All the tables and chairs in this place was made of wood so polished he could see his reflection in them. All over the place, people tossed around more money than he’s ever held onto in his life. His grimy and loose-fitted t-shirt looked disgusting next to the two-piece suits that they wore.
“It’s this kid again,” a guard said as he approached the podium. He looked over at Gunther
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