These days the only sleep I got was when I was too tired to stay awake any longer. Although some people say these insomnia induced comas are the best sleep they have ever had I must strongly disagree. My eyes gently shut as I watched June close the front door, giving a slight wave as she always does before she leaves for school. The sofa cushions felt more comforting than ever as I curly myself into them. Slowly the noises of the busy city street outside disappeared and the void of darkness seemed to take over. I felt myself relax, if you can even call it that. Even as I fall asleep my muscles still tense from the stress of the day. The feeling of the cushion seems to fade away as my dreams approach. “So your back, huh?” The voice was of a child, and it seemed to come from the very place that my own thoughts are coming from. Then my vision came into focus, a small girl with blond hair and bright blue eyes wearing worn clothes was in front of me. She smiled softly and touched my shoulder. The feeling was surreal, it felt as if she was there. This little girl, torn and battered by a harsh world, had seemed real. The first time she appeared to me in my dream I couldn't understand that I was asleep. This world in my dreams felt so real, but a girl like this could never survive out there in our world.

“Back again I guess.” She gave me a concerned look, the innocence of eyes creeping into me. “Nice to see you again Moth.” I said and she smiled childishly. “You're not looking so well this time Alex. What happened to your nose?” Instinctively, my hand reached up and felt my nose. The dried blood crumbling under my touch. I guess somethings transfer into my dreams, including the broken nose I got from fighting a boy in defence of August. “Just another fight, August got into some trouble again. Threw a punch at a boy twice his size.” I laughed in spite of the memory of being hit. “When will I get to meet August? You told me you'd introduce me some day. He's my age isn't he?” Moth looked just under 14, although I'm not sure of her real age. August on the other hand was small for his age and looked more like 10 even though he was turning 15 this august. “You'll meet him someday dear,” I said smiling at her, finally looking up to see where we were. “but first maybe you should explain why you've brought me to the hospital?” Her smile faded as I asked this. “My friend Spider is here, some men hurt him pretty bad.” She turned and I seemed to feel my body for the first time, stepping forward to show her I was following. She grabbed my hand and started walking down the hall. She was silent the whole walk, all I could hear was soft voices from behind the curtains that replaced old broken down doors. The hallway was dirty and wasn't befitting of a hospital, the only reason I could tell it was a hospital at all was the empty rusted hospital beds in the halls. The curtains had numbers on them. She stopped at the room 107, turned and pushed the curtain aside. She clenched my hand tighter and pulled me through. Nothing could prepare me for what I saw next.


The room was dark other than a small slit in the window that let light from the outside world shine in. Dust floated in the air illuminated by the light. The window had been broken and covered by a shabby wood plank that had been cover by years of spray paint and graffiti. The darkness faded as my eyes readjusted. I saw the boy laying on a bed in front of me. He was covered by a blood stained blanket that looked as if it should have been thrown out years ago. The boy looked young and torn, a cut on his cheek and forehead. Blood dripped down his face. He shivered softly in the bed sweat glistened in the small bit of light shining on his forehead. I could see him more clearly now, his dark brown hair was slick with dirt and blood. He shifted his frail body onto its side and I saw a large burn on the side of his head where his hair had been shaved. He moaned as he moved, a makeshift IV stuck into his arm. A white liquid was being fed into his body by only gravity. Moth moved to his side and softly stroked his hair, a tear falling down her cheek. The boy mouthed a word that I could only assume was her name. She kissed his unscathed cheek and sat down in a lawn chair next to his bed. Quietly she motioned for me to sit in the chair next to her. The chair squeaked as I sat and I looked at Moth. She was still looking at her broken friend. “He did nothing to nobody, I don't understand how this could happen to him.” Her voice cracked softly as she said this, trying to hide tears. I reached over and grabbed her hand, holding it tight as I felt her shake. I tried to ask who had did this to him but all I could manage to say was “Who...” She looked into my eyes for the first time since we had entered the room, her tears could make the most hardened man start to cry. “The ones that are suppose to protect us.” She looked away and motioned for me to look out the window. I stood slowly letting her hand slip from mine and walked over to the window. I looked out into the cloud filled sky and then to the street below where there was a march of a large military force. They pushed people aside as they walked down the streets. Woman and men alike cried in the crowds as the uniformed men forced their way through the streets. “These are the ones...?” I asked, knowing the answer already. “They have been here for days, anyone that is caught without a house permit is being taken and shot.” She said, and I could tell she was afraid. I closed my eyes and hung my head low. “You'll be fine dear. I'll make sure of it.” Even though I wasn't really sure how I could keep this promise, I meant it.


A shot was fired and my head jolted to the window at a fight forming below. A bearded old man was laying on the ground in front of the men in a pool of his own blood. He looked tired and oddly happy. A command was shouted and three men walked over to him and dragged him off the bloody road onto the sidewalk leaving a trail of blood behind. They returned to their positions after leaving the limp body behind. A few people started to yell and scream and fight the uniformed men. This only ended in more gunshots. More death. I couldn't bare to look anymore, turning to Moth. “This must stop...” I whispered to her. She nodded and stood from her chair, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the way we came in. “Goodbye Spidey...” She pushed the curtain aside and pulled me towards a staircase at the end of the hall. I followed her up the stairs to a red door painted with blue and white letters that didn't spell anything. She knocked three times, waited a second then knocked again. The door slowly opened, a beautiful tall redhead smiled around the corner and flung the door open and embraced Moth. “Hi Tone.” Moth said beaming at the girl. I stood there awkwardly as they hugged and then she seemed to notice me for the first time. “Is..” She paused, looking Moth in the eyes. “Is this him?” Moth looked back to me, nodded and said “I hope so.” The girls eyes went wide and she held her hand out for me to shake. “I'm Alex.” I said, nervous. When she heard this she grasped my hand and said softly. “I know who you are.” I don't know whether it was the softness of her voice or the look in her bright green eyes, but I knew I could trust her with my life and that she'd trust me with hers.