Reborn In Altaes - Chapter 16 Brothers

“I’m so sorry, I wish I could do better for you boys” with a sobbing voice my brother’s loving hand stroke my hair. Lying down on my bed, I look up. Tears streams down his cheeks as he looks out the window where the moon illuminates his face in the dark room. The world is quiet with only the sound of his hoarse voice filling it. Seeing his left temple with a scar on it, reminds of the anguish he goes through for me and my other brothers.

“The world could be a more beautiful place, if the people were as well. You boys deserve better,” he then turn to glance at me and younger brother sleeping next to me. The old wooden floor creaks as my oldest brother stands up.

“I promise, after this house, we will no longer have to pack our bags again, every time the end of the month is due,” picking up the candle on the plate, he walks out the room and before he slowly closes the door, he says, “goodnight.”

Me and my four brothers leave the orphanage after we couldn’t stand the new caretaker anymore. We decide to secretly pack our bags and run off to another town. From then on, everyday is a battle. Everyday it’s a fight for scraps of food. Until, three of my eldest brothers gets jobs. Of course, they have never properly finish school, so they get menial task jobs. Getting the lowest wages and sometimes they don’t even get anything at all. In the eyes of these people, my brothers are nothing, but useful dirt that they can throw away anytime. Teenagers that can’t complain and easy step on.

After a few months of staying under bridges, abandon buildings and sometimes even empty dumpsters, finally, two of my eldest brothers finds a stable job where the employer is kind enough to give quite a lot of money for their work at his small restaurant. A nice old man, that we kinda grow quite close and with his help, we finally could rent a house.

However, there is a problem, the old man is being pressurize by some loan sharks. Apparently, like any other run ins with loan sharks, the interest is stupidly high. Thus, sometimes the promise pay is not given. My brothers understand the situation, so they didn’t say much about it. Hard press with not being able to support the pay of my brothers, the old man cries apologizes multiple times. He has to let my brothers go. However, before he does that, the old man gives the outstanding wages he has been holding, even though, he himself is in a pinch. Of course, my brothers felt sorry about taking it. But, the old man says, “I’m already nearing my mileage in this world. If I could help the younger people, I’ll gladly will.”

Once again, we are back on the streets. The landlord throws our stuff out the streets at the end of the month afterwards. This process of getting thrown out keeps repeating and every time it does happen, my only younger brother would cry. Even though, we have been sleeping on the streets before, I guess a home is something every child needs.

Looking back down beside me, at the small eight year old. I hug him closer. For some reason, his short brown hair turns to long red. His small body becomes a bit taller. Wait, who is this? Suddenly, the white moonlight turns brighter and I just realize, I’m no longer a bear. Wait, I turn back into a kid!?

—————————————————————————————————————

“Zara! Zara, wake up!” A loud voice call to me. Then, my whole body is shaken up. Urghhh. I guess it’s morning already. I sit down on my camping bag and look at Zeke.

“What?” I rub my face as adjust my eyes. My twin brother is pointing at two kids sitting next to the fire while chomping down on breakfast.

“Wait. Who’s the new kid!?” A black hair boy, about the same age as Nyra is stuffing his face with a beef jerky and a whole bread.

“That’s, umm. The bear.”

“Breakfast, you two?” The little boy looks up and push a plate towards me. I’ve grown numb more or less to this. Sigh.
Please go to to read the latest chapters for free