“This is really dangerous!”

Dahyun was breathless as she raced through the muddy streets. Her long socks were bemired and soot decorated her bouncing locks. Her lungs burned as she glanced over her shoulder. The three girls, barely reaching their teens, gasped for air. Their faces held that flushed glow from exercise.

            Dahyun came to a halt next to the giant hole in the ground. Darkness greeted her from below, obscure and eerie. The source of the mud. It was one of the many entrances into the deprived sewage system. She pinched her nose as the rancid stench infiltrated the air. Her stomach churned. The girls mimicked her reaction, green with disgust.

            “Are you sure this is where the cat went?” Dahyun waved at the air, a futile attempt at dispersing the ugly scents. “I guess I’m gonna have to get in there.” Her hand hovered over the dagger strapped to her blue shorts.

“Then I’m coming with you!” Yeji’s pigtails shook as she stepped forward. The girl’s fierce nature often overshadowed that of her friend’s. Yuna’s face lost its colour while Chaeryung wrapped her arms around herself.

            “But there might be beasts in there,” said Dahyun. She shook her head. “I can’t let you come with me.”

“Maybe you should just leave the cat,” Yuna suggested. Her voice drowned to a squeaky whisper. Yeji shot her a dark scowl.

            “But we can’t do that. You know that cats are sacred,” she cried. “Isn’t our motto to save any animals out there?”

“But not at the expense of our lives,” Dahyun said. She placed one hand on Yeji’s shoulder and smiled softly. “Yeji, you stay here. I’ll go inside and look for the cat.”

            “I’ve got an idea,” said Chaeryung. The girl often captured the essence of oblivion. Her eyes would focus on some distant thought and suddenly, she woke up in the present again.

“It’d better be a good one, Chaeryung,” said Yeji. The girl crossed her arms, her glower permanent and fiery.

“Maybe we can get someone to help out?” Chaeryung fiddle with her short, hair. The paucity of sunlight never affected it’s yellow colour. “We can find a strong fighter to help out.”

            “I’m strong enough,” Yeji protested. “Besides, me and Dahyun always made a good team.”

“The probability of that is little to none,” said Chaeryung. When Yeji growled, she quickly added, “I meant the sewers.”

            “I agree,” said Yuna. She cleared . “We’ll find a strong fighter here. Besides, anyone knows that animals are sacred. They’ll be willing to help us save that cat.”

            Dahyun chuckled to herself. The girls were very cute when they tried to be like adults. They were always willing to help out at the animal sanctuary. It was one of the few places left to protect the animals from Carnivorists. Down in the depilated Slums, it was hard to find someone trustable.

“So, should I walk around for a bit until you ladies find me a fighter? Do you have your weapons?”

            One by one, the girls produced their daggers from their sheaths. Yeji’s dagger was identical to Dahyun’s, like the shape of thick lightning. It contained the waning Firestone that Dahyun found last year. The stone was ready to break, almost out of energy.

            Dahyun traced the stone with her finger. It was warm, and she felt the energy throb under her touch. “Did you find anymore stones?”

Yeji’s gaze diverted to the ground. She her lips. “Well…”

            “Yeji, don’t tell me you went back to the Forbidden Market! That place isn’t safe for a child, let alone a girl,” she admonished. Dahyun grasped the girl’s shoulders. Yeji’s cheeks were a pink glow. “Yeji, look at me. Consult with me before you go anywhere, okay? Right, ladies are you ready? Be careful. May the Oneness protect you.”  

            Her heart skipped a beat when she watched the girls leave. “Be back by an hour, okay? I’ll meet you here!” She hesitated and whispered under her breath, “I promise.”

The Slums were her home, but they were never safe. Children were taught early on to protect themselves, and few would step far from their neighbourhoods.

Guilt constricted her, tightening . Dahyun blinked away a tear. The girls stuck by her like moths to a flame. She became their idol, someone they endeavoured to become when older. It appeared that Dahyun’s passion for animals also inspired them. As the days went by, the girls spent most of their time with her in the animal sanctuary.

            Once the girls were out of sight, she inhaled a deep breath. Dahyun inspected the hole. She picked a pebble and dropped it. A faint splash resounded from below. Her lips curled down.

            “I can’t believe I’m going to do this. Dad’s gonna kill me when I get back.”

Pinching her nose, Dahyun took a leap down. She yelped on instinct as gravity pulled her down. It was not long before she was enveloped in murky waters. The cold depths shocked her nerves, and in a swift motion, she pulled herself to the top. Her lungs gasped for air. The stink was horrible and she had to squint to see her surroundings.

            Fortunately, the water was not very deep as she swam to the edge. It distilled to her knees. There was a platform on the side, and a broken ramp that led back up the hole. Dahyun surveyed her fall. She was about ten feet underground.

            “Yep, dad’s really gonna have my hide after this.” Perhaps she should have warned Yeji and the girls that she planned to go against their wishes. Suppose she was never to find her way out again? The thought made her tremble. It was best not t