Click for a song to listen to while reading this chapter: Chantey by Akdong Musician

The city lights turned dim and the tainted air grew colder. By following his scent, I found him lying at the narrowest alley in this bustling city. The infamous, smoldering, beguiling, and brash survivor of this town remains unmoving - and not a single soul was least bit concerned of his whereabouts or what has become of him.

No cheer from his enemies, wailing from those he has smitten, or a tear from any of his sons and daughters. He is left with nothing and no one except for me - who said such horrible things whenever he comes to visit.

Why is he left alone here? Because everyone is busy trying to survive. Those who die are forsaken.

Yo, oldie, Wake up. I pranced around him and nudged his head that remained at rest. Yeri wanted to say hello to you. She calls you her savior and I may have exposed your flaws too much, I blabbered as I nudged him one more time. Not a word or grunt was returned.

His limbs are splayed to one side and I settle in between, where his belly is. There is barely warmth left in him.

Panic-stricken as the reality of what’s before me starts to sink in, I cling on his frail body and knead him with my claws. Mino, don’t you dare leave me just yet!

Underneath his furry clothes, he is so skinny and bruised. How have I not noticed? Because you are Mino. Not once were you weak. Wake up!

He always ing survives.

He taught me how to survive.

Wake up.

We are pathetic, aren’t we, Sky? I remember him once saying during my earlier years while he cackled at how I could barely climb a meter height. But you and I are alive. Not much of a blessing but hey look, the sky is free and it is beautiful!

Mino loved gazing upwards. I branded him crazy every time he tells me he lives up there and he is merely wandering around the earth for a while.

I’ll go back up when you stop being so weak. He repeatedly told me back then. Now that I remember those words, how I wish I didn’t grow up so fast.

I’m still weak. Come back.

His scent is gradually fading.

Come back, I sniffle and snuggle up to his limp body.

Three days would pass and his body is slowly deteriorating. Flies would wander around him and I’d angrily swat them away.

My throat is parched, my stomach growls from hunger, and my injuries remain unwashed. Unwavering. Unmoving. I wait for Mino to rise. He doesn’t.

I dare not leave him alone. Never again. Like a mad being, I knead his shoulder again, then his belly, just to see if I can elicit so much of a huff. There was none.

Suddenly, a scrunch takes my attention, veering towards that direction. I see a man in a white cloak heading towards us.

I hiss and show aggression but he is unfazed. So I did what my basic intuition tells me - I scurry away, not even realizing I have left him again.

Again.

How pathetic it is that escaping is ingrained in us all so much?

I watch the man flip, touch, and study Mino’s body. My heart tore at the sight of it. I trudge back, biting the male who flinched and cried out for a moment, only to be grabbed by the neck and forced to a cage.

I cry out relentlessly in anger - no, out of desperation.

Don’t take him away!