Eight years ago

   Me and Lucía sat huddled up against a wall one morning. The streets were narrow, yet crowded, stone pathways littered with grime and trash. Her tiny, frail body was leaned against mine, her head on my shoulder as we watched the people walk by. She perked up when she saw a bug fly by and land on the wall beside her. 

   A dragonfly. 

   She gasped, beaming up at the small, metallic green creature before it flew away, disappearing into the grey sky. I breathed a small laugh, then doubled over, coughing.

   I caught a familiar gaze nearby- a boy named Odilon. He wandered around with his siblings- an older sister, a younger sister, and his eldest brother- probably going off for scavenging. He gave a small smile and a brief wave, and I beamed and waved back. 

   I drummed my hands against my knees to a rhythm I didn't know after he disappeared, lost in the repetitive motion. My hands dropped to my sides when I caught our mother in the corner of my eye, and my body felt heavy with dread. 

   Freckles dotted her tanned skin, her hair worn in one long braid and tied with some old string. Her gaze was tired, burning into me, but the message was relayed in an instant. 

   "Come on, Luci," I muttered, standing up and pulling her to her feet. "Mum's here." She hummed.

   From there, we left our little sanctuary, hand in hand. 

❊