I kicked a rock down an empty alley, regretting the action when the noise echoed through the street behind me. It didn’t really matter; I’d killed more government guards that night than I could count, so attracting a few more wasn’t going to be a problem.

Even so, I quickly scaled the building and hid in the shadows of the roof, old instincts kicking in from my years on the streets. Technically it was illegal to be homeless, and with an army of genetically modified demi-humans at their command, the government was incredibly good at enforcing that particular law.

Truth be told, it wasn’t enjoyable in any way to fight one of those things. Their blood smelled rotten, like something had died just beneath their ashy skin, but I hadn’t had much else to do that night.

By the looks of it though, the sun was about to rise, and I’d have a much easier time finding something to occupy myself with in the day. Maybe I’d go find another place to stay and see if that one would burn down too. Eventually my home would stop burning down, I just had to find the right place.

That purple fire was a sign that I wasn’t doing what she wanted. She gave me freedom to do what I wanted most of the time, but when she wanted something or didn’t approve of my choices, that was how she told me.

I hated her. I hated that she was always watching me. I hated that she had control over my life, but there was nothing I could do about it. I had to do what she said.

Casually, as if I was watching television, I watched the guards pull apart the dumpster and smash empty boxes and strangle alley cats in search of me. Much to my surprise, they did find someone in that alley. A little girl.

They pulled her up out of her hiding spot by her hair, throwing her to the ground several feet away. I sighed. They were monsters.

But maybe I was one too for letting them beat her and drag her away, likely to a terrible death in a dark cellar somewhere. It wasn’t really my business.

I sniffed and turned away, not bothering to do anything about, well, anything. I couldn’t save everyone. Besides, I really needed to clean the bloody goo out of my fingernails. And maybe find a place to wash my clothes