Chapter 98 Hope
Chapter 98 Hope
"Big brother… thank you for saving me," the little girl said, bowing her head slightly, her voice soft yet filled with genuine gratitude.
Jack stared at her blankly. Her words felt foreign, almost absurd to him. He didn't know how to respond.
'I didn't save her for her sake,' he thought, tearing his gaze away from her. His eyes settled back on the half-eaten loaf of bread in his hands. 'I just needed to deal with that man. He wouldn't have let me eat in peace.'
To his surprise, there was almost nothing left of the loaf. Somehow, in his desperation, he had devoured nearly the entire thing without even realizing it. A faint pang of guilt nudged him—not for the man, but for the girl who might still be hungry.
"Big brother, do you want more?" Her voice was gentle as she leaned closer, her bright eyes studying him.
Jack stiffened, a mixture of embarrassment and irritation flaring up inside him. 'What's wrong with her? Can't she tell how filthy I am?' He instinctively took a whiff of his clothes and cringed. The stench was overpowering—sour, metallic, and rancid. Even he could barely stand it.
"Silly big brother," the girl giggled, flicking his forehead with her tiny finger. Her tone was playful, completely unbothered by his disheveled appearance. "Don't worry about your smell. I'll get you some soap tomorrow, okay?" Her smile stretched wide, radiating a warmth Jack hadn't felt in what seemed like forever.
He froze. This was what he'd always wanted—someone who cared, who wasn't repelled by his existence. Yet the weight of his experiences crushed the flicker of hope. Doubt wormed its way into his chest, fed by every rejection, every cruel word he had endured.
"No," he said flatly, his voice harsh and unfeeling. "I don't need any of that." He shoved the remaining morsels of bread into his mouth, chewing mechanically. Even as he swallowed, his stomach growled loudly, the hunger clawing at him more ferociously than before.
'What's wrong with me? I just ate,' he thought, bewildered. 'Why does it feel worse now?'
"Don't be stubborn, big brother!" the girl scolded, puffing out her cheeks in mock anger. She reached up, smudging her fingers along the grime on his cheek. "You're smelly, and you need to wash up. If you take a bath, I'll give you more food!" Her determined tone left no room for argument.
Jack blinked, taken aback by her boldness. Her behavior was so unlike anyone he'd ever met. 'What's with this girl?' he thought, his face heating up slightly. 'She doesn't even know me, yet she's acting like we've been siblings forever.'
"O-okay," he stuttered, surprised by his own response. Somehow, she had drawn an agreement out of him before he could even process what he was saying.
"Good big brother!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly. "Wait here, I'll be back soon!" She turned and darted out of the alleyway, her small figure disappearing into the distance.
Jack stared after her, his expression blank. As the seconds stretched into minutes, he exhaled deeply and leaned back against the cold brick wall.
"Was I actually thinking she'd come back?" he muttered bitterly. His stomach grumbled again, a painful reminder of his constant battle with starvation. "Guess I'll just find some garbage to eat," he said to himself, closing his eyes. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, pulling him into the abyss of sleep.
But before he could fully drift off, a hand shook him awake.
"Big brother! You don't sleep without a bath!" the girl's voice rang out, dragging him back to reality.
His eyes fluttered open, and he stared at her in disbelief. She had returned, her small hand tugging at his arm insistently. "Come on, I know where we can find a river!" she said, her voice bubbling with excitement.
Jack hesitated but found himself rising to his feet, his body obeying her pull as if compelled by some unseen force. There was something about her—an odd sincerity, a kindness that felt utterly alien to him. It unnerved him and yet… intrigued him.
She led him through the quiet streets, the night sky blanketing the world in darkness. The faint sound of flowing water grew louder as they approached their destination.
Whoosh, whoosh.
The river glimmered under the moonlight, its surface reflecting the stars above. The girl stopped by the bank and rummaged through a small bag slung over her shoulder. She pulled out a bar of soap and handed it to him with a triumphant smile.
"Here, big brother! Use this to bathe, and don't forget to wash your clothes too!" Without waiting for a reply, she pushed him toward the water.
Jack stumbled forward, his feet splashing into the cold stream. He turned to glare at her, but she simply stood there with her hands on her hips, watching him expectantly.
'Is she just naïve, or completely out of her mind?' he wondered, shaking his head. 'I didn't save her. I only wanted the food.'
"Big brother, you're wasting time!" she huffed, her pout making her look even younger.
He sighed, his resolve crumbling. 'It's just a bath,' he reasoned. Pulling off his tattered shirt and pants, he stepped deeper into the water. The icy current wrapped around him, stealing his breath for a moment. As he lathered the soap against his skin, he felt the grime and despair of countless days begin to wash away.
'This… this feels good,' he admitted to himself, though he kept his expression stoic. It had been far too long since he'd experienced anything resembling cleanliness or comfort.
Once he finished scrubbing himself, he moved on to his clothes, rubbing the fabric against the rocks until the water ran clear. He spread them out on the grass to dry, then sat down, his damp hair clinging to his forehead.
"Big brother, you're clean now!" the girl declared, her eyes sparkling with approval. "See? Doesn't it feel nice?"
Jack didn't answer. His gaze was fixed on the sky, his thoughts a storm of emotions. Images of his mother's smile flashed through his mind, but they no longer brought him comfort. The warmth he once associated with her was gone, replaced by a hollow, aching void.
'She never loved me,' he thought bitterly. 'She was a liar, a fake.'
The girl's voice pulled him from his spiraling thoughts. "Big brother, I have to go now. They'll be looking for me. But don't worry, I'll come back tomorrow!" She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked up to him, holding out the bar of soap. "Here, you can keep this."
Jack looked at her, his eyes cold and unreadable. "I don't need it," he said flatly. "I didn't save you because I cared. I only wanted the food. You don't owe me anything."
The girl frowned, her expression turning stern. "Bad big brother!" she said, knocking her knuckles against his forehead. "Missy doesn't care! We're doing business, okay? You save Missy, and Missy gives you food. That's the deal!" Her resolve was unwavering.
Jack stared at her, stunned by her audacity. Slowly, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. 'What a strange kid,' he thought.
"Alright, Missy," he said, his tone softening slightly. "Big brother will keep you safe."
For the first time in a long while, Jack felt the faintest glimmer of something he thought he'd lost forever—hope.