Brother

As I stepped out of my tiny home—a makeshift shelter barely deserving the name—I felt the familiar weight of emptiness. It wasn’t a home, not really. Just two cramped rooms and a single bathroom. Mother had raised us alone. We didn’t know who our father was, and truthfully, we never wished to. That bastard didn’t deserve a place in our lives.

I made my way to the small patch of land where kids were playing football. The ground was cramped, barely enough space to kick a ball, but laughter and shouts filled the air anyway. I scanned the crowd, searching for Ruhan. Of course, the little one had hidden himself behind a wall. Frustrating. He always had to make life harder.

“What are you doing here?” I barked.

He trembled. I grabbed his hands and dragged him along. “Did you bunk your classes? Why? Do you have a death wish, huh? Don’t become like your older sister. She’s lost her mind after Mom died. It’s her way of avoiding reality, I guess.”

“I’m hungry,” he mumbled, eyes downcast.

“I know,” I said, softening a little. “That’s why I brought you to the food stall. Cheap, yes, but at least you’ll eat. Dosa.” I added, almost proudly. Dosa—an Indian dish, simple but filling.

“Hey… give me one plate of dosa,” I called to the girl behind the counter. She glanced at me, her soft smile lingering for a moment before she handed over the plate. We sat there quietly for two minutes. Ruhan devoured his meal, small hands fumbling with the food, eyes lighting up as he ate.

When he finished, I handed the girl the money.

“Wait… did you recognize me?” she asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

I hesitated. I did know her. She had been in my class once, a friend back in a life that felt distant now. But I couldn’t afford distractions—not from memories, not from people. All I wanted was to escape, to get rich, to leave this slum and everything that dragged me down. “I know you,” I said quietly, “but I don’t want to reunite with school friends. Right now, all of you… all of this… it’s in the way of my dream.”

Her smile faltered slightly, but she nodded, understanding—or at least pretending to. I focused on Ruhan, who was now rubbing his full belly and looking at me with that childlike trust that made my chest ache. I had to protect him. Even if this world had already stolen so much from us, I couldn’t let it take him too.

The little one stayed close to me as we walked back, his small hand tucked into mine. Every step reminded me of the life we had, the streets, the fights, the harsh smells of this slum, and the chaos that had become normal. I clenched my fists, remembering the fight earlier, the pain in my hands, the thrum of adrenaline that never left me. I had to survive, not just for me, but for Ruhan too. Somehow, some way, we had to make it out of this madness alive. And I promised myself—I would. No one could drag us down again.

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