Burning empire

y fancy map. Locals just called it The Stretch - sh

ned. The streetlights flickered, or didn't work at all. Most nights, the only light came from buzzing neo

ewspapers. Through the thin walls, you could hear babies crying, couples shouting, and TVs playing loud from different apartm

, kept quiet, and minded your own business. Kids like Matteo lear

back here. Because this broken street was home. A

-

block. The paint peeled off the door to Apartment 3C, his sanctuary from the harsh world ou

-

small apartment was dark and still-old couch, chipped tiles, a rickety table cove

voice called f

att

d. So much fo

to keep his voice light. "No gho

t answered him

under a thin blanket, pale and sweating. His ches

inhaler and a half-

kneeling beside the bed.

hed for it again. Matteo he

nd steady, oka

and whispered, "I

pulling the blanket tighter around him. "I'm g

e, but looked tired-m

?" Leo asked a

or a second, th

y me with expired soup cans," he

his face. "You didn't

e? Steal? Nah, I'm

ssing against his

tteo said, standing up quickl

kitchen, but Leo's s

's getting wo

away. He looked at the cra

he said with a small s

o didn'

fridge. Only mustard and a bot

in his jacket. "I hope this g

inside. Only that people wanted i

eded me

needed

way out-before