If you have time, please read and give feedback, I will so much appreciated it. I believe it'll kinda motivate me to keep writing

P.S: this is all fiction. I appreciate bad reviews as much I appreciate good ones. Thanks

Nothing remained of her, not even tears.

Inside the bleak cell, she waited, longing for her impending execution to arrive swiftly. Her entire world had already crumbled to ashes, so why were they making her endure three more excruciating days before they could finally fasten a rope around her neck?

But let's rewind to a brighter moment, like scenes from a Disney movie. Picture the sun beaming warmly upon their skin as they frolicked through Grumpy George's cornfield. Imagine them sitting under the night sky, counting the twinkling stars, their hearts unburdened by fear because they believed in the strength of their bond. Or let's go back to the very beginning, when they first crossed paths.

The tale of their bond began on an October evening in 1987, nestled in the heart of Brazil. Rain poured relentlessly that day.

.....

Mrs. Lopez was one of those persons who despised her boss to the core, yearning for any job that would rid her of the suffocating presence. Even her current employment, barely scraping by to cover monthly expenses after taxes and obligatory savings deductions, seemed more like a torment than a source of livelihood.

Nevertheless, Mrs. Lopez clung to the hope that the old house her late father had bequeathed her would rescue her from the clutches of her detested boss. Whenever that wretched woman ignited her temper, Mrs. Lopez would silently repeat to herself, "Endure her, endure her until you sell the house."

First and foremost, she would unleash every ounce of frustration on her repugnant, freckled-faced boss, while her colleagues stifled their laughter. Then, she would open her dream shop and pursue the long-lost aspiration her father had once stifled.

After a long, exhausting day at work, battling the ceaseless rain pouring from the heavens, Mrs. Lopez rushed to return home. Amidst the downpour, her daughter, Kal, couldn't cease her chatter about the lifeless cat they had found by the road in the morning, the very same cat they used to feed. "Why isn't it there anymore, Mom? It was laying there in the morning... Do you think it's really dead? Or was he faking it?" Kal's words tumbled out in a rush, leaving Mrs. Lopez too weary to address each query. As they pulled into the driveway, raindrops relentlessly drumming on the car roof, the dimly lit street offered little solace.

Stepping out of her car, Mrs. Lopez allowed the heavy rain to drench her clothes as she reached for the garage door. But as the door rumbled open, her eyes widened with surprise and concern. There, on the damp concrete floor of the garage, lay a boy around Kal's age, curled up in deep slumber.

Kal gasped, her tiny hands pressed against the car window, as she observed this unexpected sight. "Mom, who is he? Why is he sleeping in our garage?" she asked, her voice a blend of curiosity and worry. Rainwater clung to Mrs. Lopez's body, clothes clinging uncomfortably, as she approached the sleeping boy. With caution, she knelt down beside him, her hand extending to gently shake his shoulder. "Hey, wake up," she whispered softly.

The boy stirred, his eyelids fluttering open, revealing tired, drowsy blue eyes. He blinked, struggling to comprehend his surroundings, confusion etching across his face.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Mrs. Lopez inquired, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.

The boy sat up, rubbing his eyes as if trying to dispel the remnants of sleep. He glanced around, realizing that a woman was staring at him, and the sight of the car outside indicated that she must be the owner of the house. "I... I'm sorry," he stammered, his voice barely audible above the rain's symphony. "I had nowhere else to go." His absence of a Spanish accent surprised Mrs. Lopez.

Her heart softened, recognizing the vulnerability in the boy's voice. She studied him for a moment, noting his worn-out white clothes and the dampness that clung to him, mirroring the gloomy weather. "How did you end up here?" she gently probed, hoping to coax the truth from him. Deep down, she already knew that a boy of his size couldn't have opened the garage by himself.

The boy hesitated, uncertainty clouding his features. Finally, after a brief moment, he spoke, his voice laced with a hint of desperation. "Through the pipe," he confessed, his gaze falling to the ground.

Mrs. Lopez wondered which pipe he referred to, as she was unaware of any passage large enough for a boy his size. "Where do you live?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. The boy appeared hesitant to speak, his eyes welling with tears. "O... over the road," he mumbled, referring to the fenced house situated across from them.

Sympathy swelled within Mrs. Lopez. "Would you like me to take you home?" she offered, concern etched on her face. But as soon as she spoke those words, the young boy visibly trembled. "Please don't make me go. Let me stay here tonight," he pleaded, his teary eyes hidden behind the curtain of raindrops cascading down his face.

Worry and curiosity intertwined within Mrs. Lopez. What could make a boy so afraid of returning home that he would seek refuge in a stranger's garage? Empathy surged through her veins. Extending a hand, she helped the boy rise, her voice filled with compassion. "Alright... Come inside the house, it'll be warmer there," she suggested, gesturing toward her house.

The boy looked up at Mrs. Lopez, gratitude flickering in his eyes. He accepted her assistance, observing as she returned to the car and parked it properly in the garage. Kal exited the vehicle, her gaze meeting the boy's. "Hi," she chirped, but received no response; he merely stared at her, his gaze weighted with curiosity. The boy had read about girls in books but had never seen one in person.

"You're quite strange," Kal commented as she approached the boy, but her mother's genuine concern for the boy instantly cautioned her. Although he appeared unusual, his lack of proper attire, including the absence of anything on his leg, worried Mrs. Lopez.

With the garage door securely locked, the two children followed Mrs. Lopez into the old house. The living room held minimal furniture, with a few worn-out cushions scattered around an ancient wooden table. Adjacent to it, a fireplace stood, flanked by two additional seats. This was where Mrs. Lopez's father had likely spent the majority of his elderly years before passing away six months ago.

Mrs. Lopez intended to bathe the boy, but he adamantly refused, insisting on doing it himself. While this seemed normal, given that Kal bathed independently, there was an air of mystery surrounding his resistance. Mrs. Lopez handed him Kal's sweater and a pair of jeans that fit him perfectly.

Gathered around the dining table, they savored Cocido Madrileño, perhaps the most delicious meal the boy had ever tasted. His insatiable hunger was evident, as he devoured the food with his hands in a flash. He didn't ask for more, yet Mrs. Lopez sensed his need. Kal, meanwhile, watched him with rapt attention, her appetite forsaken in favor of curiosity. This entire event escalated Mrs. Lopez's initial worries into an indignant anger, directed at whoever had abandoned the boy.

As they sat there, consumed by their respective thoughts and emotions, Mrs. Lopez's determination to protect the boy grew.

She determined to make the night as comfortable as possible for him, since he's to afraid to answer questions she decided not to ask any further until morning. She knew there were countless questions to be answered.

Thanks for reading, your feedback will be so much appreciated.