If I Were A Bumble Bee

The evening proceeded on, as the moon's outline shaped in the sky. It was warm and quiet, the street lights flickering on and the busy people were all mostly home by this time. The boys paced the streets solemnly, neither speaking, thought still Idzi stared in awe at all that surrounded him. It was magnificent, this world.

Iver stopped, Idzi looked up at him. "Why'd we stop, brother?"

Iver, in one of his quiet moods, pointed at a building across the street, on a corner. It was blue, with peeling paint, and the grass was over grown. Every window was smashed in and shattered, and one of the steps up to the deck was broken off. Inside it was bitch black, dust and spider webs covering the vacant has in a thin layer.

"What about it?" Idzi questioned, slightly afraid of the haunting building. The fence was bent and twisted in a horrifying demonic kind of way, with trees in the yard, whose branches curled round cynically. If gave him the creeps, rushing a cold shiver along his spine.

"It is where we will live, until we can afford better." Iver explained. Idzi instinctively moved closer to his brother his hand reaching up nervously for Iver's, as small tremors rushed through his body.

Iver reached for Idzi's hand in response, and held the trembling fingers in his warm protective gentle grip. "C'mon." He urged, moving forth, as his brother stiffly followed forth.

Inside the house, it was dead silent, except for the boys' footsteps. Abandoned photographs and shining frames with cracks and broken glass were placed upon old worn down dressers. Broken chairs and an old vandalized couch, with cigarette burn holes in it, were all the furniture that remained anymore. This, Iver determined, would work for now, though it was in no way the ideal home.

They'd slept together that night on the old moldy couch, as the night passed calmly. Idzi seemed frantic the whole time, waking up variously throughout the night, feeling uncomfortable and scared. Finally the morning sun rose, and it would be time again for them to go out and accomplish more here.

Iver walked at a fast pace, Idzi lagging behind, variously having to jog to catch up with his brother, only to fall once more behind. They stopped in front of a low white washed fence, surrounding a family's backyard. Strung across the yard was a thin white rope, and dangling off of it were sun dried clothes. Iver jumped the fence, as Idzi stayed off the property and watched his brother take the clothes off the line. Iver took four pairs of clothes, two pair for each of them, and got back over the fence. No one took notice to his thievery.

Idzi looked at his brother wide eyed, "You are only causing trouble for people brother!" But Iver seemed distracted, concentrating on the number on the house's door. "1387 Birch Ln." was what it read exactly. He turned and, with his brother following after, left back to their new "home" to change into more appropriate clothes. He tossed a pair at his younger brother; an orange shirt and black shorts. Idzi stared at them for a long while, then finally changed into them. To his dismay, the t-shirt was too big, and the hole his head was meant to fit through slipped off to the right, revealing his shoulder. In the shattered mirror of what had once been a bathroom, he observed the clothes on himself, finally determining he liked them.

Iver dressed in a white collared button-up shirt, and tan pants. He'd had shoes with him, and therefore, unlike his little brother, had them to add to the outfit. He looked presentable, and at the bare minimum, could at least do job interviews in what he wore. That day, as concluded by Iver, would be dedicated to finding a job.

He filled out applications everywhere, having to explain that he had no phone or home to everyone who questioned why those areas were left blank. He applied at pizzerias, grocery stores, restaurants, general stores, and even a pet store claiming they were hiring. Idzi was too young yet to be able to get a job at most these places.

Iver walked, his hands filling the pockets of his stolen tan pants, as he looked ahead lazily, "We have one more stop to make." he told his brother.

"Where?" Idzi asked, his head cocked to the side.

"The local high school." Iver answered dully.

Idzi, not knowing even what a school was, turned to face his brother, "What?"

"A high school, a place kids your age go to get educated." Iver explained, "It's illegal for you not to attend one."

"Oh... Kind of like the professors that teach back home?" Idzi questioned.

"No, that's one-on-one, schools had hundreds, sometimes thousands of kids that all attend and go to classes with between 15-30 students per teacher." Iver continued.

Idzi grimaced, "What about you?"

"I'm 19, it isn't required for me young one." Iver turned his head and ruffled his brother's hair, "You'll be fine."

After that final stop, the day seemed to be gone. The sun was setting and they'd gotten what the meant to accomplish done for that day, and exhausted, both had returned to their abandoned house, and fallen fast asleep clear through the night.