fatherless

As the sun rose into the sky, the city awakened to a new day. Golden rays of light streamed through the cracks of an abandoned warehouse, illuminating the broken bed where a small boy and a black cat lay sleeping.

Ali stirred as the sunlight hit his face, squinting as he slowly woke up. He gently nudged Luca, who was curled up beside him.

"Wake up, Luca. It's morning, time to get up!" he said softly.

Luca yawned, stretched his paws, and licked his fur. "Good morning, Ali."

Ali smiled slightly. "Good morning, Luca."

Just then, a loud grumble from his stomach broke the silence. Feeling the pangs of hunger, Ali placed a hand over his belly and frowned.

"Luca, I'm hungry. We need to find something to eat."

Luca, realizing his own hunger, nodded. "Yes, Ali. But what can we eat?"

Ali reached for his small, worn-out bag. Inside, there was only one packet of biscuits left. He pulled it out and showed it to Luca.

"This is all we have. We need to eat sparingly."

Luca swished his tail as he eyed the packet. "If you're willing to share, I'll eat too," he said with a playful grin.

Ali nodded, opened the packet, and took out a biscuit. After hesitating for a moment, he broke it in half and handed one piece to Luca.

As Ali slowly chewed his biscuit, he paused and looked at Luca with a serious expression.

"Luca, we need money."

Luca, who had been cleaning his paw, stopped and lifted his head to look at Ali.

"Yes, but how do we get it?" he asked.

Ali thought for a moment. "We could find a job or figure out a way to earn money."

Luca flicked his tail and pondered. "A job? Who would hire us?"

Ali shrugged. "I don't know. But we have no choice but to try."

Luca sighed. "Alright, where do we start?"

Ali took a deep breath, slung his bag over his shoulder, and stood up. "We have to go outside and find out."

Luca leaped off the bed and followed closely behind. A new day meant new challenges.

As they stepped out of the warehouse, Ali scanned the surroundings carefully. The streets were still quiet since it was early in the morning, but he knew they would soon be bustling with people. Luca padded along beside him, his paws barely making a sound against the stone pavement.

"First, we need to find food," Ali said, glancing around. "Maybe we can get some stale bread from a bakery."

Luca nodded. "As long as they don't chase us away."

Ali led them towards the busier streets of the city. Leaving the rundown warehouse district behind, they soon arrived in a more lively area. A few streets later, the smell of fresh bread greeted them. They stopped near a small bakery, peering inside. The baker was stacking fresh loaves on the counter while placing older ones aside.

Ali glanced at Luca. "We need to get something. Maybe they'll give us some bread."

Luca flicked his tail and murmured, "It's worth a try."

Gathering his courage, Ali stepped inside. He tried not to draw attention as he moved towards the older bread. Just as he reached for a piece, a voice rang out behind him.

"Hey, kid! What are you doing there?"

Ali froze. The baker was staring at him sternly. Luca stood a step behind, waiting. Ali took a deep breath and turned to face the man.

"I'm sorry, sir. We were just... looking for some food. Can we have some of the old bread?" he asked, his voice shaky but sincere.

The baker hesitated, then sighed deeply. "Everyone in this city is looking for something," he muttered. He reached behind the counter, grabbed a few stale loaves, and handed them to Ali. "Take these, but don't try to steal."

Ali took the bread gratefully, nodding quickly. "Thank you! Really, thank you so much!"

The baker nodded and returned to his work. Ali and Luca hurried out and sat in a quiet corner. Ali tore the bread and handed a piece to Luca. As they ate hungrily, Ali thought deeply.

"Luca, we can't keep living like this. We need to find real work."

Luca looked up while chewing. "Yes, but where do we even start?"

Ali looked around at the bustling streets. Then, he spotted a board covered with job postings at the corner of an alley. He stood up and motioned to Luca.

"Let's check that out. Maybe there's something for us."

With a newfound sense of hope, the two walked towards the board. Perhaps today would be the day their luck changed.