Alain stood in the street, dust and debris blowing about in the wind. There were no cars, no wagons, no crowds just the open street and the refuse people had not bothered to pick up. They did after all have other things to do. He looked up to the still clear blue sky, it had not heard the news of the siege, nor had the sun that shown as it had every day before. He wasn't entirely sure what all was involved in a siege, but it had left him hidden away most of the time. The quiet of the street was soon broken by the sounds of yelling and the rushing of men with rifles running through the intersection, no doubt off to man some makeshift battlements, like the ones father was no doubt on today. He had not seen his father for several days, and mother some after. The sound was enough to distract him though from the door behind him opening up, shortly after he felt his foot loose from under him as a hand grabbed at his arm and dragged him back inside. His cap slipped from his head and only by the grace of god was he able to snatch it up before it fell to the abandoned street.
The door slammed shut as Alain finally came to a rest a few feet inside, his feet finally planted solidly onto the sawdust laden floor of the small home. He adjusted his cap, somehow in that moment when he knew he was in trouble he felt the need to look presentable.
The woman leaned down towards his face "ALAIN! What in heaven's name were you doing!?!?!"
"I just wanted to see outside." He responded as if it was as reasonable a request as one could make.
"You could of got hurt, who knows when things could turn! What would your mother say?"
Alain just shrugged. His mother would indeed of not been happy, but at the same time she understood him more than most. He had his parents fire.
The woman dusted off his coat "And you're filthy! I swear you would roll in a pig sty if you could find one." She smacked at his coat a few more times before looking it over one last time seemingly satisfied. She sighed "Stay inside, now go play in the basement with the others."
Alain just nodded and rushed off towards the creaky old wood stairs that led into the stone walled and dirt floored room below. As he came into view a few others they turned and yelled "ALAIN!"
"Alain!"
"Alain!"
"Alain!" the man's voice snapped again "You okay?" The man was an electrician, one of Alain's many labor associates who he met with when he needed info or help with something. The two found themselves in a dark service room in the underbelly of one of the gleaming skyscrapers of the business district.
"Oui.....apologies. Is it ready?"
"You bet!" The man smiled closing the small box that Alain knew did something with the power but it was as alien as well....aliens.
"My thanks, my friend."
"No problem Big Daddy, give'um hell." the electrician said with a laugh. Alain was used to the name by now but even the adult human recognized how ridiculous it sounded, especially when you saw just who it was describing.
Alain bid his friend farewell as he made his way out a back fire exit into the alleys and finally off into a dark street. Aside from the street lights, it was just Alain and the tumbling rustle of a discarded wrapper from some street vendor hours ago. It came to rest against his boot and the aged french toreador leaned down to pick it up, crinkling it in his hand. There was no excuse to litter right now, after all they couldn't pick it up later.... the siege was coming. But perhaps no one had told them going on the street in a siege was dangerous. Alain smirked at the thought as he tossed the wrapping into the nearest dustbin and began the long march back to Michel's.