Chapter 1 - THE CARDBOARD CASTLE
The city at night was a loud, indifferent giant made of cold concrete, screeching subway brakes, and flashing neon signs that promised things ten-year-old Ben knew he could never afford.
Ben held his six-year-old brother Toby’s hand so tightly his knuckles turned white. Toby’s small fingers were icy, and his steps were dragging. They had been walking for hours, blending into the shadows of the towering brick buildings of downtown Chicago. To the busy commuters rushing to their warm apartments, the two boys were invisible—just another part of the urban background. But to each other, they were the entire world.
"Ben, my shoes feel heavy," Toby whispered, his voice cracking from the autumn chill. He pulled his knitted yellow beanie lower over his ears. "Are we almost at the castle?"
"Just a few more blocks, Tobe," Ben said, forcing a brave smile he didn't feel. "Hang in there. I found a fresh bakery crate today. I’ll make sure the castle is extra warm tonight."
Their "Cardboard Castle" was a large, discarded refrigerator box tucked neatly behind the exhaust vents of a commercial bakery in a narrow alleyway off 4th Street. It wasn't much, but the vents blew out warm, sweet-scented air that smelled of cinnamon and fresh yeast, keeping the freezing night air at bay. Ben had reinforced the wet corners with heavy duct tape he’d found in a hardware store dumpster, and inside, they had a single, threadbare blue blanket.
As they crawled into the box, Toby immediately curled into a tight ball, shivering. Ben lay down beside him, wrapping his arms around his little brother to share his body heat. Through the cracks in the cardboard, they could see the towering, lit-up skyscraper windows.
"Do you think Mom is up there in the stars?" Toby asked softly, his eyes reflecting the distant city lights.
May you like
Ben swallowed the lump in his throat. Their mother had passed away in a sterile hospital room six months ago, and their landlord had evicted them three days later. "She is," Ben whispered, kissing the top of Toby’s beanie. "And she’s watching us. Close your eyes, buddy. Tomorrow, we’ll find our treasure."
But as Ben stared into the darkness of the alley, he knew tomorrow would bring the same challenge: finding enough food to survive another twenty-four hours.
