• Carl walked through the sooty alleyways, humming a tuneless song. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Carl looked up at a light grey sky. Continuing on his journey, he muttered a greeting to a rag covered man on a corner.
    “Hello, kid!” he said, revealing all of his three teeth.
    “Hiya,” replied Carl, “did you have a new and exciting day?”
    “Well,” the homeless said, “I managed to… find a few fish.”
    “Who did you find them on?” the boy asked, chuckling.
    “A merchant… he didn’t need it anyway, and he won’t miss it either. What about your new and exciting day?”
    “Ha! My days have been almost exactly the same since I took up the job for Mr. Billiosa. Wake up, go to work, talk to you, and home again. Every day.”
    “Hmm. You need excitement, kiddio!”
    “I don’t know, Mr. Nameless Homeless Drunk- how could it get any more fun?”
    “Hey! You don’t have to be calling people names- it’s not nice.”
    “Says the man who steals.”
    “This coming from the boy who can’t get a girl.
    “Oh, but at least I have a bed to sleep in.”
    “But can you drink brandy?”
    “Can or should?”
    “Yes, well, I’m not loaded.”
    “That you’re not!”
    “Oh, you’re so funny, but can you defend against anything but a joke?”
    “Yes, I can.”
    “Very true- there’s girls! HAhahahaha!”
    “Okay, well, I’d better get home.”
    “Bye kiddo.”
    Still laughing at the mock argument, Carl began to make his way home, but this was where the normality ended. For, as Carl put his foot on the first step of his house, he was grabbed from behind.