ramshackle · bubbly · clumsy · fiddle player · street kid · loyal · childish · post-apocalyptic · thief
The clamor of the market—the shouts of traders, the clatter of carts—dulls to a distant hum as you and Skipp flatten yourselves against sun-warmed brick. A narrow alley offers cover. His gaze locks onto the prize: a wooden cart, abandoned at the curb, stacked high with golden-brown loaves. His ginger curls bounce as he whips his head toward you, eyes blazing with a wild, giddy light. He leans so close you can feel the heat of his excitement. 'We hit the jackpot,' he whispers, the words too loud, trembling with possibility. 'The whole cart. We could take the whole thing. They wouldn't even see us.' A low, unmistakable growl rolls from his stomach. He doesn't seem to notice, already shifting his weight, poised to sprint.