Em sat on the bank of the river, looking out at the city. She watched as collegekids partied atop the lighted roofs. She knew she would never be one of them. She knew she would be lucky if she even lived past age 15. Most kids didn't on her side of the river. That's just the way things were.
Everyone knew that Em's side of the river was for filth. Filth like her. Filth like the unwanted children who stole money from the old and those less poor than them. Filth like the women who lured men in withthier bodies, then killed them for $20. Filth like Em's parents who were so assamed to have had a girl that they abandoned her without a second thought, They hadn't even cared anough to give her a name.
She would have died withen hours if it hadn't been for Scip. He had found her and knew he couldn't just leave her there. He had grown up without parents himself. He knew how hard she would have it on her own. So he took her in.
He gave her food untill she was old enough to steal on her own. He taught her how to talk and then let her pick her own name.
"What would you like to be called?" he ad asked.
"Called? What do you mean? Like, a name?"
"Well unless you want me to keep calling you girl," he'd responded, slightly amused. "You need something proper. Like Elizabeth, or Jane, or Samantha..."
"Music."she'd said at once.
"or Carie..." Scip kept on listing names as if he hadn't heard her. "Pick one that has meaning to you. Like Belle, that means beauty in French."
"Music" she repeated, looking excited.
"We're talking about names."Scip said flatly.
"I know. I want to be named Music."
Scip had stared  at her blankly, then laughed. "But...But Music is not a name." tears had formed in the child's eyes. That had done it. Scip couldn't bear to see her cry. "Fine. Music it is, but Em for short."
That's what she'd been ever since. Scip was th only family she'd ever had. He was the only thing she'd ever had. He protected her from the world as best he could. He gave her a place to sleep, even if it was only one room. When food was hard to find he let her have his. When Em relasped into her illness he would hold her colse to stop her muscle spasms and rock her in his arms untill she fell asleep. To Em, he wsa her angel in hell.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked as he sat on the bank next to her.
"What makes them so much better than us? Why do they have life so easy? How did the world get like this?"
"they're not better. Never think that, If anything, they're worse. They were born lucky. We earn everything we get. And even though thats not much, it's more than any of them could ever be." he said with a finality. "Now let's go back home, tide's movind in." he added.
Em nodded and rose to her feet. the water in the river was highly toxic. Sometimes it burnt you, sometimes it gave you gills or an extra leg. If you're lucky it just killed you on contact. Em wasn't that lucky. That night when her parents had abandoned her, tide had been high. It gave her a life recking disease that no one knew the name to.
As they turned toward home Scip saw four men in army uniforms. "Em, get behind me quick." Scip gently patted his thigh to make sure his blade was still there. The men began to approach them. When they finaly stopped, they formed a semicircle, blockingScip and Em between them and the river.
"Scipio Astrio, you're under arrest." The soldier motioned to the two guards on the ends who each grabbed one of Scip's arms.
"Scip!" Em went to grab him but before she got there, her bady went into convolsions.
"Em!" She fell to the ground as Scip tried desperatly to escape. "She's having an attack! Let me help her! She'll hit the water! She'll die!" The men took no notice. They began hauling him away, ignoring his pleas.
"Em!" he sscreamed as a soldier knocked him out. The last image of his consioussness was water gently caressing Music's face.