The twins, Zach and Mark, followed their usual routine—scavenging for food from dumpsters and doing their best to avoid other people. Unfortunately, they'd had no luck; all the dumpsters were empty.
Mark had an injury to his left arm, which hung limply by his side, while Zach struggled to stand on his right leg due to his own wound. Both boys were physically weakened by long-term starvation, with numerous unhealed injuries covering their small bodies.
"Mark, do you think we'll be able to find food today?" Zach asked his twin.
Mark shook his head. "I don't know. Let's hope we do; we haven't eaten anything for two days."
Zach nodded in agreement, and they shared a brief hug before moving on.
They had just managed to stumble a few yards when they heard a sudden shout behind them.
"Oi, what are you cursed kids doing here? Get lost and don't come back, you hear?"
The twins shuddered and hurried away as fast as they could to avoid another beating.
"Brother, why do they treat us like this? We didn't do anything except be born. First, it was our parents, and then everyone else followed suit," Zach sobbed.
"I don't know. Maybe we will never find out why, or maybe we will someday. It's hard to tell," Mark replied, his voice trembling.
They moved on in silence until they reached a small, partially hidden alcove.
"Let's rest here for a while and try the dumpsters again later after the shops open," Mark said as he helped Zach settle into the alcove before settling down beside him.
"Do you think we'll ever be accepted or loved, brother?" Zach asked as they rested.
"I don't know, but if we're ever taken somewhere else, as long as we aren't separated, starved, or beaten, I'd like to try and experience living well," Mark replied after a moment of thought.
"Me too."
Both brothers fell asleep, exhausted by pain and hunger.
They awoke to bright light shining into their eyes.
"Brother, where are we?" Zach asked, trembling and trying to orient himself.
"I don't know. Let's wait and see what happens. Until then, stay alert and quiet," Mark replied, scanning the surroundings cautiously.
They took in their surroundings: pillars of light, each containing a child; grey-coloured beings surrounding the pillars; and a platform where giant figures, cloaked in differently coloured robes, stood. Their hoods hid their faces, revealing only their mouths. Glowing screens floated before each figure as they spoke in strange syllables, seemingly conversing among themselves.
Both brothers watched the other children, who began to cry and shout. Some even tried to break free from the pillars of light but failed. Despite the noise, no sound escaped from the light pillars.
"Brother, it seems that this light is designed to contain us and isolate all sound," Zach observed. "Where do you think we are, and why?"
"I don't know where we are or why we were taken, but so far it doesn't seem malicious. Let's stay silent and watch carefully. I think those cloaked beings are going to explain things to us. They appear to be in charge, while the grey beings seem to act like soldiers," Mark replied after a thoughtful pause.