Running down the streets, we laughed and pushed each other around. We ran freely, wandering wherever we desired—the adults paid us no mind—though we had our stops and we knew when we were there.
In the alleyway, it was entirely casted in shadow, the tall buildings and narrow corridors offering little chance for the sun to illuminate. We would fan out, each do our own thing, giving each black box a visit, never missing one.
Often, we would come out with something. At least, not nothing. Something to play with, or better yet, something to chew. One of the children had a knack for spotting out the best things to eat, even if they looked completely innocuous. He knew all the ways the treasures were hidden, and we always relied on him to come out with something from each alley.
I looked up to this kid, and I tried to learn his secret. Like many of the other kids, his talent was a mystery we could not acquire, seemingly reserved for him. He did not keep his talents a secret, but I could tell he was tired of teaching us every time, often choosing not to say much anymore. However, he had greater patience with me. Look for the shiny packets, he told me. The gifters often left surprises for us in them.
I followed his advice, often too closely, though most of the time my findings were toys at best. Amongst all the shiny packets, the gifters gave us many transparent sheets that were smooth and slippery. We shared them around, sometimes wrapping each other with them, though they were hard to tear and split evenly.
One day, I finally found something he told me to look for. A colorful, bright red packet that was just as smooth and slippery as the others I found. It felt flat and empty, but it was still sealed, and when shaking it, I could hear what sounded like tiny little beads inside.
The seal was held by two sticks that were soft and bendy, somehow sticking together. It was easy enough to open, as I could pull them apart with both hands. The inside of the packet was shiny like those other sheets I found. I was disheartened to find the inside was actually empty. However, shaking it again, I saw at the very bottom what I was hearing. There were little white rocks. Not many, but enough to make a rattle. Though they looked like rocks, they also looked like crumbs.
Craving something to chew, I stuck a finger inside the packet and pinched some between two fingers. When the little crumbs landed on my tongue, they tasted like nothing at first. But then, there was a sudden explosion of flavor. A very sweet flavor. A taste I haven’t tasted in a long time. It was then when I realized I had found something magnificent.
Without digging through the rest of what the gifters gave in the box, I hurried back to find the other children. They were confused as to what I was getting excited for, but He of course knew what I found. Each of the kids went through the same discovery I did, and by the end, after it was all gone, we were all licking our fingers in glee. It didn’t fill our bellies that night, but it was still a prized find nevertheless.