Chapter 18: The Sparrow

The hostel was small and scummy. They got a room with three twin beds, but none of them had blankets or sheets. The woman at the front desk gave them a once-over, brow tilted in slight disgust at the dirt that covered them almost head to toe before handing them the room key.

Akio picked at the threads of his jeans and traced the address that he’d scribbled on his thigh. He sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. His feet ached from running.

“Not a bad place, huh?” Ryan flopped down onto the bed with his gameboy and started playing. He lay on his stomach, with his jacket under his chin.

Akio winced at the sound of a shrieking chord, and looked over at Levitan. They had a harmonica in their hands.

“Look what I found in my pocket!” they said, grinning. “Thought I lost this ol’ thing!”

“Oh, god,” said Ryan with a melodramatic sigh. “Not the harmonica.”

Akio wondered if he should be worried when he saw Levitan cup their hands around