The smell of hotdogs was alluring as he watched the man put a wiener into a hotdog bun, throw some browned onions on top of it, relish, and top it off with ketchup and mustard. He handed it to the man in the suit, who was also talking on his cell phone. The man told him the price and pulled out a credit card, handing it to the vendor. He swiped it, pushed a couple of buttons, and handed the card and the hotdog to the man in the suit. He have a nod of thanks and practically shoved half the hotdog into his mouth as he walked away. The man continued walking and the man looked over at him.

"You gonna buy something kid, or not?"

Kevin didn't say anything but he shook his head. The vendor looked him over and then frowned.

"Oh... I know who you are. You're that kid... Get out of here, you freak. You think I'm going to feel sorry for you? If you don't have the money then don't expect a hand out here."

Kevin didn't really expect anything from anyone. He just wanted to smell the food and imagine he was eating it. It's not like he hadn't eaten in days or anything. The vendor moved his hands.

"Shoo! Get away from here, you nuisance! You're bad for business."

Kevin ducked away and walked to a bench to sit on and ease his aching back. A lady was sitting next to him for a second until she saw him and gasped a little, getting up and moving to the bench beside his. He sighed as his stomach grumbled. He touched the distended stomach and was met with both another growl and a soft push from the inside. He smiled and pushed back.

Kevin was pregnant and the whole city knew about it. He had been regarded as a freak, humiliated in front of everyone on live TV. It wasn't like Kevin wasn't a victim, that he had been kidnapped, been experimented on, been forced to scream so loud that he lost his voice. No... nothing like that had happened to him... Nothing like that happened... or you'd think so, by the way the people treated him.

He had been kidnapped when he was eight and held in a mad man's lab for years, a whole decade actually. He knew nothing of the world, of its people, of its rules. He only knew his cell and the man who ruled over him. He had been tortured and beaten and used for so many different things. This last experiment though... the man wanted to see if he could cause someone to reproduce asexually, with only themselves involved if activated correctly. Of course, Kevin was the perfect guinea pig. He had grown to three months, with triplets, he was told, when the lab was discovered and he was rescued. Only... he wasn't rescued. When it was revealed that he was indeed pregnant, the doctor kicked him out of the hospital (literally) and Kevin was left naked and exposed to the camera crews outside, who derided him, humiliated him, and some in the crowds wanted to kill him as if he were an alien.

He ran away, unable to defend himself, and spent two weeks naked and cold and on the streets. He finally couldn't stand it anymore and found a way to get to the homeless shelter. The shelter wouldn't take him in but they gave him some clothing at least. It was all he had, a gray hoodie and some cargo pants and a pair of sneakers that were too big for his feet. The hoodie was a nice choice since it stretched a lot and going into his fifth month, he was pretty big.

Someone sat beside him, scaring Kevin, and he looked over at the police officer. He was going to be arrested again... he didn't mind.

"Kevin, how many times have we told you not to loiter around people's businesses? It makes them lose customers and then they call me." The officer said in a casual tone.

Kevin liked this officer. He didn't know his name but he remembered his face. He was there when he was pulled out of the laboratory, when he was thrown to the camera crews, and was the one to arrest him the first time he had loitered somewhere.

"Do I need to take you into custody again?"

Kevin shrugged. At least I'll get fed if I'm arrested... he thought to himself. He hated that he couldn't talk. He practiced all the time but his voice was gone. Ten years of screaming at the top of your lungs and crying yourself to sleep every night seemed to do that. He also didn't know how to read or write since most of his developmental years were locked in a cell. He knew letters and numbers, but that was it.

"Come on." He heard the officer say.

Kevin looked up in confusion as he stood up and looked at him.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" Kevin nodded with a questioning look. "Let's go get some food then. When was the last time you ate?"

Kevin shrugged again.

"You don't know or you won't tell me?" Kevin stared. "Okay, if you know show me on your fingers and if you don't shrug again."

Kevin debated this little game but held up one finger.

"One day?" Kevin shook his head. "One... week?" Kevin hesitated but shook his head again. "One month?" He nodded slightly and the officer seemed to get very upset. Kevin put his hands protectively around his stomach and braced for impact. "You haven't eaten in a month!? Have you even tried?!"

The officer stopped yelling when he saw Kevin was hunched over, his eyes squeezed shut, and shivering. He calmed down for a moment and knelt down to Kevin, touching his hands slightly.

"Kevin." Kevin jerked away but he tried again. "Kevin, look at me." Eventually Kevin opened an eye as the police officer looked at him kindly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I won't hurt you. I was mad about you not eating, not you."

Kevin didn't really understand what the difference was but the officer stood back up and put his hand on his shoulder. Kevin jumped at that but didn't shrug his hand off.

"I know this city has trampled you under their feet when you were in the lowest depths of hell and could give two damns about you. I saw you in that cell and what everyone has done to you... it's not fair. I should have done this as soon as I found you, but I didn't want to be linked in. I want to take care of you, kid."

Kevin pulled away from him immediately and glared at him. He shook his head 'no' furiously, his blonde shaggy hair getting in his face.

"Why?" the officer asked.

Kevin couldn't explain, of course, so he just stared at the man. This is a joke. No one wants me or my children. I'm just a freak of nature. he thought to himself.

"Kid, do you want to stay out here forever? Starving half the time and being arrested the other? I'm offering you a roof over your head, a full belly, and... a home..."

Home? Kevin thought. He turned his head at the officer, wondering what that word even meant. The officer seemed to understand.

"A home is a place you are welcome, a place where you feel you belong. It's a comfortable place... it's where you're loved."

Kevin made a face at that. He had heard the word before, but it usually came with negative connotations. The mad man loved when he could get a good long and high pitched scream out of Kevin. The mad man loved when Kevin squirmed under the ropes of the metal table he was always on. The mad man loved to break Kevin over and over again... For Kevin, love was not kind.

*****************

The officer was confused over Kevin's hesitation. He was offering the kid something he hadn't had since he was eight: a home. The city had brutally cast him aside, leaving him to the dregs of society and even they wouldn't take the poor kid in. He'd been kidnapped, tortured, experimented on, locked in a cell, and god knows what else for ten years of his poor existence and not a soul wanted him because of an experiment a crazy man did to him. Not even his fault, but that of a crazed man. He shouldn't have let his pride get in the way those two months ago. He should have rescued Kevin then, taking him in and showing him what it means to be loved and looked after... but he abandoned him, just like the rest of the city. Now he wanted to make it up but it looked like Kevin had seen too many wrongs...

"Kevin... I know you may not believe me. With everything you've gone through, I don't doubt your doubt. Two months of being free with the whole city against you and now, all of a sudden, this police officer (who has arrested you many times) wants to take you in? Believe me, I get how preposterous it may seem but... I'm not trying to trick you or make you a laughing stock. I sincerely want to help."

Kevin put his wrists together and gave the officer questioning look.

"Why do I keep arresting you?" He nodded. "So I could make sure you ate something, had a roof over your head for the night, and slept soundly in a bed that was warm. In all honesty, I prayed every night that I'd be able to arrest you. Then you wouldn't be on the streets for at least a night."

Kevin made a face and the officer sighed.

"I know it all sounds strange but I want to help you... and the first thing I want to do is treat you to some food. Will you let me do that?"

Kevin thought for a second and then nodded. The officer grinned and started to walk off. Kevin reached out to grab him but he stopped and just waited. The man looked back and motioned for him to follow.

"Come on!"

Kevin went to him slowly and he started to go again but Kevin grabbed his uniform to make him stop. The officer stopped and turned to look at Kevin. Kevin pointed to his name tag.

"My name?" Kevin nodded. "I'm Officer Brody. My first name is Donald, or Don."

Donald... I wonder how you spell that... Kevin thought. Donald smiled at him.

"You got it?"

Kevin smiled and then pointed at his badge again, but at the O.

"That's an O..." Kevin nodded and then pointed at him again. "Are you wanting to know how I spell it?" He nodded enthusiastically. Donald laughed a little. "I'll teach you at the restaurant, okay?"

Kevin beamed and followed Donald.