In a far off land, an alternate universe argued to not even exist, there is a place that once flourished in riches of the material and emotional kind.

People lived in pure happiness in beautiful homes in a thriving city in a perfect world. Children had parents and parents had their children. On Saturday mornings, the families would go to a corner cafe, buy lemonades for each member, and sit on that corner with their cold drinks for the longest time.

Others would enjoy the company of co-workers at their office buildings or go on dates with a possible future-Mr. or Mrs.

Worries were not present, lives were not in danger, it was almost like a dream, so perfect, so lovely. This bliss lasted for decades upon decades and generation after generation. That is, until it all ended.

Without any warning at all, a type of spirit invaded this wonderful place. Tens, hundreds, thousands of these creatures took over. Adults were declining in population, living ones at least. No one had a clue as to what was happening or how to stop it.

The spirits were invisible to the human eye and there was no known way of protecting thyself. The death of an adult by way of spirit was a horrible, frightening death. The spirit would attack under the cloak of invisibility and would leave the adult motionless, brain-dead, in a zombie-like state. It was as if, as if their souls were being sucked from their bodies leaving them forever standing where the attack happened.

Not long after the mass-murders started happening, something was noticed. Children not yet reaching adult age were not bothered. Not one child or teen had died of the spirit attacks since they started.

With adults dying fast, something had to be done to save themselves and to keep their families together as long as possible. Because of this, groups would leave town in carts lead by two mounted horses. Adults still living would take their own children and as many newly-orphaned children as could fit in the cart and flee the city.

The spirits were following them as they left and would wait for the perfect moment, whatever that may be, to attack. When an attack would start, the mounted horses would run to the nearest hill or cover until the attack was over. The children remained in the cart watching as their parents or savior slowly died.

Once the attack was done, the horsemen would leave the safety of their cover to go back to the cart. The zombie-bodies of the once living adults would be dumped and the horsemen would continue on with the children.

Back in the city, a group of children and teens that could not catch a cart out have banned together to become family to each other. They are surviving on what little nonperishable food existed in the city before the spirit attacks started.

Without knowing it, the children have one of these evil spirits protecting them from danger, from starvation, and from illness. This keeper, of sorts, is providing food and good health without the children knowing it and the children do not question it.

Behind the kindness and goodness of this spirit, who calls herself Cittagazze, there is plan and a reason that drives her to care for the orphaned children.

The day that the children reach adult-age, their souls become a prime target as the meal of the day for a spirit. Cittagazze stayed behind while all other spirits left to follow the fleeing adults. Cittagazze will be supplied with meals of plenty with patience.

The children are only safe for the time being, they are only alive for the moment. Let them enjoy it while they can.

The idea for this pet came from the trilogy His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Check it out, it is really good!