Chapter 5: Ticket to Life
Sadd had run until he couldn't run anymore. He didn't know where he was going, only that he had to leave. Using the last of his saved money, he bought a ticket and boarded a bus. This journey was his ticket to life—or at least, a path away from the past.
Around noon, the bus pulled into a huge, strange city called Awiebo.
The Lively City
Awiebo was nothing like the small, quiet village Sadd had left. It was lively and bustling. People were everywhere, rushing up and down wide sidewalks. Huge, shimmering buildings rose high into the sky, touching the clouds. It was clearly a popular city, full of energy and constant motion.
Sadd wandered out of the area where the bus dropped him off, trying to get familiar with the province. Everything was new: the noise, the strong smells of food and industry, and the sight of wealthy people moving quickly. He was completely lost in the motion of the city.
He walked for hours, simply staring at the towering structures and the crowds. He didn't notice the time passing.
Suddenly, he realized it was nighttime.
In his village, night meant deep darkness—everything was quiet and hard to see. But Awiebo was different.
Because the city was so lively, and because there were lots of streetlights everywhere, Sadd hadn't even noticed the sun going down. The wealthy parts of the city stayed incredibly bright, making the nighttime feel almost like day. People were still everywhere, going up and down the streets.
Sadd stopped near a massive, glowing building. The change was overwhelming. This huge, bright place was clearly where the strong and the rich lived. He was completely alone in it, with no Status Window and no place to go.
Hunger started to strike in. He looked for the least outstanding restaurant to ask to be a dishwasher in return for food. Luckily, he found one near the suburbs of the city. The owner was kind; he accepted Sadd after giving him plenty of food and told him to come back any time he wanted because he needed help since his wife and daughter had traveled. Sadd thanked him diligently and continued his path.
On his way, he wondered where to sleep. Should he go under the bridge nearby or look for an alternative? There wasn't any safe area close by.
But then he heard some cries across the street. He thought it was a kidnapping, so he decided to check. He found two young girls wearing school uniforms. One of them was injured on her arm, and the other was trying hard to stop the bleeding.
He helped the injured girl stop her arm from bleeding. A little while later, he noticed the girls' stomachs were rumbling and asked them if they were hungry. They tried to hide it, but the sounds exposed them.
While eating the food Sadd had packed, he asked them why they were out so late this evening and where their parents were. They both replied that they had no parents or relatives. They were out after school looking for food, but the girl named Doah had slipped and injured her arm. They talked about their daily life experiences and how they had survived until now.
Sadd felt very down for them and in awe of their strength at the same time. He told them he was new to the city, a home-runaway, and didn't have a place to sleep.
The girls were amazed. It was their first time someone had helped them and talked to them openly. They always got ignored or shunned away at school, in the market, or in the streets, all because they were Unawakened.
They quickly formed a deep trust bond with Sadd. They decided to bring him to their hideout if he wanted to. He gladly agreed. The girls set off and brought him to an old, shabby, abandoned house. They were extremely happy to have him accompany them. Sadd thought he was probably older than them by a year or a few months, but they were about the same age