During her time with the child, her quest to find her parents became easier.
She no longer needed to hide every day because the child was capable of defeating every monster and always protecting her.
But such a good thing couldn't last forever.
"Like I said, I'll only be with you for a few days. But your parents' whereabouts are still unknown... You can't go on like this."
Dahlia had been separated from her best friend, her parents, and now she was also separated from the person she had hoped for.
She felt sad, and there was nothing she could do about the situation.
She knew the child in front of her also had things to do, so she couldn't ask him to stay with her.
"Will we meet again?"
"It's not 'Goodbye,' but 'See you later.'"
Dahlia was shocked when she heard this.
The tears that were about to fall immediately returned, and the sadness on her face quickly brightened.
Dahlia smiled.
"Mmh. See you later."
With a wave, they immediately started walking in the opposite direction.
Dahlia spotted a refugee camp not far from her, then looked back and saw the boy's increasingly small appearance.
Dahlia took a deep breath to confirm and convince herself to head towards the refugee camp.
*****
While at the refugee camp, she was quite welcomed, nothing more, nothing less.
The facilities and resources were more complete than her previous place. However, there were too many people there.
Dahlia estimated there might be several hundred of them, and it was likely growing as people seeking help seemed to arrive daily.
So, while the place was better, it still wasn't enough for everyone.
Dahlia was there alone, without any acquaintances to ask for help, or even to talk to.
This was an official refugee camp under state supervision. Dahlia didn't understand why her parents wanted them there so badly. It wasn't much different from a refugee camp.
While there, Dahlia thought she would be able to take care of herself, but the reality wasn't what she imagined.
The food there tasted terrible. Every time she was given food, Dahlia would always need to use the restroom within minutes of eating.
As the days went by, her condition worsened. Her stomach ached, she felt uncomfortable, and her body felt weighed down.
She tried to ask for help, but no one wanted to help her because they were busy taking care of themselves. Those who did try to help her quickly gave up and began ignoring her, not wanting to be bothered when they realized Dahlia might have special needs.
Their assumptions weren't wrong.
Since childhood, Dahlia's diet had been carefully monitored, and she was always fed high-quality food. Dahlia wasn't even allowed to eat outside without her parents' permission and supervision. So Dahlia herself was unaware of her condition.
As days passed, the brightness on Dahlia's face began to fade. Her initial enthusiasm now just sat there waiting for the help that people talked about.
Every night, she slept with strangers. Unlike the previous boy who had been able to provide comfort, the people there only offered her isolation.
She slept on a thin, dirty mattress. Her hard backpack served as a pillow, though it was uncomfortable. The old blanket she had brought with her was the only thing that protected her from the cold night.
The official refugee camp was located on a large plot of land outside the settlement, which made it even colder because the night air could blow freely.
Every night, Dahlia struggled to sleep, waking up in the middle of the night only to realize that morning still hadn't come.
Her days became increasingly difficult.
Every day, she tried to make contact and ask for some attention, but people grew irritated with her, viewing her every whim as spoiled and selfish.
She was often yelled at and verbally abused if she didn't leave.
These people used the word 'Justice: to act professionally according to the rules they 'Cared About' without realizing or caring that justice doesn't have to be equal, or considering that rules can be relaxed for small children.
In times of crisis where their safety is in question, people will prioritize themselves... Even if they're wearing a mask of kindness.
"Hey, can I sit here?"
Dahlia spotted a slender girl who looked a few years older than her. She thought for a moment, and nodded indifferently.
The girl sat down next to her and smiled.
"Help will be here soon. We'll get out of this, so why are you so down?"
Dahlia hesitated to answer, but seeing the girl continue to stare at her, she finally opened her mouth.
"I don't know what kind of help."
"At least it would be better than here. You don't like this place either, right?"
Dahlia nodded.
"Adults always feel powerful and push children like us. But tomorrow when help arrives, everything will change. So smile, a beautiful girl like you shouldn't be so gloomy."
Hearing the girl's words, Dahlia finally turned her head and began to pay attention.
Seeing that Dahlia still didn't smile, the girl began taking out food like canned meat, desserts, snacks, and other things from her bag.
Seeing all the food, Dahlia's vision became clear. She hadn't eaten any of these foods in a long time because her supplies had run out.
Meanwhile, the food like meat and snacks provided at the refugee camp was limited, with the rest mostly bread, rice, or potatoes.
"You don't like the food here, do you?" I can give you all of this, as long as you're willing to trade it for your dress."
"My dress?"
"Yes. I've liked your dress for a long time and wanted it. How about it? Do you want it? I'll also give you new clothes in exchange. Besides, that dress is dirty, isn't it?"
Dahlia noticed the t-shirt and shorts with cute animal characters that the skinny girl showed her.
It was a very generous exchange on her part. Dahlia didn't understand why the girl would trade all of that just for her dress.
"Why do you want my dress so badly?"
"I told you... I like it. I rarely have dresses like that at home. And since help is coming tomorrow, I don't need all of this. But you..."
Dahlia swallowed, only to feel a sore throat when she realized she could barely even swallow the saliva.
For days, she had been eliminating or eating only small amounts of food she didn't like, which only made her hungrier.
"Okay."
Unable to resist the temptation, Dahlia agreed to the offer and gave her dress.
As she received the abundant food and clean clothes from the girl, she felt delighted.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
As she enjoyed the food, Dahlia listened to the girl tell her some interesting stories.
After all these difficult days, Dahlia felt incredibly happy that there were still people who were kind to her.