HARDSHIP

SEBASTIAN

I woke up not feeling my neck but the night was better than the previous nights I spent after being abandoned by my dad. I checked for Domain and her mother but none of them were around.

Waiting for my father to rescue me would be the most foolish thing I could do. At that point, I had to agree with the bitter truth that I had been reduced to a total nobody.

My feet stepped outside and I looked at the hot blazing and eye blinding sun. I could count the number of houses present in the area and four examples of houses. I could only refer them to houses due to a lack of other appropriate terms.

I walked some steps familiarizing myself with the area but all I could see were old women. The houses housed very old women with no youth available. I had to pay a visit to one of the oldest women my eyes could detect. Maybe from her, I'd get information on how to free myself and at least find an urban area to settle.

F*k she called me grandson and it sacked for some reason. I lost all reason to ask every single thing I wanted to know but it's not like I had a choice.

"Who are you?" She asked the question I never wanted to be asked because I was not Sebastian anymore.

"I am a wonderer," I said and she smirked looking away from me. I can't believe life has reduced me to this, first I identified myself as a nobody and now as a wanderer. 

"Talking about wonderers? None of us belongs here, every single one of us has a dark reason behind being here. My team and I were on an academic trip set by our parents." She paused looking at me.

"Sh*t happened and we were forced to stay waiting for rescue teams. Our parents are probably dead by now, so zero hope for our rescue. I was only four years back then." She said and I noticed something strange. Was the woman even able to see my face?

I could feel something else all through her narration, was she even telling the truth? Most people said that any liar would be nervous and she was. Her eyes had not landed on mine all the while and that is why I had to confirm if she had her sight intact. 

I sighed looking around and walking away but to my realization, I could see a place covered by water, more like an Oasis but something else was different. I could see several human footsteps all around the small stream and in the middle of it was a stone.

The stone assumed a human body form and was most likely a woman. Her hands were tightly held together as if praying for something. I looked at the place for quite some time trying to figure out something but nothing actually made sense and I could only wait to ask my foster family about everything and how they found themselves in such a place.

I walked back to the small place Domain referred to as a village and I could feel my stomach growl at the smell of something yummy. I could not help but follow the smell till I landed at a certain house.

Slowly I walked in and my eyes landed on Domain's grandma. All hunger faded instantly and with quicker strides, I walked outside finding myself something to keep me busy. 

If only I had a way to contact Quan and Peter then leaving this goddamn place would be a guarantee. My eyes landed on my miserable self and I chuckled foolishly. 

Given the life I lived before, it was only natural that I didn't have anyone's mobile number saved in my thick skull, not even my mom's number was saved in my pathetic mind. I really must have been a terrible copy of a son. Maybe it was time I changed my behavior entirely. Would that even be possible?

My father had truly outsmarted me but that didn't mean everything would end as they are. He started a battle he ought to finish and I will make sure of that. 

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