8..

Two days had passed with no work in the flower field, every kid was regrouped in another one: The solar panel farm, the only governmental project still in use, any other project has been dismantled and sold in parts by local looters.

It has been 2 hours since the group was laying with their tablets in hand, checking the satellite map one time, then raising their heads upward another. all they can see in the sky are fractured lines like in a broken glass.

It looked majestic, Least they know, those are satellite debris illuminated by the sun.

"THERE HE IS, THERE HE IS" screamed one of them, and everybody got their heads back down at the tablets.

As the satellite approached, the internet signal strengthened, heightening their dopamine levels in the process.

The online game they were waiting for showed a — Connecting... — screen.

The tablets started scanning the surroundings and automatically putting them in the same party.

The kids were experiencing an uncontrollable smile watching the round countdown start, Saïd veins were overflowing with adrenaline, his grip on the tablet sides was getting stronger as the countdown approached the – GO – sign.

5….4….3….2....

" SAÏD!!!!".

The whole reality shattered around him hearing this scream.

He drowned his face inside the tablet hoping it'll go away, But it came back stronger….

"SAÏÏÏÏD !"

A flow of anger slowly submerged inside, he put his tablet off and saw his father approaching behind the transparent screen, he knew he couldn't ignore him anymore.

"Yes dad. i'm coming it just Nasim, he was holding my arm !"

Nasim turned around with a perplexed look, then Saïd's father shouted again "I don't care!, we have something to do, come quick!".

"The hell you were saying?!" ranted Nasim. Saïd turned around, glanced at him, ignored what he said and kept walking.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" He called again trying to get Saïd's attention. But Saïd continued without answering.

Nassim's frustration got the best of him. He then rushed Saïd, grabbed his arm, and forcefully turned him around. Saïd already had a fist prepared that he threw, dropping Nassim to the ground, Saïd then jumped him, unleashing a series of savage punches.

The crowd ran to separate them, but Saïd was uncontrollable lashing at anyone who tried to intervene. Witnessing the chaotic scene, some of the kids decided to join in and started attacking Saïd in retaliation.

After a last shout, Ali was furiously walking towards where he left his son and got shocked seeing all the kids beating him down.

He stormed them with a wooden stick hitting and kicking to free his son from their grip.

"Uncle Ali, he's the one who started trippin on us, ask everybody." said one of the kids while holding his back from Ali's kicks.

Ali grabbed his son, threatened every kid around, then dragged him toward the gas car waiting.

Now, Both had been far away from the village for a long time. Their bodies were shaking due to the rocky ground beneath the car.

Saïd was looking from the window and seemed lost inside his head. Ali kept an irritated face all along throwing a look at his son sometimes; Saïd never looked back.

This time, Ali fixed Saïd longer, then suddenly lowered his head, got as close to Saïd's face, and said in a stern but low tone. "Look young man, i don't care if you understand it or not, but in this world, when somebody is on a degeneracy trip, it's not free, somebody is paying for it, my dad paid for mines, i'm gonna pay for yours, so you better start taming that temper of yours before you get older….,"

Got closer to his ear again and whispered "because I don't know if i'm gonna stay long for you like my dad stayed for me…" then furiously got back straight.

Saïd kept a blank expression during the whole discourse, and of course, he understood none of it. All he was thinking about is: The blonde lady will never come, and he just lost a bunch of friends.

Saïd's losses were getting heavier each passing day.