CHAPTER 3: In Darkness and a Glimmer of Hope

 The Cost of Revenge

As the kid approached his home, his heart froze. Towering bulldozers and massive machines stood like beasts before the house, engines growling, ready to strike. Panic seized him. He sprinted toward them, unaware that his world was moments away from being crushed—his home, his memories, everything tied to his mother.

He screamed, begged them to stop, but the workers didn't hear—or chose not to. Cold steel tore through wood and brick, reducing his past to dust. The house didn't just fall—it was erased, as if it had never existed.

Tears streamed down his face as he watched the walls collapse, his voice drowned in the roar of destruction. When it was all over, silence fell, except for the humming engine cooling off. A worker climbed down from the bulldozer, brushing off his hands like it was just another job.

The kid, trembling, walked up to him and whispered one word: "Why?"

The worker looked at him, indifferent. "This hut was built illegally on government land. It had to be cleared… so the roads could be extended."

The words hit harder than any machine. Roads were more important than lives. More important than memories. More important than a child's last connection to his mother.

The kid sees that the house where he was born and lived with his mother was now reduced to rubble. Something inside the kid shattered into many pieces, and rage built up—he knew who was behind all of this.

The kid slowly whispers, "I have nothing more to lose," and walks away from his house. While walking through the streets, he whispers to himself, "I will kill you guys, I promise. Even if it takes me a whole lifetime, I will kill you with my own two hands."

While talking to himself, the kid smells something delicious. He stops in front of a restaurant. His stomach gives in and starts growling with hunger. The kid hasn't eaten anything for more than a day. He touches his stomach and watches the restaurant silently.

After a few minutes, an old lady comes out of the restaurant and sees the kid. She asks him, "What do you want, kid?" The kid starts walking away from the restaurant.

The old lady noticed the little boy standing outside the restaurant, shivering and alone. Her heart ached at the sight. She gently called out to him, "Come inside, dear."

She guided him to a table and helped him sit down. "Wait here for a moment," she said softly, offering him a kind smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, she returned with a warm, freshly prepared meal. She placed it in front of the boy and sat beside him. Watching him for a moment, she gently asked, "Where is your mother, child?"

The boy remained silent, his eyes distant, lost in a place far from here.

After a pause, she asked again, more softly this time, "Where is your home?"

The boy lowered his gaze and whispered, "I don't have one anymore."

Her heart sank. She looked at him more closely—his cheeks were swollen, his clothes tattered and dirty, and his small frame looked fragile and tired. "What's your name, sweetheart?" she asked, trying to hold back the emotion in her voice.

"Surya," he replied quietly.

"Surya…" she repeated gently. "Who are you waiting for? Go ahead, start eating," she urged with a warm smile.

Surya hesitated, looking down at the food. "I don't have any money with me, miss," he said, almost in a whisper, ashamed.

The old lady's eyes softened even more as she reached out and gently touched his hand. "I didn't ask for money, my boy," she said, her voice full of kindness. "Now eat… before it gets cold."

Surya starts eating, and the old lady silently gets up, goes to the storeroom, and starts cleaning the room and preparing a bed for the kid.

After finishing that, she goes behind the cash register and sits down.

Surya finishes his meal, stands up, and walks towards the old lady, calling her "Miss."

The old lady replies, "Yes, Surya. Do you need more?"

Surya replies, "No, I came here to thank you for the meal, and I will clean the dishes for you as a thank you."

The old lady replies, "No need. I will do it myself."

After listening to her, Surya starts walking towards the door.

The old lady stops him and asks him to watch over the shop while she goes out.

The child stood quietly in the middle of the restaurant hallway, unsure and a little lost. The old lady, noticing his condition, stepped out into the neighborhood to buy him some fresh clothes.

After a while, she returned, gently handing the new clothes to Surya with a kind smile.

"Here you go, dear. Go freshen up and change into these. The washroom is just across the hallway."

Surya nodded, touched by the gesture. After changing, he walked back to her, his voice soft with gratitude.

"Thank you for these clothes, ma'am… but I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

The old lady chuckled warmly.

"I didn't do it expecting anything in return, Surya. Just tell me—do you have a place to sleep tonight?"

Surya shook his head.

"Well then," she said with a twinkle in her eye, "you can stay here tonight. I've made a bed for you in the storeroom. It's warm and cozy."

Surya looked at her, his eyes wide with emotion.

"Why… why are you doing all this for me?"

The old lady, with a gentle smile, replied, "I don't know," and started laughing.

Surya gave a gentle smile, took her word for it, and slept in the storeroom of the shop.

Morning came, and Surya woke up. He came out of the storeroom, walked through the hallway, and heard a sound coming from the kitchen. He went there and saw the old lady preparing breakfast. He walked toward her and said, "Miss?"

The old lady replied, "Huh, Surya, did you sleep well?"

Surya replied, "Yes, thank you for letting me sleep here."

The old lady said, "Surya, go wash up. I'll get breakfast for you."

Surya went, washed his face, and sat at one of the tables in the hallway, waiting for the old lady. She came to the hallway, put the breakfast on the table, and said to Surya, "Let's eat."

And both started eating their breakfast. While eating, Surya asked something to the old lady, with a spark of hope in his eyes.

Surya asked, "Miss, can I stay here while I help you — with cleaning, taking orders from customers... please let me stay here."

He wasn't sure if she would agree, but deep down, he hoped she would give him a chance.

To his surprise, the old lady smiled warmly and said, "Okay, you can stay here and help me in our restaurant."

Surya's heart filled with hope and happiness. Encouraged, he quickly finished his breakfast and got ready to help in the restaurant.

The restaurant opened and customers started coming in quickly. Surya took a notebook and pen and went to each customer with energy and excitement. He took their orders and gave them to the old lady. The day went by in a flurry of activity, and when night came, the restaurant finally closed.

Surya and the old lady, still filled with the spirit of the day, started cleaning. Surya helped by taking plates from the tables and putting them in the kitchen. Then, with a hopeful smile, he grabbed a wet cloth and began cleaning the tables "And just chatting with the old lady while helping her wash the dishes and smiling—something broken inside of him slowly started to mend in those moments."