Morning
In Sun City
The sun shone brightly, illuminating the skyscrapers. On the streets, people bustled about, busy with their own affairs.
Amidst the crowd, there was a young man with a thin body, pale white skin, and dark circles surrounding his Black eyes.
He was holding a burger in his hand. While for most people the burger was cheap, for someone as poor as him, it was not.
That burger had cost him quite a lot of money. Even though he had intended to spend all his money today, he couldn't suppress the bitter expression on his face.
He then lifted the burger closer to his mouth, took a bite, and was immediately overwhelmed by delight.
"This is the most delicious food I've ever eaten,"
Dion said as a tear rolled down his cheek, which he quickly wiped away.
That tear was born from the bliss he felt at that moment and the fact that his life would not last much longer—or at least, that was what he thought.
He desperately wanted to buy another burger, but he simply didn't have enough money.
As he continued walking while eating his burger, he noticed people passing by covering their noses. Dion even caught some of them looking at him with expressions of disgust.
He was worlds apart from those people. He Look at them with envy, Dion carried on with his journey.
At this moment, he was on his way to a hotel that was offering massive discounts since it would soon be closing. Although the hotel was 20 kilometers away, he did not Give up. He decided to push himself, to give himself the best treatment he could get.
After finishing the burger, Dion tossed the wrapper toward the trash can. But a sudden gust of wind blew it off course, sending it far away.
At first, Dion didn't care and continued walking. But after a few steps, he closed his eyes in frustration and turned back to pick up the wrapper.
This time, he threw it into the trash can properly, then continued his journey.
Along the way, he spotted some leftover drink on a wooden table. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and resumed walking.
After taking a sip, Dion instantly felt refreshed. The taste was strawberry, sweet and soothing. His fatigue, which had been weighing him down earlier, suddenly vanished.
Finally, after several hours of walking, Dion arrived at the hotel he had been heading toward.
The hotel building looked old and worn, standing among rows of more magnificent modern buildings. The paint on the exterior walls had faded into a dull color, with some parts peeling away to reveal the cement beneath. The hotel sign, which might once have glowed brightly, was now nothing more than an old wooden board with rusted iron. The neon lights around it flickered weakly, with several not lighting up at all.
In front of the entrance, there was a thin red carpet, its color faded, stained, and torn in many places. The sliding glass door was cloudy from neglect, and one side seemed jammed, requiring extra force to open.
Even so, there was still some small effort to attract guests: a few dusty plastic flower pots stood outside the lobby, and a worn-out notice board bore large letters:
*"MASSIVE DISCOUNTS!
Rooms Starting From the Lowest Price!"*
From inside the lobby, a faint yellow light hung from the ceiling, and a small reception desk was manned by an old attendant with a lazy expression. The air carried a musty odor mixed with cheap cleaning product, as if trying to mask the damp stench from walls long in disrepair.
Dion approached the old attendant, now standing before him. But the attendant didn't respond, so Dion decided to speak first.
"Excuse me, I'd like to book the cheapest room."
The attendant, still with his lazy demeanor, slowly stood up and took a key from the wooden board behind him.
He picked up a key labeled 104 and walked back to his desk. He placed it on the table and extended his hand, signaling Dion to hand over his money.
"Just give me all your money, you filthy beggar."
"Alright."
Dion immediately handed over all his money. The attendant, still with his sluggish expression, said:
"Your money isn't enough, but I don't care. Just take the key."
The attendant tossed the key, which Dion swiftly caught. Lowering his head slightly, Dion spoke in an odd tone.
"Thank you."
It had been so long since Dion felt any form of human kindness that it felt strange to him.
He walked to room 104 and opened the door with the key he had received.
*Click*
As the door opened, a small room with dim lighting was revealed. A yellow bulb hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly as though it might fall at any moment.
The walls were once white but had dulled to brown in places from moisture. Mold clung to the corners near the window. The thin gray curtains were tattered, barely covering the window whose glass was clouded with grime.
In the center of the room stood a single bed with a thin mattress. The sheets were faded, stained with marks that could not be washed away. The pillow was flat. Beside the bed stood a small wooden table with uneven legs.
The floor was covered in pale tiles, some cracked, others grimy despite obvious sweeping. The damp smell mixed with the cheap air freshener filled the air.
In the far corner of the room, a small door led to the bathroom.
When Dion opened it, the bathroom revealed itself as a narrow space with cracked ceramic walls. Water dripped slowly from the tap. A rusty old shower stood in the corner, along with a toilet seat that was no longer white. The floor remained constantly wet, thanks to a faulty drain.
Though everything was simple and far from decent, for Dion, this room was enough to serve as his final place of rest.
He immediately took a shower. The water washed over his filthy body, caked with grime, filling him with relief.
After what might have been the best bath of his life, Dion lay down on the bed. His body sank into the softness provided by the mattress, and he could no longer keep his eyes open.
'If only every day could be like this.'
With that final thought, Dion closed his eyes. Everything turned dark and quiet.
But suddenly, within the darkness, a voice rang out.
[Welcome to your Trial. Prepare yourself to face it.]