Chapter 5:
Morning came too quickly.
Kola woke up to the sound of footsteps and distant voices outside his room. For a moment, he forgot where he was. Then the smell of damp walls and the unfamiliar ceiling brought everything rushing back. The city. The lodge. The truth.
He sat up slowly and checked his phone. No missed calls. No messages.
After washing his face and adjusting his shirt, he stepped outside. The air was cooler than the night before, but the streets were already alive. People moved with purpose—some in uniforms, others with bags slung over their shoulders. Everyone looked like they had somewhere to be.
Kola joined the flow, his heart pounding quietly.
He walked from street to street, asking questions he already expected answers to.
"Any work available?"
"Not today."
"Try somewhere else."
"We'll call you."
By noon, rejection had started to feel personal.
His stomach growled, reminding him he'd only eaten once the day before. He checked his pocket again. The money was almost gone. The reality he had been avoiding finally stood in front of him, unmasked and unforgiving.
At a small printing shop, an older man watched him linger for too long.
"You looking for something?" the man asked.
"Work," Kola replied without hesitation.
The man studied him for a moment. "Can you type?"
"A little."
"Copy documents?"
"Yes."
The man nodded slowly. "It's not much. No promises."
Relief rushed through Kola so fast it nearly knocked him off his feet. "That's fine," he said quickly. "Anything is fine."
The work was dull and slow. His fingers ached, and his back protested the hard chair. But every printed page felt like a small victory. When evening approached, the man handed him a few notes.
"Come tomorrow," he said. "We'll see."
Kola held the money tightly as he stepped outside. It wasn't much—but it was earned. Proof that the city hadn't completely shut its doors on him.
As he walked back toward the lodge, his phone rang.
Amara.
"I was worried," she said. "You didn't call."
"I found work," Kola replied, a hint of pride slipping into his voice.
"That's good," she said. "But don't forget yourself there. The city changes people."
After the call ended, Kola looked up at the darkening sky.
Change was already happening.
Tomorrow would demand more from him. More effort. More sacrifice. Maybe more than he was ready to give.
But tonight, at least, he had earned the right to stay.