World Of Hunger

Nicolas sat in the back of the truck, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. The sprawling cornfields, the grazing livestock—these were images he had only ever seen in old, tattered books. He blinked several times, half-expecting the vision to disappear, but it remained steadfast. It was real. He was certain of it.

"I must be dreaming," he whispered to himself, touching his arms as if to confirm he was awake. The pain in his back reminded him of the fall and the fact that he was very much alive.

The truck slowed, its engine rumbling to a stop. Startled, Nicolas peered over the edge of the truck bed to see what was happening.

Ahead of them stood a massive gate, its iron bars gleaming under the sunlight. The gate was enormous, towering over the truck and flanked by thick stone walls. It looked impenetrable, designed to keep out anyone who didn't belong. A group of guards surrounded the entrance, all clad in crisp uniforms, armed with weapons that looked far more advanced than anything Nicolas had ever seen.

Nicolas's breath caught in his throat. The sight of the guards made his heart race. He had grown up in a world where the government's presence was synonymous with fear. Seeing these men, standing so confidently, only reminded him of how powerless he was.

From his vantage point, he watched as the truck driver climbed out and approached one of the guards. They exchanged a few words that Nicolas couldn't hear, but the interaction seemed tense. The guard examined the truck's contents, briefly glancing at Nicolas before turning back to the driver.

Nicolas ducked, his heart pounding. He had no idea where he was or why the truck had brought him here, but something told him he wasn't supposed to be here.

After a few moments, the guard nodded, and the gate began to creak open. Nicolas peeked out again, curiosity getting the better of him. What could possibly lie beyond such a heavily guarded entrance?

As the truck began to move again, Nicolas couldn't resist the urge to see more. He crouched low, careful not to attract attention, and peeked through the gaps in the truck's sideboards.

What he saw made his jaw drop.

Beyond the gate was a sprawling settlement, unlike anything he had ever imagined. The streets were wide and clean, lined with trees and flowers in full bloom. The houses were modest but well-maintained, with colorful rooftops and gardens overflowing with fruits and vegetables. People walked the streets with baskets of food, their faces calm and untroubled.

Nicolas's eyes widened as he took it all in. This wasn't just a different place—it was a different world.

The truck came to a halt once more. Nicolas crouched lower, his heart pounding as he tried to stay hidden. He heard the driver climb out of the truck, muttering something under his breath. Moments later, the acrid smell of cigarette smoke filled the air.

"Jay! Jay, wake up!" the driver called out, his voice gruff.

There was no response.

"Jay!" he called again, louder this time, his tone tinged with irritation. "We're close! Don't make me drag you out of there."

Still, no one answered.

Nicolas tensed, unsure of who this "Jay" was or where they might be. He remained still, hoping the driver would give up and leave him unnoticed.

But then, something happened.

The pile of pillows beside Nicolas began to shift. At first, it was a subtle movement, but then it became more pronounced. Before Nicolas could react, the pillows parted, and a boy—around his age—popped his head out.

Nicolas gasped, startled by the sudden appearance.

"AHHH!" Nicolas screamed.

"AHHH!" the boy screamed back, just as startled.

Their simultaneous shrieking was enough to draw the driver's attention. He stomped over to the back of the truck, his cigarette dangling precariously from his lips.

"What the hell's going on back here?" he barked, pulling himself up to peer inside.

The sight of two boys—one he didn't recognize—sent him stumbling backward. He nearly dropped his cigarette in his shock.

"Wait, wait, WAIT!" the driver shouted, waving his hands as if to calm everyone down. "Who are you?! What are you doing back there?!"

Nicolas, still frozen in place, didn't know how to answer. His mind raced with a million thoughts, but no coherent words came out.

The other boy, Jay, rubbed his eyes groggily, looking just as confused. "What's going on? Who's this guy?" he asked, pointing at Nicolas.

"I should be asking you that!" the driver snapped. "I only brought you, Jay! Where did he come from?"

Jay turned to Nicolas, his expression suspicious. "Who are you? What are you doing in here?"

Nicolas opened his mouth to respond but couldn't find the words. The truth—that he had fallen onto the truck by accident—sounded so ridiculous that even he struggled to believe it.

"I... I didn't mean to..." Nicolas stammered. "I just... fell."

"Fell?" the driver repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. "Fell from where? The sky?"

"I—" Nicolas hesitated, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I was on a building, and I... I fell. The truck was there, and it caught me. I didn't mean to be here. I swear."

The driver looked at Nicolas for a long moment, then sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You've got to be kidding me."

Jay, now fully awake, studied Nicolas with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "You're not from here, are you?"

Nicolas shook his head slowly, unsure of what to say. "No... I'm not."

Jay exchanged a look with the driver, who muttered something under his breath before pulling out his cigarette again.

"Well, kid," the driver said, exhaling a plume of smoke, "you've got a lot of explaining to do. But first, we're almost there. Don't try anything stupid."

Nicolas nodded, swallowing hard. He had no idea where "there" was, but he had a sinking feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.

The truck rumbled back to life, its engine groaning as it rolled forward once more. The two boys sat in the back, the tension between them easing slightly after the initial shock. Jay, his curiosity getting the better of him, leaned closer to Nicolas.

"So... why were you falling from a building?" Jay asked, his tone more intrigued than accusatory.

Nicolas hesitated, his fingers nervously playing with the edge of his tattered shirt. The memory of his near-death moment still sent chills down his spine. But something about Jay's genuine curiosity made him feel like he could at least share part of the truth.

"I was... trying to end it," Nicolas admitted quietly, his voice barely audible over the hum of the truck.

Jay's eyebrows shot up. "End it? You mean... you were trying to...?"

Nicolas nodded, looking down at his hands. "Yeah. Life has been... unbearable. My mom's gone. My dad doesn't want me. I've been starving for days. It just felt like there was no point anymore."

Jay fell silent for a moment, absorbing the weight of Nicolas's words. Then, without saying a word, he pulled out a small metal flask from his bag and handed it to Nicolas.

"Here. Drink this," Jay said.

Nicolas hesitated but eventually took the flask. He unscrewed the cap and took a cautious sip. Cool water filled his mouth, and he swallowed quickly, savoring the refreshing sensation. He hadn't tasted water this clean in years.

"Thanks," Nicolas said, handing the flask back to Jay.

Jay shrugged. "You're lucky, you know. Not just because you survived the fall, but because you weren't caught."

Nicolas frowned, confused. "Caught? By who?"

Jay glanced around as if checking to make sure no one else could hear them. Then, leaning closer, he whispered, "The guards. There are two gates here. The fact that the guards at Gate 1 didn't spot you is already a miracle. And Gate 2... well, they probably thought you were me. If they knew you were an outsider, they wouldn't have let you in."

"Outsider?" Nicolas repeated, his confusion growing. "What does that mean? What is this place?"

Jay leaned back, a small smirk forming on his lips. "This place? It's called Heaven."

Nicolas blinked, taken aback. "Heaven? Like... actual heaven?"

"Not literally," Jay clarified, chuckling softly. "But it's as close as you can get in this world. They call it Heaven because, well... look around you."

Nicolas thought back to the sights he had seen—the endless fields of corn, the grazing animals, the clean streets beyond the gate. It made sense now, why someone would call this place Heaven. Compared to the world he had known, it truly was paradise.

He had so many questions, but before he could ask another, the truck slowed again, then came to a complete stop.

"We're here," Jay said, his voice tinged with both excitement and nervousness.

The driver shouted from the front, "Alright, boys, get out! Let's unload and move!"

Nicolas felt his heart race as he prepared to step into this mysterious place called Heaven.