Sado: "Salsa... Salsa!"
Bursting up, Sado wakes up. He looks around to see a nurse and his parents, startled at his sudden rise.
Sado: "Where am I?!"
Nurse: "Sir, yo-"
Sado: "Where is she?! Where is Salsabil?!"
Mr. Talman: "Sado, calm yourself now."
Looking over to his parents, he starts to calm down. Sun starts to shine through the window.
Sado: "It's morning now?"
Mrs. Talman: "Sado... you've been unconscious for a few days now."
The nurse calls a doctor in. The doctor evaluates Sado.
Doctor: "How strange. No abnormalities of sort. Nurse, ensure he gets checked out."
Sado: "Wait, my daughter... is she..."
Doctor: "Yes, the little girl. She is stable. Howev-"
Mr. Talman: "I think it's best if he rests first, then hears of this tomorrow, no?"
Sado: "What? No, I want to know right now."
Doctor: "Seeing as he is the one responsible for the girl, if he wishes to know, I must relay the information."
Sado's mother starts to tear up and hides her face, comforted by her husband. The doctor takes Sado and his family to Salsabil's room. As he steps in, Sado could hear his heart beat audibly. As they cross the corner, he finally sees his daughter. Hooked to machines, and with her eyes closed, Salsabil lies on the bed.
Doctor: "The doctors worked as best as they could. However, it is unclear whether she will awake, which further increases the effects of being in such a state. However we remain optimistic that she will awake due to..."
Sado zones out and just stares. The event loops through his head, but he stands there silent. The doctor notices him zoning out.
Doctor: ...I would advise for you to get some rest and eat well. This is difficult information to consume immediately. Best to always have hope, right?"
Sado: "... Hmm? Yeah, hope... thank you."
Sado and his parents leave and head to their family home. As he lies in his bed, his parents bring him food, but he refuses to eat. He tries to sleep but struggles to close his eyes.
"It's an illusion, it's an illusion" rings through his head. Days pass, and Sado struggling with everything, always visits Salsabil. On one particular day, as he sits and holds her hand, he feels her finger move. Sado in a flash calls a nurse over. As a doctor comes in to assess the situation, Sado waits outside the room. The doctor comes out.
Doctor: "There is some good news. The patient is showing signs of responsiveness. However, voluntary movements are yet to be seen."
Sado: "But I felt her finger move..."
Doctor: "These can be spasms, sort of involuntary movements. We can run further testing, but for now it is unclear when she will awake."
Sado leaves the hospital and heads home. He tells his parents, as they embrace him. Days continue to pass, and Sado continues on his days working. One night, as he walks back home, in the alley of a small street, he notices a child near a small fire. He tries to walk away but stands there and stares.
Child: "What are you staring at?! This is my fire!"
Sado: "Um, sorry. I didn't mean to... are you all alone?"
Child: "..."
Sado looks down the street he was heading, turning away from it and walking up to the child. The child tries to stand up.
Sado: "Whoa, no. Don't worry. I promise you, I'm not here to cause you problems. Do you mind if I sit with you?"
Child: "The fire isn't big enough for the both of us, you know."
Sado: "That's alright. Let me try something."
Sado lights a fire on his finger, and burns the extra material that were not burning, making the fire bigger.
Child: "Whoa! How did-"
The child sits back down slowly, and Sado follows across from him.
Sado: "Can't reveal the trick. It's the rules."
Child: "Cmon. I promise I won't tell. I promise!"
Sado: "Sorry, you wouldn't be amazed if you knew."
Child: "Is it like, magic?"
Sado: "Magic?... That's a good question. Do you believe in magic?"
Child: "Mhm."
Sado: "My daughter believes in magic too. I do these tricks for her and she loves them. Although, these days, I don't know if she likes my new material."
Child: "Well I like them."
Sado: "Hah... thank you."
The child's stomach rumbles, not unnoticed by Sado.
Child: "Time to sleep."
Sado: "If you're hungry, I can give you some food."
Child: "The dumpster over there has nothing good. I checked already."
Sado: "Huh? No. Wait."
Sado checks himself and finds a remaining sandwich, handing it to the child.
Sado: "Don't worry, it's not dangerous."
Child: "It's clean. Who did you steal this off?"
Sado: "Steal? No, I bought it."
Child: "Oh, I thought... thank you."
Sado (in head): "Poor kid, he's around her age too... all alone out here..."
As the child eats the food, Sado can't help but smile a little bit.
Child: "You want some?"
Sado: "No, I'm all good. Thank you. So, do you have a name?"
Child: "You first."
Sado: "True. I'm Sado."
Child: "Hamza."
Sado: "That's a nice name."
As the night continues, the fire is put out and as they sleep on the street, Sado looks towards Hamza.
Sado (in head): "He's shivering..."
Sado moves over towards Hamza, and puts his scarf over him like a blanket. He lets Hamza rest his head on his lap, as he lies on the wall. Sado looks to the sky.
Sado (in head): "If only magic were real..."
The night passes, and the loud street wakes Sado up. He looks around and does not see Hamza anywhere.
Sado (in head): "He's gone... and the scarf..."
Sado stands up and heads home. As he reaches the place, he notices a nice car parked up front. Confused, he continues on and walks in the front door.
Sado: "Ma, Pa! I'm home. Sorry for not saying anything. There was thi-"
As he turns the corner, he looks into the living room and sees his parents sat across from two other people.
Sado: "What's happening? Why are y-"
Mrs. Talman: "Sado, where were you?"
Sado: "Did they call you?"
Woman: "They did."
Mrs. Talman: "Sado, we called her to help. Salsabil needs her mother."
Sado: "No, ma. She needed her mother. Needed. I can't deal with this right now. Please leave."
Man: "If I may... they told us the situation and I have a proposal, if you will hear me out."
The man tells Sado his plan.
Sado: "That is not happening."
Woman: "Sado, please thi-"
Sado: "I give you possession of my daughter? Is this a sick joke?!"
Man: "To get access to the benefits and facilities, she'd need to be under my name."
Sado: "No. I'm not giving you my daughter so you can take care of her in some other city."
Woman: "Be reasonable. She has a better chance with the doctors in our city. I want to help our daughter."
Sado: "MY daughter. And she will be fine here. Now leave m-"
Mr. Talman: "Sado!"
Sado looks to his father, noticing his fatigued look.
Mr. Talman: "They offer the best chance for Salsabil and you deny? Do you take your daughter to be immortal?"
Sado's irritated expression reduces to a weakened look.
Man: "I understand this is a difficult decision. If you need time to think, that is fine. Please, take this to cover the current bills."
The man stands up and the woman does the same.
Man: "Thank you for having us here."
The woman holds onto the man's arm as they exit the house, and silence fills the entire room.
Mrs. Talman: "Uh... let me pre-"
Sado immediately walks out the house. Night falls again, and Sado aimlessly roams the city, with a dead look in his eyes. As he walks by the alley, he sees Hamza sat in the alley. Sado's face lights up a little.
Sado: "Hamza?! Is that you?"
Hamza looks over and sees Sado and smiles.
Hamza: "Sado!"
Hamza runs up to him.
Sado: "Oh, what happened to your face?"
Hamza: "Nothing much. Happens, you know?"
Hamza notices Sado looking at him.
Hamza: "Hmm? Oh, the scarf. Here, you c-"
Sado: "No, no. It's alright. I gave it to you. You can keep it."
Hamza: "Really?!"
Sado: "Yeah. It's no problem."
Sado sits down at the wall and pulls out a sandwich.
Sado: "You want some?"
Hamza sits next to him and eats the sandwich. Time flies as they talk and laugh.
Sado: "You're a very smart boy."
Hamza: "You think so?"
Sado: "Yes."
Hamza: "My dad doesn't think so. He's always like 'grrr you stupid kid'."
Sado: "Your dad?"
Hamza: "Yeah. He's always angry. I don't like it at home so I stay out here sometimes."
Sado: "..."
Hamza: "It's OK. It's better outside anyways. I just steal some stuff and go around having fun."
Sado: "But you can't steal forever, you know? You'll eventually be caught."
Hamza: "I know. That's why I have my stash."
Sado: "Stash?"
Hamza: "Yeah, I save a lot in a place to use later. One day, I'll take it all and leave for good. Ohh! Do you want to start a stash with me?"
Sado: "Haha! Thank you but uh, I don't need one right now."
Hamza: "What about your daughter?"
Sado: "What about her?"
Hamza: "You can buy her so much stuff when she gets better. You can get her a bike, or-or a TV, or even so many sandwiches, haha! That'd be nice. Unlimited sandwiches. What does she like?"
Sado: "Hmm... she likes ice cream a lot."
Hamza: "Unlimited ice cream!"
Sado: "Haha! That does sound nice."
Hamza: "So will you help me?"
Sado: "Haha, let me think on it, ok?"
The night passes, and the early morning wakes Hamza up. He looks around.
Hamza: "He's gone..."
At around noon, Sado meets his ex-wife and the man at a diner.
Sado: "I'll let you take her."
Ex-wife: "Thank you, Sado. I know this was hard."
Sado: "I just want the best for Salsabil."
Ex-wife: "Excuse me for a moment."
The ex-wife heads to the bathroom, Sado noticing the man staring at her as she walks away.
Sado: "I'd like my parents to be able to see her whenever they'd like."
Man: "That's fine. I can arrange for that."
Sado: "Also, I'd like to help with any funds."
Man: "Oh, that's not necessary."
Sado: "It is to me."
Man: "Look. No offence at all, but I've been told of your work. I make well more than enough to cover the bills. I don't think it'd sit right with my conscience taking money out of you whilst offering help, you understand?"
Sado: "..."
Man: "Maybe you can start a savings, and later on your daughter can use that."
Sado, slightly ticked off by the comment, keeps his composure. The ex-wife walks back.
Man: "Oop. I have an appointment not too long from now. We should leave."
Ex-wife: "Oh, alright."
Man: "Glad you've accepted the proposal. I'll have a team contact you soon to arrange everything."
Ex-wife: "Hey, could you give me a minute with him?"
Man: "Oh... of course."
The man walks out the diner, slightly irritated. Sado stares into his drink.
Ex-wife: "Sado, I understand what you are going through, and I-"
Sado: "Promise you will take care of her."
Ex-wife: "...I promise."
She walks out of the diner. Sado continues to look into his drink.
Sado (in head): "Savings..."
Once again, the night falls. Sado walks by the same alley, holding the sandwich in his hand.
Sado (in head): "He's not here today, huh?..."
Just as Sado is about to leave,
Hamza: "Sado!"
He turns to see Hamza waving at him across the main street. Sado holds the sandwich in the air.
Hamza: "I'm coming!"
Hamza rushes across the street to Sado.
Sado: "Here you go."
Hamza: "Thanks."
Sado: "Are you ready?"
Hamza: "Ready?"
Sado: "To start our stash."
Hamza: "For real?! Yes!"
Sado notices bruises on Hamza's arms.
Hamza: "Hey, let's get some drinks to celebrate."
Sado: "Haha! Maybe not alcohol, but I can get us some drinks. Hold my sandwich, I'll be back."
He hands Hamza his sandwich. As he crosses the street, a car rushes in and strikes him. The car stops and people rush to him. Hamza also runs in. They all freeze and see he isn't anywhere on the road. Hamza looks back and sees Sado still on the pavements, looking at his hands.
Sado: "I... thought I was dead..."
Random man 1: "What was that?"
Random man 2: "Some magic trick maybe?"
This day marked the awakening of the latent ability of Sado Talman, an ability he and his future followers believed to be divinely sent.