In a quiet corner of Abuja, far from the busy roads and fine houses, a small boy walked alone. His name was Austin. He was only six years old, but life had already made him feel like an adult.
Every morning, before the sun rose fully, he stepped out of the unfinished building where he lived with his mother. He would whisper to himself, I must find food today. Mummy needs to eat.
Austin’s mother, Vivian, lay weak inside a small, rough room they made for themselves in an unfinished building. She was fighting kidney disease, and some days she couldn’t even lift her head. Still, every time Austin stepped out, she tried to smile.
Austin, she whispered softly, please be careful, and come home early. I will, mummy, Austin would always reply, holding her hand for a few seconds before going out. But life had not always been this difficult…
Years before he was born, it was different. Vivian had once been a cheerful young woman. She owned a small provision shop, a business she started right after graduating from university.
She sold rice, beans, milk, bread, and small snacks. Her shop helped her pay her bills and gave her hope for a bright future. Back then, she was also in love.
The man’s name was Gabriel. They met in school. He was smart, gentle, and full of dreams.
He wanted to travel abroad to get his master’s degree. He even got a scholarship, but he didn’t have money to process his travel documents. Vivian believed in him so much that she used almost all her savings to support him.
She told him, Gabriel, don’t worry, one day everything will work out. He always replied, thank you, Vivian, I promise I will make you proud. When Gabriel finally got the money he needed, he traveled abroad.
They called each other every day. Vivian would laugh when she heard his voice. She was sure their future was bright.
But then something changed. Two weeks after he arrived abroad, his calls suddenly stopped. Vivian tried calling him again and again.
She worried. She cried. She prayed.
Why can’t I reach him? She kept asking herself. No answer came. Then in another two weeks, she started noticing some changes in her body.
She felt weak. She felt sick. She felt different.
She went to the hospital and the doctor told her she was pregnant. Vivian stared at the doctor. Pregnant, she whispered.
How, how will I take care of this child alone? But she made her choice. She kept the pregnancy. And months later, she gave birth to a boy.
She named him Austin. As Austin grew, he became a bright, happy child. When he started kindergarten, Vivian worked hard to pay his school fees and bought him small toys whenever she could.
They weren’t rich, but they were happy. Then everything fell apart again. When Austin turned four, Vivian started feeling very tired.
At first, she thought it was stress, but it got worse. Her legs felt heavy. Her stomach felt weak.
Sometimes she felt like she would fall. One morning, Vivian tried to stand up and get a little water, but her legs were too weak and she almost fell. Austin quickly grabbed her clothes with his tiny hands.
Mommy, what’s wrong? Austin asked, his eyes wide. Vivian forced a small smile. Sorry, dear.
Mommy’s just tired. Don’t mind me. Austin looked at her, confused but worried.
Mommy, sit down, he said softly. But deep down, Vivian knew something was wrong. She went to the hospital.
After many tests, the doctor sat with her. Vivian, he said gently, you have kidney failure. You need a transplant.
And until then, you need dialysis two times a week. Vivian felt tears in her eyes. How much will all this cost, doctor, she asked.
The doctor sighed. A lot. And you must travel abroad for the transplant.
Vivian tried. She tried with everything she had. But dialysis was too expensive.
Slowly, within the space of two years, her savings disappeared. She sold her freezer. She sold her small furniture.
Even after all that, it was not enough. She could not pay rent anymore. She could not pay Austin’s school fees.
So he had to stop school. She and Austin were forced to leave their house. She cried as she carried her son out of the place they once called home.
They moved into a small dusty corner of an unfinished building. She cleaned it the best she could and made it their new home. Now, with no shop and no money left, with Vivian lying helpless on the floor at home, Austin, only six years old, had no choice but to walk the streets every day, begging, hoping someone would give him a little money or food to take home.
One morning, as he walked with his tiny feet under the hot sun, he held his small stomach and whispered, Mommy must not go hungry today. I must find something, anything. Austin kept walking slowly along the busy roadside.
Cars and bikes passed beside him. He moved carefully, looking left and right. He walked up to a woman holding a nylon bag.
Auntie, please, small help, he said softly. The woman looked at him for one second, then shook her head and walked away. Austin swallowed hard and tried again.
He stepped toward a man buying something from a roadside stall. Sir, please, I am hungry. The man waved him off without even turning.
Austin’s small heart squeezed in pain, but he kept walking. He tried another person. Please, Auntie.
But she only frowned and said, I don’t have, before walking away. Some people ignored him like he wasn’t even there. Some stared at him with pity but still walked past without giving anything.
Each rejection felt heavy. He looked down at his feet as he walked. He felt tired, sad, and alone.
But he did not stop. He whispered to himself, Mommy must eat. I must find something.
So he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, took another small step, and kept going. After a short while, he saw a small local roadside food shop. It was a clean and modest place, with smoke rising from a small pot outside.
The sweet smell of food made his stomach growl even more. He walked closer, step by step, almost as if he was afraid someone would chase him away. Beside the shop, he saw a small wooden bench.
Austin sat on it gently. He placed his hands on his tiny knees. His eyes watched the people passing by.
He did not say a word. He only hoped and waited. But unknown to him, his life was about to change in a way he never imagined.
And someone, somewhere, was about to notice him. Inside the small roadside food shop, Nora moved from one table to the other. The shop was hers, a tiny place she had made with her own hands.
It wasn’t big, and it wasn’t fancy, but it was the only thing she had. This shop was her means of survival. She wiped plates.
She served hot food. She greeted her customers with a small smile, even when she felt tired. She was only 25, but she had many heavy responsibilities on her shoulders.
Her rent had increased, her savings were too small, and she wanted to go back to school one day. Every day she worked, she told herself, Nora, don’t give up. Keep trying.
After the morning rush ended, she stood outside with a bowl of soapy water and began washing plates. As she washed, something caught her eye. A little boy was sitting alone on the small bench beside her shop.
His legs were thin, his clothes looked old, but what stopped Nora was his face. His eyes looked tired, yet innocent, almost too quiet for a child. Nora paused.
Who is this boy, she whispered to herself. She dropped the plate into the bowl and slowly walked toward him. When she reached him, she bent a little, trying to meet his eyes.
Hello, she said gently. My name is Nora. What is your name? The boy looked up slowly.
Austin, he said in a soft voice. Nora gave a small smile. Austin, why are you sitting here alone? Are you waiting for someone? Austin looked down at his small hands.
He rubbed his fingers together. Then he said quietly, I’m hungry. Nora’s eyes softened the moment she heard those words.
She looked at the boy with pity. Something about him felt deeper than hunger. It felt like he was hiding a painful truth, but she could see he was truly starving.
Without asking more questions, she stood up quickly and walked inside her shop. Let me get him something to eat, she whispered to herself. She scooped some warm food into a plate and brought it outside.
Here, Austin, she said gently. Eat first. Austin’s face brightened a little.
Thank you, auntie, he said, his voice full of gratitude. But instead of eating, Austin lifted his head and asked softly, Auntie, please, do you have nylon or small pack? Nora paused. His request surprised her.
Why, she asked. Austin held the plate close to his chest and said quietly, I want to take it home. Nora’s heart tightened again.
She did not understand anything yet, but she knew the boy was telling the truth. She brushed off her shock and went inside to get a food pack. She returned, repacked the food for him and tied it gently.
Here you go, she said. Hold it well. Austin took the nylon carefully, almost as if he was holding something precious.
Thank you, auntie. Thank you, he said again. Then without warning, he turned and ran off with a sudden urgency on his face.
Nora watched him from the doorway, confused. Why is he in such a hurry, she wondered. What is this boy hiding? Something about Austin did not leave her mind, and from that moment, she knew this little boy’s story was far from ordinary.
Austin ran as fast as his small legs could carry him. When he reached the unfinished building, he slipped inside and closed the wooden board they used as a door. Mommy, I’m back, he whispered.
Vivian lay on the thin mat in the corner. Her eyes were half open. She did not even have the strength to lift her head.
Austin placed the food gently on the mat. Then he rushed to the plastic plates beside the wall. His small hands shook a little as he washed one plate with a little water, trying his best to make it clean.
He scooped some food into the plate and carried it carefully to his mother. Mommy, please eat, he said softly. Vivian looked at him with weak eyes.
She wanted to speak, but her voice failed her. She had not eaten since the day before. Her hands were too weak to lift the spoon.
So Austin knelt beside her and began to feed her little by little. He lifted each spoon slowly. He watched her mouth closely.
He waited for her to swallow before giving her another. Vivian managed to whisper, Thank you, my son. Austin nodded.
Mommy, eat some more, please. When she had eaten enough, he gave her a little water, guiding the cup to her lips so she would not spill it. Then he took a tiny cloth and wiped her mouth gently, the same way she used to wipe his when he was younger.
After taking care of her, he served his own food. He did not sit on the mat. Instead, he went to the other side of the small room and sat on the bare floor.
He ate slowly, his eyes fixed on the open window. He missed school. He missed learning.
He missed running with other children. But ever since his mother fell sick, there was no money for school fees. He had to stop going.
He had to grow up too fast. Later in the evening, Vivian’s strength returned a little. She turned her head toward him.
Austin, she said softly, where did you get the food? Austin sat beside her and held the nylon gently. Mommy, I saw a small food shop by the road. I sat on the bench there because I was tired.
One auntie came out. Her name is Auntie Nora. She saw me and asked my name.
I told her I was hungry, and she went inside and brought food for me. Vivian blinked slowly. Nora, she whispered, you don’t know her before? No, mommy, I don’t know her.
She just helped me. She gave me food, and I told her I want to take it home, so she packed it for me. Vivian’s eyes filled with tears.
God bless her, she whispered. May God lift her up. May she never suffer.
May she never lack. Austin looked at her quietly. Her tears made his small heart squeeze in pain.
He crawled close and wrapped his arms around her. Vivian held her weakly. Mommy, Austin whispered, don’t cry.
I am here. They held each other like that, mother and son, in the quiet room until their eyes closed slowly, and together they fell asleep. Later that evening, Nora walked into her small room after a long and stressful day at the shop.
She dropped her bag on the wooden chair and sat down with a tired sigh. Her legs hurt, her back ached, but she still reached for her bag again and brought out the few notes she made that day. She pulled a big saving box from beside her shelf.
It was old and had a tiny opening at the top. She slipped the money inside, one note at a time. As the notes dropped inside the box, she whispered, please grow, please grow.
She needed the money. Her rent was high, her school plans were waiting, her life was not standing still, but her wallet was. When she finished, she pushed the wooden piggy box back into its corner and lay down on her thin mattress.
She stared at the ceiling quietly. The room was hot and the bulb flickered weakly. Her mind filled with thoughts.
How will I pay rent next month? When will I have enough to go back to school? Why is life like this? Her eyes became wet. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and forced herself to breathe slowly. Then suddenly she remembered something that made her pause.
Austin. She thought of the boy who sat at her shop earlier that day. His small hands, his quiet voice, and especially his eyes.
Eyes that looked like they carried a sad secret. Nora sat up a little. That child is hiding something, she whispered.
Something he is afraid to say. She remembered how he asked for a nylon to take food home. She remembered how he ran off so fast.
And she remembered how thin he looked. She wondered, he is too small to be walking alone like that. She lay back slowly, her mind still on Austin.
A small smile touched her lips. At least I helped him today, she said softly. I hope he is fine.
She hoped he would come again. She hoped to ask him questions. She hoped to understand what he was passing through.
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