All good things come to an end, and so did the boys' trip. Unsure of what to do, I chose to maintain my silence as they bid me farewell. They parted ways with me, somewhat akin to how one might dismiss a dog, indicating it was time for me to move on. They handed me a backpack containing all the clothes they had purchased in the past few days, wished me good luck, and promised to see me again soon. Vince hugged me tightly and kissed my forehead, saying, "Take good care of yourself, okay?" I simply nodded in agreement.
They pointed out the location of a nearby bus stop, and without a plan in mind, I made my way there. I arrived at the stop, sat down, and must have remained there for hours, watching several buses pass by. I even noticed the same driver passing more than once.
As dusk approached and I still had no plan, I contemplated returning to the dungeon, though I had no idea how to get there. Perhaps if I asked to be taken back to my old address, I could walk... though the thought of going near Cesar again didn't thrill me.
Lost in thought, Vince suddenly reappeared. He settled on the same bench as me and took in the view of the desert before us before remarking, "You have nowhere to go, do you?"
I shook my head in response. He attempted to understand. "What's wrong? I mean, what happened? How did you end up in this part of the world with nowhere to go?"
"I was evicted from my home," I confessed.
Vince looked at me with concern, then wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close and planting a kiss on my head. "Well, then you'll have to come home with me. Do you have your papers and documents with you?"
"Yes," I replied, recalling the name on my false identity, though my documents bore my real name. It seemed the first lie was about to unravel.