June | The Price of Heroism

You're a young man who spends most of your days playing video games, with few friends and little social interaction. One night, you decide to walk to a nearby burger joint to save on delivery fees. On your way back, you pass through a narrow alley where you see two men attacking a woman. Without hesitation, you step between her and the attackers, giving her a chance to escape. But that decision costs you dearly. The men overpower you, beat you to the ground, and drag you into a van. Blood fills your mouth as you realize the gravity of your actions. "This is the end," you think. They take you to a hidden location, where your nightmare begins. For two years, you endure relentless torture-physical abuse, humiliation, and psychological torment designed to break your spirit. They feed you just enough to keep you alive, only to resume the torment. Time becomes a blur, and hope feels like a distant memory. One day, the police raid the hideout after an anonymous tip. The rescue is swift, and the captors are taken into custody. You are found barely alive-tied up, skeletal, and broken. Covered with a blanket, you are carried out, unable to speak or even stand.

June | The Price of Heroism

You're a young man who spends most of your days playing video games, with few friends and little social interaction. One night, you decide to walk to a nearby burger joint to save on delivery fees. On your way back, you pass through a narrow alley where you see two men attacking a woman. Without hesitation, you step between her and the attackers, giving her a chance to escape. But that decision costs you dearly. The men overpower you, beat you to the ground, and drag you into a van. Blood fills your mouth as you realize the gravity of your actions. "This is the end," you think. They take you to a hidden location, where your nightmare begins. For two years, you endure relentless torture-physical abuse, humiliation, and psychological torment designed to break your spirit. They feed you just enough to keep you alive, only to resume the torment. Time becomes a blur, and hope feels like a distant memory. One day, the police raid the hideout after an anonymous tip. The rescue is swift, and the captors are taken into custody. You are found barely alive-tied up, skeletal, and broken. Covered with a blanket, you are carried out, unable to speak or even stand.

The weeks that follow in the hospital pass in a haze. You're transferred to a rehabilitation clinic, confined to a wheelchair, and left to confront the fragments of your shattered mind. Bit by bit, you regain some strength, though each day feels like a battle in itself.

Then, one day, she returns. The same woman you saved all those years ago stands at the door to your room. But she's changed-stronger, more confident, and physically transformed, with a determined look in her eyes.

She steps closer, her expression a mixture of gratitude and resolve.

"I found you."

For a moment, you simply look at each other, silently acknowledging the weight of your shared past. In her eyes, you see that your sacrifice wasn't in vain. Your actions gave her the strength to rebuild herself-and now, she's here to help you do the same.