6 5. Different (Not yet Edited)

The next morning, Steven awoke to the sounds of bustling activity. His new mother was already awake and preparing for the day ahead. Despite being thin as bones and her eyes heavy with fatigue, there was a strength in her that Steven found both admirable and comforting.

The woman, with her ash-blonde hair tied back neatly, was wearing thin clothing, a stark contrast to the rough nature of her work in the mines. If even this place is mine though. But with all the situation that was in, it can be called this place a mine.

She tenderly wrapped Steven in a warm, soft blanket made of an unfamiliar material and placed him gently in a makeshift crib carved into the stone wall. Steven watched as she picked up what he recognized as a pickaxe, its metallic head glinting in the dim crystal light that filled the room.

With a soft pat on his tiny head, a light kiss, and murmured words in a language he couldn't yet understand, she left the room, leaving Steven alone in the dark dimly place. The stone door closed with a final, echoing thud, and silence descended.

'Fuck, how the hell did she close that big of a stone with that thin body of her?!' Steven wondered in bewilderment.

Left alone, Steven turned his attention to his surroundings. The room was quite simple with no furniture or whatsoever, just some simple padding clothes hanging on the wall that looked like they were used as a sheet for the woman to sleep on, large leaves that served as plates, and a single dimly glowing crystal providing the only source of light on the ceiling.

As he lay there, unable to move much due to his limited infant mobility, Steven found his mind wandering. He contemplated his existence, the strange turn of events that led him to this very moment, this alien yet comforting place. The memory of the Source of Light and its end lingered in his mind, an echo of a previous life, now replaced by this new, strange reality.

His stomach grumbled, reminding him of the physical needs he had yet to comprehend fully. He was hungry, but he could only wait, his survival was now reliant on the woman who had birth him into her life. Strangely enough, despite their brief encounter, he found himself yearning for her presence, her warmth, her comforting embrace.

There was a profound connection he felt with the woman, a sense of belonging that was both perplexing and comforting. Her motherly warmth, the soft lullabies she hummed, and even her earthy scent became his constants. He found himself missing her, a feeling he had felt before when he was with his little sister.

'I'm not sure why I feel this way, but this feeling is not bad at all.' Closing his eyes, Steven savored this strange yet not unwelcome feeling.

He contemplated his future, what kind of life would he carry on. Would he learn their language, adapt to their customs, and assimilate into their culture? Would he become a miner like the woman, or would his life take a different path?

Many ideas started to form in Steven's mind, each more fantastical than the last. Images of him working side by side with the woman, learning to carve precious minerals from the craggy stone walls, filled his thoughts. Alternatively, he saw himself learning new arts and crafts.

He imagined the woman teaching him slowly their mysterious language, the rhythmic patterns of sounds that seemed to resonate with the very core of this civilization. He saw himself sitting by her side, listening attentively, as she revealed the customs and traditions of their people, their stories, and history.

Steven also entertained the possibility of taking a different path, venturing outside the confines of the mine to explore the world that lay beyond. Given how he had never had such an opportunity back on Earth, being confined to his old house, he thought it would be quite an adventure to set out and discover this new world in his current life.

'Given the size of these large leaves used as plates, there should be something like a big forest outside, right?'

Then the woman's face resurfaces in Steven's mind, thinking about her and the warmth she brought, making Steven's silence.

'Yeah, let's not make a hasty decision,' Steven thought, 'First things first, I should do my best to learn the language of this world as fast as I can, so I can know about this world more.'

As he lay there, wrapped in the warm blanket, the soft glow of the crystal light above him, Steven found a sense of peace amidst the unknown. For now, he was here, safe and cared for. The future was a faraway concept, a puzzle to be solved in due time.

'Though, maybe I should start learning something by calling that woman Mom.' Steven mused.

**********

Author Nore:

Sup guys,

Just want to ask for your help, please donate to me in PayPal... Alright, before that I think I need to tell you a little about me, I guess? And why I'm literally begging you to help me.

So, I've entered a hospital because of an accident, long story short, I don't have any money, so my only choice is debt, I hope my recovery is fast, but shit happened, and I'm 1 month in the hospital with piled up debt... Added to how I got fired from my work...

Yeah, I'm miserable af... Now I'm discharged, To pay for a fraction of the debt, I sell everything I have, and leave with my laptop which I use to write a novel here... I just don't know what I should do... I want to look for a work, but there is no way I can get it fast

My debt is about 1890$ well maybe next week it's already 2k... I want to die actually... But I also don't want to

So I hope you can help me... Whatever it is, it means a lot to me :')

paypal.me/DimLightNeedMoney

And you can join my discord

https://discord.gg/qcCBJV5u