75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ja9nR11L1Chapter 1: THE CRY OF A NATION
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The morning sun rose over the city, but there was little joy in its light.
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The streets were already crowded. Traders arranged their goods along dusty roads. Commercial buses raced from one bus stop to another. Young men and women hurried through the streets searching for opportunities that seemed impossible to find.
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Among them was twenty-four-year-old Daniel.
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Three years had passed since he graduated from the university with a degree in Economics. Three years of applications. Three years of interviews. Three years of rejection.
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Every morning, Daniel left his parents' small apartment with a file of certificates tucked under his arm. Every evening, he returned with disappointment written across his face.
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"Any good news today?" his mother would ask.
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Daniel always forced a smile.
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"Not yet, Mama."
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The answer never changed.
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As he walked through the busy streets that morning, he stopped beside a newspaper stand. The headline caught his attention.
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ANOTHER TWENTY PEOPLE KILLED IN TERRORIST ATTACK
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He stared silently.
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The vendor shook his head.
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"Every day, bad news," the man muttered. "People are dying, but nobody seems to care."
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Daniel sighed.
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The nation had become accustomed to tragedy.
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Kidnappings.
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Terrorist attacks.
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Armed robbery.
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Corruption.
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Every day brought another story.
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Yet nothing seemed to change.
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A few kilometers away, in a small village, twelve-year-old Amina sat outside her house waiting for her father.
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He had traveled to the city two days earlier.
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He never returned.
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The family received a phone call that morning.
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Kidnappers had taken him.
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The ransom demanded was more money than the family could ever afford.
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Amina watched her mother cry for hours.
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She did not fully understand what was happening.
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She only knew one thing.
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Her father was gone.
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Across the country, similar stories unfolded every day.
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Families torn apart.
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Dreams destroyed.
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Lives stolen.
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Meanwhile, in the capital city, expensive vehicles drove through the gates of government buildings.
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Air-conditioned offices buzzed with political discussions.
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Leaders exchanged handshakes and smiles.
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Budgets were approved.
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Promises were made.
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Speeches were delivered.
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Yet outside those walls, millions struggled to survive.
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The distance between the rulers and the ruled seemed greater than ever.
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That evening, Daniel sat outside his house watching the sunset.
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Children played nearby.
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Their laughter echoed through the neighborhood.
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For a moment, it brought him peace.
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Then the electricity went out.
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Darkness covered the street.
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A familiar groan rose from the residents.
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Nobody was surprised.
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Power outages had become part of everyday life.
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Daniel looked toward the dark sky.
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A question burned within him.
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How did a nation blessed with so much become trapped in so much suffering?
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No answer came.
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Only silence.
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And somewhere in that silence, the nation continued to bleed.75Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivZ8ixg739
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