The Price of Loss
(Part 6)
The beggar slowly opened his eyes in the hospital, his legs and one arm broken. His gaze fell on Billy, who was sitting on him. Confused, he looked around at the hospital walls and then back at Billy.
"Where am I? What happened?"
Just then, the door opened, and Billy's real owners walked in.
"Hello, little one."
"Hello," the boy replied, still in shock.
"Don't worry, little one. Everything will be alright. You'll heal. We've already taken care of all the expenses."
"Sir, Ma'am, who are you?"
"We are Billy's real owners."
The beggar froze, staring at the cat, and it took a moment for him to process what he was hearing. He looked up at them and asked, trembling:
"Are you... taking my cat?"
"Not just your cat, but you too, little one. We heard about what you did for Billy, how you saved his life and got hurt in the process. The shopkeeper told us everything, and he feels deeply ashamed of his actions."
"But... why me? Why do you want me?"
"We've legally adopted you. We found out you've been running away from the orphanage for a long time."
The beggar stood frozen, staring into the eyes of Billy and his new owners. Then, his gaze softened as he looked at Billy. Tears welled up in his eyes, and without a word, he pulled Billy into a tight embrace. He looked at everyone once more and said:
"You are truly extraordinary people... because you understand the true cost of what is lost, and how precious it truly is."
THE END ✍️