A BLEEDING NATION - CHAPTER 2: BLOOD IN THE STREETS

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Chapter 2: Blood on the Streets

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The city never truly slept.

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Even in the deepest hours of the night, the sound of generators echoed through the streets. Dogs barked in the distance. Vehicles moved through dark roads lit only by weak streetlights.

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But on this particular night, something else filled the air.

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Fear.

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The fear had become so common that people barely spoke about it anymore.

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It lived in their homes.

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It traveled with them to work.

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It sat beside them in buses.

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It followed them into their sleep.

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Daniel lay awake on his thin mattress, staring at the ceiling.

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The electricity had gone out hours ago.

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Again.

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The heat was unbearable.

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His younger sister, Grace, slept on the floor beside him.

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His mother rested in the next room.

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His father sat outside, hoping for a cool breeze.

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This had become their normal life.

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Yet politicians spoke of progress.

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Daniel turned over and reached for his phone.

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A new notification appeared.

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Another attack.

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Another killing.

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Another family destroyed.

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He closed his eyes.

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How many more?

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How many more headlines?

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How many more funerals?

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How many more mothers would cry before someone finally listened?

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The following morning, the city woke to shocking news.

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Three young men had been killed near the central market.

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Nobody knew exactly what had happened.

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Some claimed it was a robbery.

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Others blamed cult groups.

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Many blamed the government for failing to provide security.

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The truth hardly mattered anymore.

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The dead were still dead.

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By sunrise, hundreds of people had gathered at the scene.

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Daniel arrived shortly after.

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Police officers had surrounded the area.

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Curious citizens stood behind barricades.

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Whispers moved through the crowd.

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The blood was still there.

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Dark stains stretched across the road.

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A pair of shoes lay abandoned near the gutter.

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A broken phone rested beside a pool of dried blood.

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Daniel stared silently.

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Someone's son had worn those shoes.

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Someone's brother had owned that phone.

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Now all that remained were memories.

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Beside him stood an old woman.

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Tears streamed down her face.

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"One of them was my nephew," she whispered.

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Daniel's heart sank.

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The woman continued.

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"He graduated two years ago. He was looking for work."

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Her voice broke.

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"He never found one."

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The crowd fell silent.

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No one knew what to say.

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What comfort could be offered?

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What words could erase such pain?

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Across the city, business continued.

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Politicians attended meetings.

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Luxury vehicles drove through guarded gates.

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Expensive suits filled government offices.

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Life moved forward for those at the top.

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For ordinary people, however, the wounds grew deeper.

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That afternoon, a group of youths organized a peaceful protest.

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They gathered at Freedom Square carrying banners.

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ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

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STOP THE KILLINGS.

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WE DESERVE BETTER.

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Daniel joined them.

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Thousands of young people filled the streets.

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Students.

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Graduates.

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Workers.

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Traders.

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Parents.

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For the first time in years, their voices united.

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The crowd marched through the city.

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Their chants echoed between buildings.

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Their anger was real.

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But so was their hope.

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Perhaps someone would finally listen.

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Perhaps change was possible.

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Perhaps their nation could still be saved.

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Then the sirens arrived.

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Security trucks blocked the road ahead.

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Armed officers stepped out.

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The atmosphere changed immediately.

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Fear spread through the crowd.

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A young woman climbed onto a platform.

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Her voice trembled but remained strong.

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"We are not criminals," she shouted.

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"We are citizens. We are asking for safety. We are asking for justice."

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The crowd erupted in applause.

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For a brief moment, hope returned.

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Then a stone flew through the air.

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Nobody knew who threw it.

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Nobody knew where it came from.

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But it changed everything.

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Confusion exploded.

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People began running.

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Officers moved forward.

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Shouting filled the streets.

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Then came the sound that froze every heart.

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Gunshots.

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One.

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Two.

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Three.

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Then dozens more.

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Daniel threw himself behind a concrete barrier.

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Screams filled the air.

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People ran in every direction.

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Mothers searched for children.

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Friends searched for friends.

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Some never found them.

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When the shooting stopped, the streets were covered with chaos.

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Shoes.

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Bags.

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Broken banners.

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Blood.

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More blood.

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The same blood that stained the nation's conscience every single day.

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That night, Daniel returned home in silence.

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His clothes were covered in dust.

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His eyes were red.

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His mother rushed toward him.

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"Thank God you're safe."

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Daniel nodded.

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But he did not feel safe.

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No one did.

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Later that night, he climbed onto the roof of their building.

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The city stretched before him.

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Millions of people.

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Millions of dreams.

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Millions of struggles.

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He thought about the dead.

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The kidnapped.

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The unemployed.

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The forgotten.

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The poor.

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He thought about leaders who promised change but delivered disappointment.

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He thought about a nation rich in resources yet poor in justice.

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A nation blessed with talent yet cursed by corruption.

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A nation crying for help.

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A nation bleeding from wounds that refused to heal.

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As darkness swallowed the city, Daniel made a promise to himself.

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He would no longer remain silent.

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He would search for the truth.

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No matter how dangerous it became.

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No matter who stood in his way.

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Because somewhere beneath the blood, beneath the fear, beneath the corruption, there was still a nation worth fighting for.

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And Daniel intended to fight.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jgCUADcoL

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