They were lucky in a strange, miraculous way, as every time they woke up from sleep in that dark dungeon, they would find food mysteriously waiting for them, which they happily ate without question.
Although she found it weird and couldn't understand why this only happened when Michael slept, never when she slept alone, they were lucky to have this miracle keeping them alive, as just a week later, after the food started appearing, the US army kicked down the door to the underground dungeon with a thunderous crash that echoed through the stone chamber.
They entered the dark space with flashlights, cutting through the darkness to find Lisa standing protectively in front of Michael, holding her thin arms out like a shield while fearfully looking at the armed soldiers approaching them, not knowing if they were saviors or more captors.
She still remembered vividly, as if it had happened yesterday, how a soldier removed his heavy gear piece by piece, carefully put down his weapon on the ground so as not to scare her further, and walked up to her slowly with his hands visible and empty.
He knelt down to her eye level and gave her the news that had caused her to burst into tears of relief and disbelief.
"We came to save you… You're free." The soldier said softly, his voice gentle and kind, his eyes filled with compassion.
Those simple words caused Lisa to burst into uncontrollable tears that she couldn't stop no matter how hard she tried, her entire body shaking with sobs… it was a memory that, although Michael couldn't recall well due to his young age and the trauma he had endured, explained his deep love for the army, soldier movies, and heroes in general that would last his entire life.
They were saved that day from that living hell, pulled from the darkness into the light, and thanks to the trauma bond they shared and the fact that authorities couldn't separate the two children without causing severe psychological damage, they were soon put into the same orphanage together.
There, Lisa began studying hard with intense focus and determination to give her little brother, although not related by blood, the life she had promised to him in that dungeon when she thought they would die.
And she did a damn good job at fulfilling that promise she had made, working tirelessly all the way up into College, where she was a perfect student with top grades and scholarships… until she met Seth.
An arrogant young master who went around campus trying to become the center of attention wherever he went, which she guessed was because he wasn't getting any attention or love from his family at home.
She hated him immediately and intensely; he had so many opportunities and privileges handed to him on a silver platter, yet wasted all of them to try and what? Get attention from strangers who didn't care about him?
The guy even dared to come up to her one day in the cafeteria and tried to throw money at her as if it would make her jump into his arms like some gold digger who could be bought. She slapped him hard across the face that day, and before a watching crowd of shocked students, she had humiliated him publicly with harsh words before she just left him standing there alone and embarrassed.
But was that enough to stop Seth from his pursuit of her? Oddly, kinda, since he backed down on his direct attempts to get her to date him and stopped the public displays of wealth. Although that didn't mean he stopped completely pursuing her or being in her life, and it all spilled over to the one day when she found herself unexpectedly catching feelings for him that confused her.
Michael had been getting bullied at school consistently and cruelly; he always had a weak body for some unknown reason that doctors couldn't explain, and it made him an easy target for cruel kids who enjoyed tormenting the vulnerable.
But someone had been secretly protecting Michael from the worst of it and had even taken the time to teach him self-defense techniques to protect himself. That said person even bought Michael new, nice clothing to minimize the chances of him getting bullied for his appearance and poverty, which left her extremely grateful to this mysterious benefactor who cared.
But this person wasn't doing this charitable work just for her brother alone, as other kids who had been bullied also ran to him for help and protection, and he didn't mind at all starting an after-school program where he spent hours with the kids teaching them and giving them hope… who was this selfless person who gave so much if not Seth himself?
She was shocked when she had free time one afternoon and came to pick up Michael from school, only to find Seth playing basketball energetically with the kids on the outdoor court, laughing and encouraging them.
The image she had of Seth as a selfish, arrogant rich boy was completely destroyed and rebuilt that day in an instant, for she got to understand a thing or two about Seth that she had never known before and had never bothered to learn.
He grew up being bullied relentlessly by his own family members, treated as lesser and unwanted by the people who should have loved him most, but he had a cool grandfather who looked out for him with genuine care and gave him protection from the worst of it and a huge allowance to make up for the neglect he suffered.
But that didn't mean he was smart or mature with the money, as he went around throwing it around carelessly to get friends and attention from anyone who would give it to him, desperately trying to fill the void inside… but he also spent a significant portion of that money to help kids who truly needed it more than he did.
It all started years ago when his father forced him to be a teacher at a summer school program as punishment for some misbehavior. He was annoyed and resentful at first about being forced to work, but it was also deeply humbling when he saw firsthand how good he actually had it compared to some kids there who had absolutely nothing and no one.
He realized that he was a spoiled young master living in a bubble there when he casually asked a poor kid one day why he was wearing the same torn, worn-out shoes all the time, which was leading to a painful infection in his feet from the holes, and not simply buying new ones to replace them like it was obvious.
Back then, Seth had a genuinely hard time grasping the concept that not everyone could just fix their problems with money like he could whenever he wanted.
He saw how some kids seemed to come to school primarily for the chance to eat the free meals provided, their only guaranteed food of the day and sometimes their only meal, or how others came because just like him in his own way, their parents didn't like them or want them around and just didn't want to spend a whole summer with them at home.
He saw himself reflected in them, their pain and loneliness mirroring his own. Sure, he didn't change fully or become a different person, but he began using his own money differently to help these kids in meaningful ways that would actually improve their lives.
He wasn't expecting anything out of it or looking for recognition or praise; it became like a hobby for him that gave him purpose and meaning, and before he knew it, he had created a whole after-school program where he stayed late with kids.
These were kids who would rather not go home yet and preferred to stay a little bit longer at school to avoid what was waiting at home for them, something he could fully understand from his own painful experience.
So, she and Seth soon began dating after that discovery changed her perspective, something which made Michael extremely happy as two of his favorite people in the world were together.
Seth also began to change for the better in many ways since Lisa didn't think twice to yell at him and call him out every time he slipped back into that arrogant young master persona again.
So yeah, Seth stopped smoking weed and getting high to escape, he stopped hanging out with his old toxic friends who only wanted his money, and started making far more healthier friends who actually cared about him as a person… life was perfect and everything they could have hoped for, until his beloved grandfather suddenly passed away without warning.
Without his grandfather around to protect him and shield him, well, his parents instantly disowned him without hesitation or remorse, cutting him off completely… without his allowance and financial support, Seth had to stop helping out those who he used to help out financially with his programs… and that's when Seth was quickly abandoned and ignored by nearly everyone once he had nothing material to give them anymore.
It was a hard, bitter pill to swallow, watching in real time as so many people you used to help, people you thought genuinely cared about you and valued you, turning their backs on you coldly the instant you had nothing to give them and were no longer useful.
These were hundreds of kids he thought he had built a genuine connection to over years of dedication, kids he had spent countless hours with, but not one of them wanted anything to do with him once the money stopped flowing and he couldn't help them anymore?