Right after coming down the mountain, he hadn't even found a phone store before running into Sera Kleinberg—who had twisted her ankle. After helping her to the hospital, he somehow ended up in a detention center.
By the time he was released, he was starving. His first priority had been to find a restaurant and fill his stomach, and in one meal, he had nearly spent all of his money. Now, he didn't even have enough left to buy a phone.
No phone meant no maps or anything.
And in this massive, unfamiliar city, after hours of wandering in circles, he had completely lost his sense of direction.
With no money left, no food, and no energy, Eric was exhausted. His lips were dry and cracked under the scorching sun. Eventually, he gave up and collapsed onto a patch of grass by the roadside.
"What kind of damn place is this? Why are there so many roads?!"
He was on the verge of breaking down.
