Ethan stumbled out of his apartment, half-hopping, half-limping as he jerked his trousers up with one hand.

    The other clutched his phone, and he muttered curses under his breath as he nearly tripped over his untied shoe.

    "Gotta look decent," he grumbled, pausing just long enough to straighten his belt. His shirt was wrinkled, but at least it was clean.

    His black hair, still damp from the shower, was combed back for the first time in weeks. The reflection in the mirror earlier had been better than usual, but it was still far from perfect.

    He glanced at the clock on his phone. 5:30 AM. No time for the bus today.

    Ethan tapped on a ride-share app, his fingers moving faster than his brain.

    A cab was only a few minutes away, and he didn''t want to risk missing the market''s morning rush. He stuffed his wallet into his pocket and headed out the door, taking the stairs two at a time.

    The cab pulled up in front of the storage lot just as the sky began to lighten. The guard, the same one from yesterday, gave him a nod from inside the booth.

    "Morning," Ethan said, trying to sound more awake than he felt.

    The guard yawned. "You''re up early. Big day?"

    "Yeah," Ethan replied, flashing a quick smile. "Thanks for keeping an eye on the truck."

    The guard waved him off with a grunt, and Ethan jogged across the lot to where his food truck sat waiting.

    It looked surprisingly good in the early morning light, the metal panels gleaming faintly under the rising sun.

    He climbed into the driver''s seat and started the engine, grinning as it purred to life.

    He followed the steps as carefully as he could, mixing in the spices and shaping the patties with slightly trembling hands.

    The sizzle of the grill filled the truck as he cooked the first batch. The smell was intoxicating, filling the small space with the rich aroma of seared meat.

    "Not bad," Ethan said, flipping the patties with a spatula. They weren''t perfect — some were uneven, and one had almost fallen apart — but they looked edible.

    Next, he moved on to slicing vegetables: lettuce, tomatoes, onions. His knife skills were rusty, but he managed to get the job done without losing a finger.

    By the time 7:00 AM rolled around, Ethan had a small stack of neatly assembled burgers and a growing sense of accomplishment.

    He leaned against the counter, wiping his hands on a towel as he surveyed his work.

    The food truck smelled like a real kitchen now, the faint scent of grease and spices lingering in the air.

    Ethan glanced at the system phone sitting on the counter. No new notifications had come through, but he didn''t need the system to tell him what to do next.

    He packed up the food he''d prepared and made sure everything was secured for the short drive to Midtown Market.

    As he climbed back into the driver''s seat, a sense of determination settled over him.

    This was it.

    He wasn''t just sitting around anymore, waiting for life to get better. He was doing something, taking a step forward — even if it was a small one.

    Ethan started the engine and pulled out onto the street, the food truck rumbling beneath him like a faithful companion.

    Today was the beginning of something new.