After twenty minutes of running and catching a cab, I finally made it to the park.
Now I just needed to cross the street to reach the other side, and that would take me straight to the park.
I was standing on the sidewalk with a huge crowd of people, all waiting for the traffic light to turn red so the cars would stop and we could cross.
While I waited, I looked around to kill some time.
After a couple of minutes, I started feeling uneasy.
No, it wasn't because people were watching me or anything.
Actually, most of them were just doing their own thing—on their phones or chatting with each other.
It was being in the crowd that bothered me.
I've never liked being stuck in the middle of a bunch of people. It makes me feel like I'm suffocating, like I can't get enough air.
That's why I usually stay away from crowded places as much as I can.
But today was different.
Today, I didn't let it stop me. I just dealt with it.
I mean, a few minutes ago when people started gathering around me, I didn't really worry about it. I thought the light would change any second and everyone would move on.
But that didn't happen.
Now I was trapped right in the center of this massive crowd.
And the worst part?
I couldn't get out.
Why?
Because—
*Bzzzz.*
All of a sudden, my phone vibrated in my pocket, interrupting my thoughts.
Wait, a notification?
It surprised me a bit—but honestly, it also distracted me from the uncomfortable feeling.
I quickly pulled out my phone to see what it was.
I already knew who it probably was.
I mean, who else would it be besides Shia?
She most likely just texted me asking where I was.
I opened my phone and clicked on the notification.
And guess what?
---
Shia: Where are you? I've been sitting in the park for half an hour already. (9:45 AM)
---
Yep. I knew it.
It was exactly what I thought she'd say.
I let out a sigh.
She really hates Valentine's Day...
Anyway, I just hope I can make today good for both of us.
I'm pretty sure she's going to say yes when I tell her how I feel. She has to like me back—at least a little.
I mean, if she didn't like me, wouldn't she have just said no last night when I basically told her I was going to confess?
But she didn't reject me. She just gave me a vague answer and left it at that.
And based on that—plus the fact that she's actually waiting for me right now—I'm thinking maybe she does feel the same way.
Or... maybe I'm totally wrong.
Maybe everything I'm thinking is completely off.
Maybe she's going to reject me.
But what if she doesn't?
Anyway, worrying about it right now won't help anything. It'll just stress me out even more.
Plus, I'll know the answer in just a few minutes anyway.
So I pushed those thoughts away, quickly typed a message back, and sent it.
---
Shia: Where are you? I've been sitting in the park for half an hour already. (9:45 AM)
Michael: I'm close. Just wait a few more minutes. (9:47 AM)
---
Right after I sent it, the traffic light turned red, and the crowd around me started moving forward.
I walked with them.
While crossing the street, my phone vibrated in my hand again.
Wait, Shia again?
I quickly looked down at the screen.
---
**DailyNews Local:** Authorities in Brookdale urge residents to stay alert as they search for a serial killer impersonating a masked salesman. At least three victims have been confirmed.
---
Oh. Just a news notification.
I thought it was Shia texting me back, but it was just some alert from a random news website.
Whatever.
I brushed it off, locked my phone, shoved it in my pocket, and kept walking. There were people behind me, and I didn't want to slow everyone down.
Yeah, technically I was still stuck in a crowd, but this time I didn't feel as anxious as before.
Mainly because I knew it was only temporary.
As I was walking, a loud, blaring horn suddenly ripped through the air.
It grabbed my attention instantly. I, along with a bunch of other people around me, automatically turned to look left.
And the second I did, my eyes went huge.
What the hell...
A massive truck was barreling through the intersection like it had lost all control.
It slammed into cars one after another, sending them flying and spinning like they weighed nothing.
Metal crumpled. Glass exploded. And it was heading straight toward us, moving at a terrifying speed.
It was still about a hundred to two hundred meters away, but that distance was disappearing fast. Way too fast.
The moment my brain caught up with what was happening, pure panic slammed into me.
Oh crap.
I have to get out of here. Right now.
Without even thinking, I started shoving my way through the crowd. I didn't care who I pushed or how hard I had to shove.
My only focus was getting to the other side of the street as fast as possible.
I didn't have time to worry about anyone else.
Right now, the only thing that mattered was staying alive.
I pushed through the crazy, panicking crowd, fighting to get across. I was almost on the other side when suddenly, my foot slipped.
I crashed down hard, my forehead slamming against the pavement.
Sharp pain exploded through my skull, making everything blur for a second.
But somehow, I forced myself to get up right away.
My legs were shaking, but I didn't care.
In just a few seconds, I was back on my feet and sprinting to the other side, too scared to even look back at where the truck was.
But what happened next was just my terrible luck.
The moment I reached the other side, I finally spun around to see where the truck had gone.
What I saw next made my heart drop straight into my stomach.
The truck wasn't going straight ahead like I thought it would. Instead, the massive vehicle had swerved sharply to the side.
And now it was barreling straight toward me, its engine roaring louder and louder.
No. No way. This can't be happening.
I was dead. There was no other way to put it.
My mind went completely blank, like someone had just flipped a switch and shut off all my thoughts.
Even if I tried to run right now, there was no way, absolutely no way I could escape in time.
My legs felt frozen to the spot, like they were made of concrete.
The truck was only a few meters away now, closing the distance between us faster than I could blink.
This was it. I was really going to die here.
Not just die peacefully, but get completely crushed and killed by a runaway truck, right here on this street, right now.
Then...
The truck slammed into me with brutal force.
"Ufghh!"
I didn't even have time to scream.
The impact felt like getting hit by a freight train made of pure steel and rage.
My body was thrown backward like a ragdoll, flying through the air with no control whatsoever.
I crashed onto the hard pavement several meters away, my back taking the full impact first. Then my head whipped back and cracked against the ground.
Pain. Unimaginable, mind-breaking pain flooded every single part of my body.
My ribs felt shattered.
My arms and legs were twisted at angles they shouldn't be.
Blood pooled around me, warm and sticky, spreading across the cold street.
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe properly.
Each shallow gasp sent daggers of agony through my chest.
My vision started fading, going dark around the edges.
Everything hurt.
Everything was broken...
My life.
My memories.
My dreams.
Everything was playing back in my head like a movie.
It felt like I was sitting alone in a dark theater, watching my own life unfold on the screen, moment by moment.
The more I watched, the deeper the pain grew inside me.
My eyes felt wet. I could feel tears running down my face, warm against my cold skin.
With each passing second, my eyelids grew heavier until I could barely keep them open.
Around me, chaos took over. People were screaming and running everywhere. Some were crying, their voices shaking with fear and grief.
I knew exactly why they were acting like this — because all over the street, lying still around me, were so many other bodies.
The truck hadn't just hit me. It had crashed into everyone who'd been standing on the other side with me.
Then something strange happened.
The pain tearing through my body just moments ago suddenly stopped. My muscles began to relax, one by one.
My body felt lighter with every passing second, as if I were drifting away from myself.
That's when I finally understood.
Oh... so this is it. I'm dying, aren't I?
My body stopped responding. I couldn't move a single finger. But somehow, I could still feel. Still see.
I stared up at the sky above me. It was perfectly clear, like glass.
It was so beautiful.
While staring at the sky, my heart, or whatever was left of it, started aching.
It felt like someone was squeezing it hard, crushing it bit by bit.
But honestly, I didn't really care.
Because the more my heart hurt, the more I remembered everything. My parents. My friends. The girl I loved.
And finally, my dreams.
My dream of becoming an artist. A painter.
I'd wanted that since I was a little kid. I wanted to create countless paintings with my own two hands, to leave something beautiful behind in this world.
I wasn't great at it yet, not even close. But I wasn't terrible either.
I was okay. Maybe even a little better than okay on my good days.
Over the last two years, I'd worked with about a dozen different artists. They'd taught me so much and helped me get better in ways I never imagined.
I'd even sold one of my paintings just three weeks ago. It wasn't a big deal to most people, but it meant everything to me.
Through all the years I spent chasing my dream, my parents were always there for me.
They never stopped believing in me, not even once.
And Shia? She'd supported me more than anyone else. She believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
I wonder... did she ever actually like me back?
I guess I'll never find out now.
Hmm...
I let out a quiet sigh.
In the end, I never got her answer.
While I was lost in thought, I suddenly saw someone I never expected to see here.
It was Rocky.
What the hell is he doing here?
No, wait. The real question is how he's even here.
From what he'd told me before, he usually patrolled Costa Rita Road in the mornings. That place was literally on the outskirts of the city, miles away from here.
Then I heard his voice, panicked and desperate.
"Michael! Michael! Hey, buddy, you alright? Can you hear me?"
Of course, I'm not alright, you idiot.
Those were the words I wanted to scream at him, but I couldn't. My voice was gone.
I watched as he checked my pulse, then moved to my neck, fingers pressing against my skin as he searched for a heartbeat.
For a brief moment, I saw relief wash over his face.
I didn't understand why until he shouted over his shoulder, "Hey, doc! Get over here! He's still alive!"
Wait... what?
I'm alive?
A spark of hope flared inside me.
So my dreams aren't over yet. I can still tell her how I feel. I can still—
Then Rocky said something that surprised the hell out of me and explained exactly why he was here.
He cursed under his breath, anger dripping from every word. "That son of a bitch drunk driver... he made us chase him halfway across the damn city."
The moment those words left his mouth, realization hit me like a bullet to the chest.
Wait... no way.
My death... it was meant to happen from the very beginning, wasn't it?
I was supposed to die today. There was never any way of avoiding it.
And with that thought, everything suddenly stopped.
I lost all my senses at once. My vision went completely black.
My mind faded away into nothing.
***