Following the terrifying night that changed everything, San, exhausted from the events of the past few days, finally sank into his bed, his body aching, and drifted into a deep sleep.
He woke the next morning, as was his routine, at six o'clock. His mother had already prepared breakfast for him, along with a small meal to take to work. Since he could not afford to buy food from the shops near the factory, he relied on these meals to sustain himself during his brief lunch break, saving every precious cent.
With his meager wages, public transportation was out of reach, so San rode his father's old motorcycle to get to work and back.
One afternoon, while returning home, San encountered a horrific sight: a traffic accident blocking the road. He quickly dismounted his motorcycle to see what had happened. Around him, people were injured, crying and dazed, while the driver of one of the cars lay lifeless, his body trapped against the steering wheel.
Without hesitation, San joined the bystanders in securing the scene. They worked together to calm the injured, making space until ambulances arrived to transport them to the hospital, and until the driver's body could be carefully removed and taken to the morgue.
The encounter left a chilling impression on San, a stark reminder of how fragile life could be, and how swiftly everything could change in a single moment.
After the injured and the deceased driver had been taken to the hospital and the morgue, San continued his journey home. Night had fallen, yet sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of the driver appeared before him, haunting and vivid.
San tried desperately to push the thoughts away, but as soon as he drifted toward sleep, his mind replayed the scene of the driver alive that day, long before the passengers had entered the car. He saw the man drinking wine in the vehicle, excessively intoxicated, barely in control of himself. Soon after, the passengers arrived and took their seats in the back. The driver then set off on the road that would lead to disaster.
Unable to open his eyes, San watched every detail unfold. He needed to see how it had happened, to understand the sequence of events and who had caused the tragedy.
He kept his eyes closed, witnessing the driver take a dangerous curve. Recklessly, the man overtook a large truck at a spot where passing was prohibited, colliding head-on with an oncoming car.
Finally, San opened his eyes, his heart pounding and mind racing. Was what he had seen real, or merely a figment of his imagination? If it had truly happened, the deceased driver bore full responsibility, having driven drunk.
But what should San do? Should he tell the police what he had seen?
Would they believe him?
How could he explain his knowledge, when he had not been involved in the accident at all?