"Come on, just a little more!"
(Agitated) "I can't, I can't move it even a little."
I didn't understand. I can only lift rocks with 20 percent of my strength. Why can't I? I see a small rock fall and look up to realize what's happening. It wasn't just the piece of metal from the subway blocking the exit; up above, the rubble of a building is crushing the entire place. If it weren't for the rubble, we would all have died instantly.
"This isn't good."
(Shaking and shaking) "I don't know what to do, n...No, I can't."
Knowing that if I didn't do something, I could be responsible for the loss of several lives, I couldn't do anything except lower my head and bang on the metal.
(SCREAMING) "I'm sorry, I don't know what to do, I can't..."
"Hey, stop screaming"
I raise my face and see the muscular young man who was now standing in front of me.
"Who are you?"
He proudly displays his muscles and introduces himself.
"My name is Tanktop Protective, a B-class rank 22 hero, and I'm a student of the S-class hero Tanktop Master."
I make an idiotic face; I only wanted to know his name, not all his personal information.
"Hey, you know we're in trouble, right?"
He calms down and puts on a more serious demeanor.
"I know, I just wanted to calm people down, and it seems to have worked.."
I look from the side and see that he was right: the people were calm, they were no longer afraid, they weren't panicking. So that's what you feel when you're next to a hero; you feel safe.
"Hey, listen to me, we don't have much time. Seeing as the rubble is being destroyed, I guess we only have two minutes to do this, and I want you to pay attention."
I was almost ready for what he was going to ask me; I had to put my fears and nerves aside.
"Okay, I'm ready."
Tanktop Protective takes the lead, orders everyone to form a line behind him, and then, looking at me seriously, gives me the following instructions.
"We'll lift it together at the count of 3; my left arm is broken, but my right will do, so get ready for the signal."
I squat down and my hands grip the metal so I can lift it.
"Ready, one, two, three."
At the same time, we lift it up forcefully, and the steel wall began to rise.
(Giving a shouting order) "Now everyone, get out."
First, the three young women came out to help the old woman get out; the boy came out next, but we immediately realized the father hadn't come out. He quickly looked at the boy.
"Hey, what about your dad?"
Tanktop Protective looks at the father, who was stuck on some rocks, and lets go of the wall to get him out. He approaches and smashes the rubble with a single blow. He picks up the father, who had hurt his left leg, and runs toward me.
(SCREAMING) "GET OUT QUICKLY"
Suddenly, the roof holding up the building's wall begins to crack, revealing a shower of rocks and iron bars. In a final reaction, Tanktop Protective throws the father down, falling on top of me and releasing the metal wall.
I move the father and approach the metal wall to try to lift him up.
"Come on, I can do it!"
"Leave it like that."
I look at the hero lying in the rubble and see that he meant it.
"I don't understand. You chose to save the boy's father over your own life. Why did you do it?"
He smiles and speaks calmly.
"It's what a hero does. I don't know what your mentality is, or it seems that you're still young, but I'll tell you one thing: when you have the opportunity to do the right thing, do it."
I lower my head and speak angrily.
"You knew right. You knew you'd get trapped. You had no plans to escape with the others."
Tanktop Protective smiles and calmly answers.
"You got it right."