With the grand gates of Edward University fading behind him, Jason set off along the wide avenue that led toward Topaz City's downtown core. The afternoon sun cast long, stretching shadows across the pavement, and despite the lingering prick of annoyance from his run-in with Jerry and Chloe, he found himself trying to refocus on the path ahead – on the new chapter that felt, just moments ago, like it was finally within his grasp. His backpack bounced lightly against his shoulders as he walked, the weight of his documents and textbooks a familiar comfort, a reminder of all the work he'd put in to get here.
The bus lane street was alive with the electric pulse of urban life – cars honked as they navigated the crowded roads, street vendors called out their wares from colorful stalls set up along the sidewalks, and the air was thick with the mingled scents of fresh coffee, grilled food, and the faint tang of exhaust fumes that always hung over the city. Tall glass and steel buildings rose on either side, their reflective surfaces catching the sunlight and sending shards of brightness across the pavement. Each shop and restaurant lining the street had its own unique energy – a bookstore with its doors wide open inviting passersby in, a café filled with the murmur of conversation, a clothing store blaring upbeat music from its speakers. Jason took it all in, his senses overwhelmed in the best way possible; this was nothing like the quiet, slow-paced life of Greendale Village, where the loudest sounds were usually birds singing or the distant clank of his father's tools in the shed.
After twenty minutes of walking, he reached a busy intersection where a designated pedestrian lane cut across four lanes of traffic. A small crowd of people had gathered at the curb, waiting patiently for the traffic light to change from red to green – office workers in crisp suits checking their watches, a mother holding tightly to her young daughter's hand, a group of teenagers laughing as they scrolled through their phones. Jason joined them at the back of the group, shoving his hands in his pockets as his thoughts drifted to his upcoming first day at The Porch. He'd spent the morning before his registration making sure his uniform was clean – a simple black shirt and trousers – and had practiced his greeting in the mirror, hoping he wouldn't mess things up. "Welcome to The Porch – can I get you something to drink?" he'd said aloud in his room, cringing at how stiff his voice had sounded. He just hoped his boss would be patient, that he'd be able to keep up with the pace of a city café.
Suddenly, a high-pitched screech of metal against asphalt tore through the steady hum of the city, sharp and piercing enough to make every head turn in unison toward the sound. Jason's eyes widened in shock as he watched a dark blue sedan come careening down the street, moving at an alarming speed, its tires squealing as it swerved erratically from lane to lane. The driver appeared to be struggling with the wheel, their body slumped forward over the dashboard, and it was clear the vehicle was completely out of control – heading directly for the pedestrian crossing where they all stood waiting.
Panic flared in Jason's chest as his gaze locked onto an elderly woman standing just a few feet ahead of him, right at the edge of the curb. She was dressed in a deep purple coat and a matching hat, her silver hair pulled back neatly in a bun, and she was just about to step onto the white stripes of the pedestrian lane, her attention focused on adjusting the small handbag slung over her shoulder. Her back was to the oncoming car, and she was completely oblivious to the impending danger speeding toward her.
Time seemed to freeze. The sounds of the city faded to a dull roar, and Jason felt his body go rigid as a voice – clear, distinct, and impossibly loud – echoed through the confines of his mind, as if someone was speaking directly into his consciousness.
You have to save her.
The words weren't his own thoughts. They were foreign, yet somehow instantly understood – carrying an urgency that brooked no argument. In that split second, the world slowed to a crawl, each movement exaggerated and deliberate. Without conscious thought, without stopping to consider the consequences, his body began to move, driven by an instinct he didn't recognize. Fueled by the urgent command in his mind and a surge of adrenaline that made his muscles burn with power, Jason lunged forward, his feet slamming against the pavement as he covered the distance between them in what felt like a single step. He reached the elderly woman just as her foot lifted to take that fateful first step into the street, and with every ounce of strength he possessed, he shoved her backward with both hands, sending her stumbling back toward the safety of the curb.
The next moment was a blur of motion and sound – the screech of tires reaching a deafening crescendo, the blinding flash of sunlight reflecting off the car's windshield, and a crushing impact that sent searing pain ripping through Jason's body, as if every bone was shattering at once. He felt himself lifted from the ground, thrown through the air like a ragdoll as the sedan slammed into him with full force. The world spun violently around him – buildings tilted at impossible angles, the faces of onlookers twisted into masks of horror, the sky turning from blue to gray and back again – before he crashed down hard onto the asphalt, his limbs twisting at unnatural angles that made his vision white out with agony.
A guttural cry escaped his lips, but it was swallowed by the chaotic aftermath of the crash – the sound of the car slamming into a lamppost, glass shattering across the street, and the panicked shouts of everyone who had witnessed what had just happened. Every nerve ending in Jason's body screamed in agony, a relentless wave of pain that threatened to consume him entirely. His vision blurred, the vibrant colors of the city – the red of the stop light, the green of the trees lining the street, the purple of the elderly woman's coat – dissolving into hazy shades of gray. He could hear distant shouts, the frantic honking of other cars slamming on their brakes, and someone screaming for help, but they all seemed far away, muffled by the overwhelming pressure building in his head and the fire burning through his limbs.
His body felt broken, crushed beneath the weight of the impact, and as the pain intensified, he felt himself slipping away, the darkness creeping in at the edges of his vision like ink spreading through water. Then, just as he thought he couldn't bear another second of agony, something strange happened – a faint, ethereal glow began to emanate from within his fading awareness, warm and gentle against the searing pain. A series of cryptic notifications flickered across his inner vision, unseen by the outside world, their letters glowing with soft blue light:
[System Initialization: Commencing...]
[Core Functions: Activating...]
[Emergency Protocol: Engaged...]
[Host Status: Critical...]
[Omnipotent System: Online.]
The words made no sense to him in his confused, pain-wracked state, but they brought with them a strange sense of calm, as if a cool hand had been placed on his forehead. Then, mercifully, the darkness pulled him down completely, and he slipped into the blessed oblivion of unconsciousness.
Around him, chaos had erupted. Onlookers screamed and backed away from the scene, their voices a frantic chorus of fear and urgency that bounced off the tall buildings. "Call 911! Someone call an ambulance right now!" a man in a business suit shouted into his phone, his hands shaking as he stared at Jason's crumpled form in the middle of the street. "Oh my god, he's been hit so badly – look at his legs!" a woman cried, covering her mouth with her hands as tears streamed down her face. "That poor young man – he just pushed her out of the way! He saved her life!" another bystander yelled, pointing toward the elderly woman who was now sitting on the curb, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
Amidst the commotion, the elderly woman slowly pushed herself to her feet, her hands trembling so violently she could barely steady herself. She took tentative steps toward Jason, her heart hammering in her chest as she took in the sight of him – his body twisted unnaturally, blood seeping from cuts on his face and hands onto the dark pavement. A wave of nausea washed over her, threatening to make her collapse, but a stronger emotion held her rooted to the spot: profound, overwhelming gratitude. This young man, a complete stranger she had never seen before in her life, had without hesitation thrown himself into harm's way to save her. Tears welled up in her eyes, mixing with the dust on her cheeks as she knelt beside him, reaching out as if to touch him but pulling her hand back, afraid to cause him more pain. "Oh, my dear boy," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "What have you done? You shouldn't have – you should have saved yourself." A profound sense of guilt and indebtedness washed over her, heavy and suffocating, as she clutched her handbag to her chest.
The wail of sirens cut through the panicked shouts of the crowd, growing louder by the second as emergency vehicles raced toward the intersection. Within minutes, an ambulance painted with the bold red cross of Topaz City Medical Services screeched to a halt beside the accident scene, its lights flashing urgently against the afternoon sky. Close behind it, a police car from the Topaz City Police Station pulled up, two officers jumping out and quickly moving to secure the area, directing traffic around the crash site and beginning to interview witnesses.
The paramedics – a young woman with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and a middle-aged man with kind eyes – moved swiftly and efficiently, pulling a stretcher from the back of the ambulance and rushing to Jason's side. "Okay, let's take it slow," the female paramedic said, her voice calm and steady despite the urgency of the situation. "We need to stabilize his spine first – don't move him until we're sure it's safe." They worked with practiced movements, carefully cutting away the fabric of his shirt to check for injuries, placing cervical collars around his neck, and securing his limbs to prevent further damage. As they lifted his battered body onto the stretcher, the elderly woman – whose name was Gladys Edward – stepped forward, gently picking up Jason's backpack where it had fallen a few feet away and retrieving his phone from where it had skidded across the pavement. She clutched both items tightly to her chest, as if they were precious artifacts.
Her eyes remained fixed on his still form as the paramedics wheeled him toward the ambulance, her mind racing with worry and determination. As they prepared to load him inside, she stepped forward and spoke to the male paramedic, her voice trembling but clear. "Please… please let me go with him," she said, her eyes filling with tears again. "He saved my life – pushed me out of the way right before that car hit. I need to know he's alright. I have to be there when he wakes up."
The paramedic looked at her for a moment, seeing the genuine distress and gratitude in her eyes, and nodded in understanding. "Of course, ma'am," he said gently, helping her climb into the back of the ambulance beside the stretcher. "We'll do everything we can for him – he's in good hands."
With a final sweep of the scene by the police officers, who were already beginning to piece together what had happened from witness statements, the ambulance pulled away from the curb, its sirens wailing as it sped through the city streets toward Topaz City General Hospital. Inside, Gladys Edward sat beside Jason's stretcher, her gaze unwavering as she watched the monitors beside him flash with vital signs, her free hand resting lightly on his arm. She didn't know who this young man was, where he had come from, or why he had been willing to sacrifice himself for her – but in that moment, she made a silent promise to him, and to herself. She would not let him be forgotten. She would make sure he received the best care possible. And she would do everything in her power to repay the debt she owed him – a debt that could never truly be repaid.