Dear Chaser

Chapter 4: Finally Meet You

As concern etched on Jake's face, he crouched down next to the boy, offering comfort and assessing the extent of the injury.

"That looks bad... Do you think you can stand on your own?" Jake asked gently, his voice full of empathy.

The little boy continued to cry and wail, the sounds of his distress filling the air as he grappled with the pain of falling off his skateboard and bruising his legs badly. His face twisted in agony, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he clutched his injured legs tightly. His bruised legs prevented him from moving.

 He shook his head frantically, his voice breaking through the sobs. "N-No, I-I can't! I can't move... It hurts."

"It's okay, it's going to be okay," Jake reassured softly. "I'll get you some help."

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "What's your name, little dude?"

The boy hiccupped through his tears, his voice barely audible. "M-Max."

"Nice name," Jake replied, offering a small smile despite the situation. "I'm Jake."

He glanced at the skateboard lying nearby, then back at Max. "Alright, Max... We'll leave the skateboard here. I'm going to help you get up, okay?"

With a comforting presence, Jake managed to calm Max down after the fall. Realizing that Max couldn't move due to his bruised legs, Jake made a compassionate decision. He gently picked up the little boy, cradling him in his arms, and walked over to the convenience store next to Wawa, just a few feet across the sidewalk. Before entering the store, Jake carefully set Max down on an empty bench near the entrance. He made sure the area was clear, ensuring that no one else would need the bench.

"Wait for me here, okay? I'm going to go inside and buy bandages for you," Jake said softly, crouching down to be at eye level with Max. "You'll heal up in no time."

Max nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll wait... I won't talk to anyone."

Jake smiled reassuringly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Max's forehead. "Of course not, little dude. It's just one thing to buy. I'll be right back, I promise."

Max looked up at Jake with wide, trusting eyes. "You won't take long, will you?"

"Not at all, little dude", Jake assured him with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder. "I'll be back before you know it."

With a sense of urgency, Jake entered the convenience store through the automatic front doors. His focus was on finding the necessary supplies to help Max, who remained on the bench outside. Exploring the store, Jake located the aisle with medical supplies and found a pack of bandages and Neosporin cream. Without wasting any time, he grabbed them and proceeded to the checkout. After quickly paying for the items, Jake rushed back outside to Max, who still sat on the bench waiting for him. Kneeling down beside Max, Jake gently but efficiently applied the bandage to the injured knee after applying the cream on his wounds, carefully stopping the flow of blood.

"There you go, Max," Jake said softly, his voice filled with concern. "All wrapped up."

Max gave a small nod, but his eyes were still clouded with worry. "Thank you," he murmured, glancing down at his bandaged knee.

Jake offered him a reassuring smile, though his own worry was far from gone. "Let's get you home. Where do you live?"

"Just a few blocks away... on the left of this place, I think," Max replied, his voice shaky. He tried to stand but winced, the pain still too much to bear. "I still can't get up on my own."

Jake quickly moved to support him, easing Max's weight onto his shoulder. "I've got you," he said, more to reassure the boy than himself. As they began to walk, Max hesitated, "I hope Mom doesn't scold me when I get home."