Fear | K.th [Editing]

The World Caves In [77°]

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Sanha stands at the subway station, looking down the railway. He chews on his lower lip, bringing his arm up to check the time on his watch. If the train doesn't come in the next 20 minutes he'll be late to his classes.

He notices a small elderly woman passing by in the corner of his eye with a cart, a small bell attached to the top of her cart that she rings to grab peoples attention. She comes up to Sanha and asks if he'd like to buy her flowers for someone special. He caves in to the sweet looking old woman and takes out his wallet. He doesn't mind spending a few dollars on some flowers if it'll help her business.

He asks what kind of flowers these are that she's selling. "Rhododendrons." The woman answers, voice soft and aged, as she pulls the purplish-pink flowers out by their stem to bind together with floral tape and white wrapping. He hums in response, plucking one out from the cart to inhale the fragrance. "Who are you going to give these to?"

He looks over at the woman, his shoulders come up. "I think I'll just put them in some water and take care of them myself."

She smiles and nods, shuffling closer to hand him the bouquet of rhododendrons. He leans down when she reaches up to pinch his cheek. It doesn't necessarily hurt him; more of a gentle squeeze caused by her wrinkly fingers. "Such a handsome young man."

He holds back the flustered grin that wants to make an appearance on his face, waving the elderly woman off as she pushes her cart away to continue her business elsewhere.

He lowers his gaze onto the flowers in his grasp, eyes getting caught on his untied shoe lace. The boy bends down to quickly re-tie his shoe, placing his textbooks beside him. He lifts his gaze up when he hears the train coming, sighing in relief that it came in time.

He gasps, falling forward. His shoes slip against the concrete, body tumbling onto the train tracks. His eyes widen when he sees the train pulling up to the station. The flowers had fallen in with him. Clutched between his fingers, heart pumping faster as he stares death in the face.

He tries to scream for help, the words caught in the back of his throat. Breath hitched. Protesting his body to move, to do something to get him out of this dilemma. He shuts his eyes.

"Here! Grab my hand!"

A man shouts at Sanha, the boy too stunned to move. He tells Sanha to hurry before it's too late, trying to get the boy to focus on his voice. Sanha whips his head to the arm outstretched in his direction; the only thing his vision focuses on.

Their hands connect and he's pulling the boy out of the train tracks.

Both men collapse onto the ground, panting and heaving. The train pulls up not a moment later, screeching against the tracks when it eases into its stop. The purple flowers left underneath the wheels of the train, forgotten; crushed and destroyed—a reminder of what Sanha could have been if he didn't get out of there in time or if that man wasn't there to help him out.

The stranger leans up on his knees and asks if Sanha is okay, gaining the boys clouded attention. Still getting over his near death experience, Sanha swallows and vehemently nods his head. He slowly meets the mans gaze, in a state of bewilderment. "You just—you just saved my life..."

The man standing before him takes a deep breath himself, hands on his thighs. He agrees with him a few seconds later. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Yeah, he did just save someone's life. He chuckles lightly, being able to now that the both of them are safe and out of harms way.