506: Unforeseen Sacrifice

The world around Emma seemed to freeze as Alex lunged toward her, his arms outstretched. In the barest moment before impact, their eyes met—a fleeting connection filled with urgency and unspoken apologies. The truck, unable to stop, collided with Alex with a horrifying thud, sending him sprawling across the pavement. Emma screamed, her voice cutting through the sudden chaos as bystanders rushed to the scene. Time slowed as she knelt beside Alex, whose injuries were immediately evident and severe. Panic and fear choked her as she called out for help, her hands trembling as she tried to assess the extent of his injuries. Alex, grimacing in pain and shock, managed to look at Emma. "I'm sorry... I didn't think..." he gasped, struggling to speak. Tears welled up in Emma's eyes as she tried to keep him awake and talking. "Don't speak, Alex. Help is on the way. Just... just stay with me," she pleaded, her voice breaking. As the emergency services arrived and began to attend to Alex, Emma