Chapter 1: I Have a Home to Go Back to
Chapter 1. I Have a Home to Go Back to
As soon as my toes catch the crosswalk, the light turns green.
Three, two, one.......
This is the point of the race.
The next step, 152 meters ahead, is the most difficult part of the course: the push-button signal.
Calculating my stride, I look at the sidewalk ahead.
The only person in sight is an old woman with a cane.
Thank God.
If I had to push the button myself, that would be the end of my challenge for the day.
Now I just have to decide when to push the button.
Depending on that, I need to adjust my speed.
Slow is out of the question, and even if I’m fast, I’ll be forced to slow down.
After hundreds of attempts, keeping the speed constant has proven to be the fastest.
My throat rumbled involuntarily.
But when she reaches the signal, the old woman stops moving.
She looks at the line of cars and stands there like a statue.
This is not good. She doesn’t know it’s a push-button system.
So far, my steps have been perfect.
I had ducked my classmates, passed through the waves of rivals, and passed through the traffic lights perfectly.
It was definitely a new section time. I could have set a new record.
I’m the ace of the homecoming club.
Every day for the past year and a few months since I entered high school has been a battle against the record.
There were times when I was stopped by the teacher just before I left the classroom. I was almost involved in a collision between two bicycles right in front of me. There were times when I ran into the station after setting a new record in a section, but the train was delayed due to electrical problems.
But no matter what obstacles stood in my way, I never faltered. I never gave up.
These are the words of our great predecessors, and I will keep them in my heart.
Yes, I have a home to go back to.
The old woman, still oblivious to the push button, just stared at the passing car.
Her back bent like a boomerang, she looked like an ascetic trying to do hard work.
It looked so good that it reminded me of an ink painting.
But now was not the time for debauchery.
Should I call out loudly?
I don’t know. There’s so much traffic around here, I don’t think my voice will be heard.
This is the government’s fault. Why don’t they put up clear signs?
I’ll call them to protest when I get home.
As I pondered, the limit was approaching.
I was now maintaining my optimal speed. If I finish at this rate, I can beat my time by quite a bit, but if I cross the line, my new record will be gone.
Besides, even if my voice could reach them, would they immediately understand my appeal?
After all, I was dealing with a monk.
The limit might be closer than I imagined.
Ten more steps.
When I get to that point, I’ll shout to the old woman.
Everything was fine.
I guess I shouldn’t have thought so.
I caught a small shadow at the corner of the roadway, out of the direction I was going.
I casually check it out and open my eyes.
A puppy.
In here? What a classic drama!
With a dumbfounded expression, the puppy looks around, yawns, and sits down in the driveway.
There is a sidewalk across the street. If he knew it was dangerous, he would move .......
At that moment, a dull vibration shook its feet.
It was a large truck.
It appeared from the corner in front of the station, and as soon as it entered a straight line, it increased its speed as if it were going to make a move.
Furthermore, it was clearly faster than the legal speed limit.
The vibration and pressure made the puppy stiffen, tail curl.
I can’t do this anymore.
There’s no way he can escape on his own.
He could still be saved, but then the new record would be lost.
In the first place, the height of the large truck is too high.
If the puppy didn’t get caught in the tires, it wouldn’t die.
But what would happen if he died?
Can I truly be happy about such a new record?
After a moment’s hesitation, I clicked my tongue and jumped over the fence.
It is bad luck today.
This was another trip home, and that’s why it was worth the challenge.
At the very least, I stop the timer in my mind. It should be a record for future reference.
Thinking about the battle to come tomorrow, I sprint towards the puppy.
I’m going to secure it and jump into the sidewalk on the other side.
There’s plenty of room to do that.
But even though I jumped out of the way, the truck didn’t slow down.
On the contrary, it accelerates further.
When I looked at the driver’s seat in surprise, I saw that he had a cell phone in his hand and was stirring a plastic bottle while paying attention to the sky.
How dexterous, man! What happened to the steering wheel?
Damn, that was completely unexpected. I don’t know if I can escape on my own.
I felt pressure all over my body.
Suddenly, all my thoughts disappear from my mind.
I didn’t know what I’m doing.
But my body moves.
At least to the sidewalk.
I reach out with my hand and almost touch the puppy with my fingertips.
The puppy let out mew and disappeared.
“What?”
My voice stopped.
That was the last thing I said to him.
