Save a Life

Trembling hands dragged the worn, fraying fabric closer, shoulders hunkering down as Preston fought against the cold threatening to seep into his aching bones. Years out in this type of weather had made him resilient but tired. He’d never wanted to adapt to such a thing but life in the streets had forced his hand.

The change in his pocket jingled tauntingly, urging him to buy something – anything – that might battle the chilled numbness working its way through his body. A small cup of coffee from the café down the block was only a dollar and they normally let him hide in the corner if the owner wasn’t working but he was so close to being able to buy a cheap motel room for the night and a hot shower was worth more than a coffee.

So he simply clutched his jacket tighter and carried on.

The thinned tread of his shoes slipped along the patches of ice lining the sidewalk, every step deliberate and calculated as he thanked the universe that only a handful of people were daring enough to brave this weather. Less people for him to bump into should he fall. He'd rather slip than accidentally take someone down with him. Both for safety reasons and because he desperately wanted to avoid someone screaming at him and that was a very real possibility if he knocked into another person stuck traversing this winter “wonderland”.

Ignoring the way the wind left his face scrunched and nose burning, he paused at the crosswalk and waited for the light to change. Just like with people, there were very few cars trekking along the abandoned streets, their drivers cautious as they tried not to skid or destroy their vehicles.

Despite their diligence, he still eyed the messy streets vigilantly. It would be all too easy for someone to lose control for just a moment – a single second – and change his world forever. Carefulness didn’t always account for unpredictable rubber on ice.

He was vaguely aware of a woman shuffling about in her newly claimed parking spot a few feet away pressed up to the sidewalk, the door closing as she skated over the asphalt timidly. Feet skittering like a newborn deer, she obviously wasn’t prepared for such an activity in heels and Preston bit back a smile. It was evident she’d never faced a winter like this and, despite his amusement, he felt for her.

Someone’s first “real” winter was always the roughest.

The sound of brakes screeching drew his focus back to the road. A car was swerving dangerously, the driver’s frantic face barely visible through the windshield. Self-preservation left Preston wanting to dive out of the way but logic told him the car would miss him – and most likely hit the terrified woman slipping on ice instead.

Inhale. Exhale.

Seconds felt like a lifetime for him as he crossed the distance, ignoring the way his own feet slipped over the frozen terrain. Hand grabbing her flailing wrist, he jerked her across the ice and out of harm’s way, tumbling backwards onto the walkway, the woman secured within his grasp. He couldn’t help but notice the vehicle barely passing the stationary car, mere inches between them as the driver regained some semblance of control.

Had she not moved, she surely would’ve been hit.

“You saved my life,” the woman gasped, eyes wide and trembling as she watched the car carry on like nothing had happened.

Swallowing roughly, he nodded. He’d reacted entirely on instinct but as reality settled in, the severity of the moment was crippling. Not only for himself but for the poor woman beside him as well. “I did.”

He staggered to his feet, offering a hand to the shivering woman as he carefully helped her upright. His eyes were downcast and a piece of him wanted to bolt – be it because of the adrenaline or because it was rare for people to want much to do with him – but he remained, albeit quietly.

The woman touched his arm, a grateful twinkle in her shining eyes. “Thank you, sir.” She couldn’t even begin to explain how thankful she was for his intervention, the experience too raw and overwhelming but he was someone who deserved to know his good deed wasn’t for nothing.

He nodded, smiling awkwardly. “Yeah,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I have to go, but I won’t ever forget this,” she promised. “You’re a hero, sir.”

She lingered for a moment longer, studying the gentleman who refused to meet her eye, before taking careful steps across the slick sidewalk. Preston watched her disappear into a towering building, sighing heavily as he relaxed. This certainly wasn’t how he’d expected his day to go.

Noticing how cold his legs were, he glanced down and frowned at the dark patches on his already thin pants. There was no way he could traverse the city with ice-soaked pants and a damp jacket in this weather. He’d only end up sick and cold.

He sighed, peering across the street to the café that was often his escape. It’d hopefully be warm enough to dry his wet clothes and spending a dollar wouldn’t be the end of the world he supposed.

When the crosswalk began chirping at him, he ventured across and into the café, shifting uncomfortably as the blast of warm air tickled his chilled skin. It was a nice change but it was nearly painful, heat forcing the cold out of his body as he set a dollar on the counter.

“Hey, Pres, the usual?” the barista smiled, accepting his money and nodding to the standard black coffee.

Nodding, he stepped aside so another could order while a different barista passed him his cup. No one was put off by his silent demeanor, used to the quiet man wandering off to the corner. They assumed life on the street had left him this way but no one dared to ask.

Time trickled by slowly as Preston hid at a back table, sipping his coffee while he watched the world continue on. Despite the heat of the café, his clothes struggled to dry. Maybe because of their age or maybe it was because he’d landed in ice. Either way, he didn’t have much of a choice but to stay, even after his small coffee had gone cold.

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there, gazing out the window, but the ring of the bell above the door startled him from his thoughts. Peering over, he was taken aback by the strikingly dressed man and…

The woman he had saved.

She was pointing at Preston, whispering to the gentleman at her side though her eyes never left Preston.

“So you’re the man who saved my daughter,” the man said as he strutted over to Preston, studying him though his face showed no signs of judgment. He was simply taking him in instead of sneering at his appearance.

Preston cautiously shook his head, nervously staring at the suited man.

“Ah, yes, she mentioned you were a quiet man.” Taking a little black book from his inner pocket, the man set it on the table in front of Preston with an unreadable expression. “My daughter means everything to me and you protected her when you didn’t have to. We don’t forget such things in my family. Please, take this and if you ever need something, reach out and let us know.”

He nodded sharply to Preston, the hint of a smile on his lips, before leading his waving daughter from the café.

Preston eyed the book, hand trembling as he reached out and dragged it closer. The cover was simple but he knew whatever was in it was about to change his life. Flipping it open, his jaw dropped noticeably.

There, tucked in the first page, was a check written for twenty thousand dollars. Signed and ready to help shift the way his life had always seemed to go. Scribbled across the pages were dozens of names and phone numbers, each with a little excerpt about the person. Potential jobs, housings…

Anything he could possibly need was etched into those papers.

Running his finger along one of the names, a single tear dripped from his eye. He wasn’t a good person because he hoped for a reward but still the universe was finally granting him one.

“Hey, Pres, you okay?” the barista called from her perch, concern bright as she watched him wipe the tear away.

“Yeah,” he whispered, peeking up at her with a smile that set his face alight. “I think I finally am.”