Tentative Prologue

I am being bathed with the scorching rays of the cruel sun. It almost seems like the intense midsummer heat has the intent of killing me. My delicate skin, so unused to all this light, is giving off a burning sensation. Heck, I hope I don't get heatstroke.

I am Vero Velasquez, and this is my 18th summer on this planet. Goodness, I never knew that spending the lunchbreak outdoors would be this hellish.

On normal days, I would have brought packed lunch and ate in our classroom. Unfortunately, today was not one of those normal days.

For some reason unknown to man, my alarm clock did not wake me up this morning. Because of that, I got up of bed late. With little time left to spare, I rushed everything to prepare.

I was tense as I begin to ride a public vechile to school. Upon seeing the suprisingly light traffic though, a splash of relief washed over me. Not long after, gloom came to overtake that relief upon the realization that I can not say 'heavy traffic' as an excuse for my tardiness.

Oh, Maybe the traffic is light because everyone is already in their workplaces or at their schools?

No use to think about it. My main point was that I rushed too much and forgot to bring my lunchbox. Due to that, I am forced to go out of school to search for a decent lunch. There's the school cafeteria, but the food there is expensive. Eating there is not very economical.

Then there I was, standing somewhere in the mob of hungry students, all waiting for the gate to open.

The sun is almost directly above me. I made a silent curse to those who designed this part of our school.

If you were to cover everything with concrete with no place for trees, at least build a shed damn it!

As soon as the clock hit twelve, it opened. Then I came to witness a sort of spectacle.

The high school I'm attending boasts 10,000 students, and I guess a significant fraction of those students is clustered here right now. That significant fraction has also started to move forward. Whether I liked it or not, I was also forced to move.

It was my first time to be here. I almost lost my balance in the commotion and almost tripped. Luckily, a random student behind me noticed my state and grabbed my shoulders to put me back to balance.

I turned back and gave an apologethic smile.

"Thanks."

The student I never met before just nodded. I guess that was his way of saying 'You're welcome'?

Thinking back then, maybe I was naive. Maybe that nod actually meant 'Don't die before the battle starts', because what came after I stepped out was really an intense battle.

There are a lot of eateries in front of school. That much is a given, considering the abundance in customers. There are at least more than ten eateries here, if my memory serves me right. However, I guess it would be a miracle if those eateries accomdate all these hungry highschoolers.

There is a big sign straight ahead, it says 'Bradley's Big Chicken'. It was undoubtly the nearest eatery. I tried to move forward, towards that eatery, yet I was overtaken repeatedly by a lot of other students. When I finally reached the entrance of the nearest eatery, 'Bradley's Big Chicken', all seats are occupied already. It was a blunder not to push forward with full force.

I turned to head to another eatery beside Bradley's Big Chicken. On it's entrance, there's a big round human-like thing with a grin. On it's flabby hands is board with the words 'EataBalls'. Is this supposed to be the mascot?

It looks dirty though, suggesting a lack of maintance. I guess they do not really need that grinning thing to attract customers. An empty seat and a table will do the job fine.

Speaking of empty seats and tables, they currently have none, leaving me no choice but to move on to another eatery.

The next three eateries I gone to are also full. Despair is budding in me.

My heart almost skipped a beat as I arrive in the fifth eatery---It has not just one... not just two... but five empty tables!

'This is my destined place!' I kept saying to myself before I came close to the counter. My eyes skimmed over the list of meals and their prices.

No, that can't be right.

I stare at the prices once again.

Goodness. It's unreasonably expensive! The cafeteria food is cheaper yo!

"Hi there! What would you like to buy?"

A relatively cute counter girl asked me with a charming smile. I had an urge to say yes but the urge to not harm the remains of my wallet is stronger.

"Ah... I think I left something." I say with a forced smile and hurriedly left. She just made a frown that will make any man guilty. I knew if I stayed there any longer, I might stop hearing the voice of my wallet.

Needless to say, I checked the rest of the eateries near the school and needless to say they are already packed.

I had no choice but to wander around in search for a place to eat. I followed a stream of students with also the same situation as me. At least I have some comrades in my precidament.

I looked ahead to where these stream of students seem to be heading. I saw what seemed to be a small food kiosk just beside the road.

Upon seeing some empty seats on that kiosk, I rushed. This time, I pushed forward with all the strength I can muster. My legs ran at such speed that I can hardly believe they're my legs. I think already twenty minutes had passed since I went out the gates. I bet there's only less than forty minutes left of lunchbreak.

After my sprint, at last, I managed to gain a seat. My legs felt so relieved upon finally having some rest. I looked up to where the list of meals and prices are.

The prices were within reason.

I was about to order beafsteak and rice with egg when I smelled an old woman beside me. Yes, I literally used my nose.

I turned my head and actually saw an old woman. She is hurriedly walking forward with the help of her walking stick. Mind you, her hurried walking is still quite slow. Her head was down, maybe because she is careful of anything that might cause her to trip. She seemed to be from the other side of the road, across the predestrian lane.

When she was just a few steps away from me, she finally looks up and our eyes meet.

Her face was filled with surprise.

My brain started to work. Maybe she also saw this empty seat from afar and rushed towards it but due to her being wary of her steps, she failed to notice that another person already sat on the seat she targeted.

Looking closer, she is panting. She must be hungry too. However, she just sighs and turns away.

"Uh... wait grandma..."

My stomach might be close to grumbling but I still have my manners. I stood up and smiled at the old woman.

"Why, th-thank you dear!"

The old woman beams a toothless grin and hurriedly walks towards the seat.

Maybe I'll just buy some food somewhere, search for some paper plates, and eat in the classroom. Yes, I'll do that, or I guess, I was supposed to that.

"Excuse me, th-that chair is mine."

I already took about three steps towards school when I heard the old woman's voice again.

"What? I came here first and they call this a stool, old woman."

I turned back to face the owner of that voice. It is a big guy wearing the same uniform as mine and he is already sitting on the seat. I guess grandma's hurried steps are terribly slow. Nevertheless, I left that seat for the old woman.

"Oh, such a rude child." The old woman scowls but does nothing more than that. She proceeds to cross back the predestrian lane she just crossed.

Wait, if she just crossed that whole pedestrian lane, with her speed, it would most probably be 'go' now, right?

My gaze shifted to one side of the road, and my eyes widened.

There was a truck, and it was heading straight to the old lady! Judging from its speed and its distance from the old lady, the brakes won't make it in time.

Then seemed like my legs moved on their own and time seemed to slow down. It was not like I am acting hero or something. I just knew at that very moment, that if I would just let that truck hit that old lady in front of my eyes, such scene would replay in my dreams all through my life. So instead of a life of regret, I chose to gamble.

The old lady was exactly in front of the truck, I can not pull her back in time. All I can do is to push her away from harm.

This might be rough treatment, I apologize old lady! but this is better than being hit by a truck.

Thus I leaped and my body acted according to my thoughts.

The last things I heared was an old lady's yelp and the horn of a truck.

After that, darkness.