"What was that?!" I wondered, staring at the truck now motionless on the road, tomatoes scattered all around it.
A loud, erratic honking sound had come from the truck, drawing my attention to the driver, who was now unconscious, slumped over the wheel with blood on his forehead. My heart raced as I assumed he had been shot.
Reacting swiftly, I jumped off my bike and lay flat on the ground, hands behind my head, as if surrendering to an unseen assailant. It was a desperate move, praying for mercy to spare my life.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it," I muttered, my mind in a whirlwind of panic. "Why did I get myself into this mess? Why couldn't I just be patient?!"
With my hands behind my head and eyes tightly shut, I felt completely helpless. The news stories about thieves striking on this very road flashed through my mind. Fear gnawed at me, and I silently begged for safety.
A moment passed, and the surroundings fell eerily silent, the truck's horn having stopped on its own. The only sound I could hear was a subtle, distant rustling in the forest.
Peeking cautiously from one eye, I slowly scanned the area, looking left and right for any signs of danger. Nothing caught my eye.
My skepticism grew, and I rose to my feet, still on high alert. I strained to detect any presence, but no one seemed to be around.
"It must've been a normal accident," I assumed, trying to steady my nerves.
Feeling relatively safe, I dashed towards the truck, determined to help the bleeding driver.
As I approached, my eyes fixed on the bleeding driver, concern etched on my face. (The car is still on...) I noted, before a realization dawned on me, (Hold on a minute, what did he even collide with? There's no deer or rock that could've caused such damage...) I glared at the front of the car, "There's no sign of collision on the car either."
"Regardless," I said, pulling out my phone in a hurry, clicking one of its buttons to turn it on, but it doesn't respond. I assumed it was off, so I clicked constantly on the red button, trying to turn it on. "Come on!" I yelled, feeling frustrated, "Now is not the time...."
(Come on...just work for god's sake...) I muttered, trying to get it to function properly. As I dialed the emergency number, the battery showed no bars. (It's empty...how could this be? I left it on the charger all night...)
"119, what's your emergency?" the operator answered.
"Uhh. Hi, please send an ambulance to Gaba's fores-" The phone turned off abruptly, running out of battery.
"SON OF A BITCH!" I yelled, my frustration boiling over. I almost slammed the phone on the ground before holding back my anger, "Really?!" I exclaimed at the lifeless device.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind the truck. My heart skipped a beat, and I took a few quick steps back. (What the hell was that?) I panicked, before returning to my senses. Deep breath (Goodness gracious, get a grip of yourself man, it's probably just a squirrel...)
I approached again, cautiously walking around the truck. The net holding the goods was torn, and the crops lay scattered on the floor. I tried not to step on anything as I scanned the back of the truck.
(The food must've attracted it) I thought, glancing at the back of the truck. It still had a lot of tomatoes in it, held by the back barrier of the truck. "Where is it...?" I wondered, unable to detect anything on it. I returned my phone to my pocket, deciding to rely on my own eyes.
I attempted to climb the back of the truck to get a better look.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew against me, pushing me back.
*Splash*
A piece of tomato hit me squarely in the face, causing me to stumble and fall behind.
"What the-" I yelled, trying to remove the tomato from my face. "...-Hell?!" Confusion painted my expression. "What is this?! Instant karma?" I joked nervously.
( What is this sudden change in the wind...? ) I wondered, taking a cautious step behind.
*Squish* I stepped on a tomato.
The rustling sound came back.
I approached the truck once more, ready to climb it again.
Whoosh. The wind blew even stronger, throwing me backward, and I fell onto a pile of tomatoes, my heart racing. "Another wind blow...?" I wondered aloud, sitting on the ground, my eyes widening in confusion, ( This is so unnatural, and the timing... )
As I sat there bewildered, a distinct sound emerged from the truck. Gooble, gooble. Gush, gush.
(Something is eating...) I noticed, slowly standing up, listening intently with my ears.
Gooble, gooble, gush, gush. The creature feasted on the tomatoes with unrelenting appetite, taking three to four bites before devouring each piece. It was unlike anything I'd ever encountered.
(It's not a wolf or a fox; otherwise, I would've seen it, and yet...)
My mind raced with possibilities as I tried to make sense of the strange creature feasting before me. The encounter felt surreal, and I knew I had stumbled upon something extraordinary, something that defied explanation.
Gooble, gooble, gush, gush, swallow. I analyzed,
Gooble, gooble, gush, gush, swallow.
(This is no small creature; it should be at least the size of an adult cat... and YET...)
Gooble, gooble, gush, gush, swallow.
(And yet I can't see a damn thing!) I said, my frustration rising.
(I-Is it camouflaged?) I wondered, trying to comprehend the situation. (A chameleon...?) I continued to analyze, but quickly dismissed the idea. (No.. they can't climb such a car... at least not this quickly.)
Feeling eager to know, I slowly crouched, reaching for a tomato on the ground, then stood up slowly again, my eye fixated on the source of the sound.
My hand was shaking, and my adrenaline was up, as what lied before me defied my understanding of the world.
Then, and before I did anything, my thoughts interferred,
(Wait, what am I doing?!) I asked myself, ( That man needs immediate help... and I am out here worried about an animal?! ) I blamed myself.
"Tsh." I uttered, before sprinting to the front of the car, seeing the unconscious man, I stepped inside the vehicle quickly,pushing the man enough to have a space for me to sit,
I gazed at the inside, looking for a solution, I found his phone and the keys were inserted,
I picked up the phone in a hurry, unlocking it using the star and the next button, then dialed the police.
I looked outside the window anxiously, the chewing sound still continued.
The police picked up
As I dialed the emergency number, my heart raced with adrenaline. The police woman's voice finally came through the phone.
"119, what's your emergency?" she asked calmly.
"A man was in an accident," I blurted out, trying to catch my breath as I spoke, "Gaba's street road, a mile from Gaba's village. He hit his forehead on the steering wheel, and he's unconscious and slightly bleeding."
"Is he breathing?" she inquired, sounding concerned.
"Yes, I can see his chest rising and falling," I confirmed, my eyes never leaving the injured driver.
"Okay, help is on the way. Keep an eye on him and try to keep him calm until the ambulance arrives. If you notice any changes in his condition, let me know immediately."
"Got it," I replied, my voice determined, "Thank you."
After ending the call, I shifted my attention to the unconscious man.
"Sir, can you hear me?" I tapped his shoulder, " Help is on the way, don't worry."
( He's in a bad position, I have fix it) I said to myself, (After an accident like this, he must've suffered from a neck injury.)
"Goodness gracious..." I sighed, then reached to his neck, gently checking his airway to ensure it was clear,
With caution, I placed one hand behind his head and the other under his shoulder, trying my best not to move his neck, and gently repositioned his head to align it with his spine.
Then, I carefully slid my arms under his armpits and around his back, using my strength to lift him slightly. With a gentle yet swift motion, I helped him lean back onto the driver's seat, making sure to support his head and neck throughout the process.
After securing the injured man's safety, I settled into the driver's seat, the creature's munching sounds still echoing behind the truck. A surge of curiosity battled against my better judgment, tempting me to step out and investigate the enigmatic creature. My hand reached for the door knob, but I hesitated and sank back into the truck, choosing to wait for help instead.
The creature's chewing abruptly ceased, piquing my interest. I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious being, but it remained concealed from view. (Is it still back there?) I wondered, perplexed by the strange creature's behavior. (What an odd creature...)
As I peered out the window, the car's engine roared to life, startling me. Reactively, I lifted both legs, fearing that I had accidentally pressed the pedals. The truck sputtered and jerked, making unusual noises as it moved slightly forward before abruptly stalling and shutting off.
"What on earth was that now...?" I muttered, my heart racing.
( Something pressed on the pedal... but I didn't feel anything in there, I didn't sense anything moving inside the car... this is weird. )
A moment of eerie silence fell, and I thought everything had returned to normal. But then, chaos erupted inside the car. The steering wheel began to move uncontrollably, the pedals were pressed down erratically, and the gear shift shifted forcefully. Every button in the car seemed to have a mind of its own, causing lights to flicker, wipers to spin, and various other mechanisms to activate haphazardly.
Alarmed, I sensed the car was no longer safe. Clutching the unconscious man tightly, I leaned toward the door, intending to exit the vehicle. However, before I could make my escape, the key moved on its own, and the engine roared to life again. This time, the gear shift settled into first gear, and an invisible force manipulated the clutch, guiding the car forward while controlling the steering wheel.
Desperate to regain control, I tugged at the steering wheel in defiance, struggling against an unseen hand. I hit the brakes to halt the car's movement, shifted the gear to neutral, and turned the key to shut off the engine. In a desperate move, I hurled the key out of the window, hoping it would disrupt the car's inexplicable actions.
Quickly, I opened the door, pulling the injured man along with me as we made our escape. He was larger than me, and I struggled to get him out of the truck safely. With great effort, I managed to distance him from the bewildering vehicle, my eyes darting around vigilantly.
"We need to get away from this... This isn't normal..." I muttered, keeping a watchful eye on the car.
Then, to my astonishment, the car's engine roared to life again.
"What the...?" I turned to face the car, puzzled by how it could restart without a key. I glanced in the direction I had thrown the key, but it was nowhere to be seen. (Seriously?! It lifted the key...) I thought, growing increasingly perplexed. (This creature is incredibly intelligent... It can't be a mere animal!)
I sat there in awe, as I witnessed the car swerving away from the road and into the forest, I walked in its direction, but I stopped, looking at the man laying in the floor, knowing that I can't leave him.
( How is this happening...? ) I wondered, " It's illogical, it doesn't make sense!" I said aloud.
"They don't exist, Djins or whatever they're called, they are not real, " I said, "There has to be an explanation... this creature is the work of a lab... radiation or nuclear energy... it has to be!"
As the car became almost unconceivable the thoughts in my mind calmed down, allowing me to shift my focus on the situation.
I sighed, "Goodness gracious... what do I do now?"
I looked around, noticing my bike,I walked in it's direction, keeping a keen eye around me, I walked my bike towards the the guy while thinking, ( I should've called someone to come help... my mother, uncle henderson... a neighboor, anyone would've been great. )
I arrived by the man, checking his condition once more, and making sure he's still stable, as I did, a few birds landed near the sight, just as I had a room to breath and relax, a realization dawned on me, stressing me once more.
( This is bad... the food and his bleeding... It could attract some nasty animals, I need to move him away from here. )
with his head on the ground, I lifted both his legs and used them to pull him away, his weight proved it difficult.
with constant effort, I was able to move him slightly away from the scattered food, keeping him in the cleanest area in this spot, an area where I can see all my surroundings, avoiding to get jumped by a predator.
Tired, I sat with my bike near him, confident that it wouldn't take long before help would arrive.
during that time, I kept a keen eye on my surroundings, ready to act at any given moment.
As I sat there, my mind raced with thoughts. (That time when I broke my leg... how long did it take for the ambulance to arrive?) I fell right after eating lunch... my mother called an ambulance, and lifted me on our couch, she turned on the TV, Dr. Firmhand had just started, so it was 1 am, the show lasts for 20 minutes, but they arrived before the show ended, so roughly, 17 to 18 minutes... one of the men who arrived seemed quite concerned and caring, he helped calm me down... if he's still working with them he should arrive quickly... but he still has to take this shitty forest road, it's not too bad, but it doesn't support fast speed... (15 minutes, they should arrive in 15 minutes.)
I scanned the road again, hoping to see any signs of flashing lights or hear the distant sound of a siren. Every second that ticked by felt like an eternity, and I couldn't shake the mix of anxiety and hope swirling within me. The injured man lay beside me, and I did my best to comfort him, all the while keeping a close watch on our surroundings.
( Stay calm, Estephan, just a little longer. ) I tried to reassure myself, but the tension in my body was overwhelming.
My eyes darted around, scouring for any hint of movement. And then, I caught a faint rustle in a bush across the road. My breath caught in my throat as I focused all my attention on that spot.
( This soon...? ) I mumbled, anxiety gnawing at me as I wondered what could be lurking in the bushes. My mind raced, considering all the possible creatures that could be responsible for the movement.
( Raccoon? Coyote? Please let it be something I can handle. ) I silently pleaded.
But the answer to my fearful inquiry was more terrifying than I could have imagined—a black bear emerged from the bushes.
A MASSIVE, black bear.
Its formidable form struck fear into my heart, and I felt frozen, my mind going blank with terror.
( Out of all animals... you've got to be kidding me! ) Panic surged through me as I tried to remember everything I knew about dealing with such a dangerous predator.
( Calm down, don't tremble, don't try to run away, avoid eye contact... ) I recited the guidelines I remembered on how to deal with such a situation.
The bear moved closer to the road, its keen senses alert. It seemed curious rather than aggressive as it smelled the ground, but I knew that could change in an instant.
( Think, think! What should I do? ) My mind scrambled for a solution, but it was hard to concentrate with the imposing figure before me.
( I can run but... ) My eyes fell on the unconscious guy near me, and anxious thoughts flooded my mind. ( What about him...? The drops of blood on his forehead will definitely get the bear's attention... there's a chance he might not feast on him, but I can't take any chances. )
( I'm not gonna run! ) I promised myself with fierce determination. ( I'm not like him, I'm not leaving someone behind, not when I can help! )
My mind raced as I scanned the surroundings, desperately seeking a plan of action.
The bear continued to approach, sniffing the tomatoes scattered on the ground and taking some bites.
( It's definitely heading this way... what should I do? ) I wondered.
Then, it occurred to me—I slowly hopped on my bike, hoping to gain some distance and time to think. I pedaled like a sloth, trying to avoid making any noise that could alert the bear.
The bear still had its head down, engrossed in the smell of the food.
( Come on, bear! Look at me! ) I whispered, my voice barely audible, hoping to draw its attention away from the injured man.
As I pedaled a short distance, my bike's creaky parts finally caught the bear's ears. It lifted its head, and I made a mistake—I locked eyes with it.
My heart leaped into my throat. I could feel its gaze piercing through me, and I knew I had its full attention.
As soon as the bear started closing in, I pedaled with all my might, stealing a glance behind me. The massive creature gave chase, urging me to pedal faster and faster.
I managed to put some distance between us, but the bear suddenly halted midway, turning its attention back to the site where the food lay scattered.
I stopped, cautiously returning to that spot while keeping a safe distance. ( It's protecting its food... merely getting its attention won't do anything... It won't stop. )
The bear drew near to the man, and instinctively, I yelled, "HEY!" causing it to look back at me. "Over here, you big bastard!" I waved my arms, trying to divert its focus.
For a moment, the bear glanced at me, but its curiosity returned to the injured man, sniffing him.
As I cautiously moved closer with my bike, carefully avoiding the scattered food, I noticed the man's arm twitch, his eyes flickering.
My heart sank, and desperation surged through me. I couldn't just stand by and watch.
In a split second decision, I grabbed a tomato, took a deep breath, and hurled it at the bear. The bear's head shot up, its attention now locked on me.
Without any hesitation, it charged towards me with a newfound intensity.
I pedaled as if my life depended on it, my bike rattling beneath me, but the bear seemed to be gaining on me with alarming speed.
( Damn it, damn it, damn it... ) I panicked, ( It's going to kill me! I'm not fast enough. )
The bear pursued me relentlessly, closing in on me.
Just as I was starting to gain some distance, disaster struck.
The chain connecting my pedals snapped, and my bike came to a sudden halt.
( No, not now! Please! ) A wave of hopelessness washed over me as the bear closed the gap between us.
With no other option, I jumped off the bike and continued running on foot. My legs burned with exertion, and my breath came in ragged gasps.
( I can't outrun a bear. I'm done for. ) Despair weighed heavily on me.
But then, just when it seemed all hope was lost, the distant sound of sirens pierced through the forest.
( The ambulance! ) The realization fueled me with a last surge of adrenaline.
I sprinted with every ounce of strength left in me, the bear hot on my heels. It nearly caught up to me, but the sight of the approaching ambulance seemed to deter the bear, and it veered off into the bushes.
( I'm saved! ) Relief washed over me as the bear retreated.
The ambulance came to an abrupt stop, and the paramedics opened the back door for me, their faces showing bewilderment as they extended a helping hand.
I slumped inside the ambulance, gasping for breath, my heart still racing at a frantic pace.
( I did it... I saved him, I survived, ) I whispered to myself, exhaustion etched across my face.
The two men who helped me looked at me with puzzled expressions, giving me a moment to recover. One of them finally asked, "Are you alright?"
"Was that a bear...?" the second man inquired.
"Hurry..." I whispered, my voice barely audible, "The injured driver is ahead... my bike is laid down in the middle of the road... please don't run over it."
The driver picked up speed, and the first man attempted to confirm, "Your bike?"
I was too drained to respond, but he approached the driver and said, "Hey Mike, keep your eye on the ground, you'll see a bike laying there. We'll take it with us too."
"Huh?" Mike seemed confused.
"It's the kid's bike," the first man clarified.
The second man offered me a cold bottle of water, assisting me as I took a few sips.
The ambulance stopped to pick up the bike and the injured man, and then we continued on our way.
I rested there, feeling like a phone on low battery, using this time to gather my thoughts and regain my mental strength.
As we drove, I instructed them to drop me off at the first muddy road.
Before they departed, I asked a question, "There's this guy with a wide smile, a very caring person... Is he still working here?"
"A guy with a wide smile?" He pondered for a moment, his hand on his chin. "You mean Richard? Yes, he is. He works the morning shift. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing, just... wanted to know."
The man looked at me with a puzzled expression before saying, "Be careful on your way." Then, he closed the door, and the ambulance sped away.
Left alone on the muddy road, the encounter with the bear continued to replay in my mind. (If it wasn't for them... I would have been done for. That bear would have finished me off with one blow...) The gravity of what I had just experienced slowly sank in, and I knew that I would never forget this day.
(And it's all because of this stupid manga-) I paused, noticing that my manga, as well as the newspaper, had fallen from the bike. I felt a momentary sense of loss, but then I thought, (It's probably for the better...) As I walked my bike home, I reflected on the way. (I need to take a detox period... Who would've thought I would get this addicted?)
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To be continued
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Fourth chapter
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