I'm driving my company car to work.
I overslept, and because I had to skip breakfast, I'm feeling hungry, but there's no time for even a sandwich because of a scheduled meeting with a customer.
While crossing a very big bridge in the city that I work, I find myself in the middle of a lot of traffic, but it's kind of normal, at this hour of the morning. The traffic is slow and considering that I'm the last in line, I'm feeling lucky that at least it's moving.
This bridge is very large, there are 2 lanes going and 2 lanes coming on the other side. On the right lane, facing the river, there's a school bus, filled with happy jumping kids. There's one little girl with blonde curly hair and blue eyes looking very seriously at me. Strangely, all the other kids are fooling around, but she is just sitting there, looking at me. I try to make her laugh, so I close one eye while putting my tongue out while looking up, but she doesn't change her expression. Strange...
There's a loud noise coming from the back, a sound of something blowing up. I look through my rear mirror and I can't believe what I see. A truck on the right lane, with the engine on fire, is on a straight course with the school bus. The traffic in front of me and on the right lane, start to move. The school bus starts to move as well. I react. My hands move. My foot move. The little girl with blonde curly hair and blue eyes is still looking at me, get up, and she seems like she is going to scream at me, through the open window of the bus.
- Are you going to do something?
As soon as she said that, I press on the gas. Turn the wheels to the right, accelerate, change to the right lane, put on the reverse gear, and accelerate backward. Since the truck is not coming at high speed, I think that I will be able to slow it down or at best of chances, stop it. Right before my car hits the burning truck, I know.
- Shit, I'm going to die...
...
- ? Strange!. Nothing hurts. Can't see a thing. Guess I closed my eyes waiting for the impact from the truck. Stupid...
I opened my eyes.
- Weird. It's dark around me, I'm floating very high above the clouds, I'm not falling, can only see a world down there with a strange topography, two moons on my left, strange disposition of stars above me, one little girl with blonde curly hair and blue eyes looking very seriously at me on my right... Something is wrong. I can't be floating without falling, I was going to be hit by a truck on fire!
Only then I realize that there's one little girl with blonde curly hair and blue eyes looking at me.
- Hello, little girl. Strange to see you here. I think that I'm dreaming after I got knocked by that truck, but at least now I'm seeing your pretty smile.
No reaction...
- This is the part where you think I'm funny and you start smiling and say 'you're funny, mister'.
And still, no reaction...
- I hope that you and all the kids on that school bus are Ok. If not, I'm feeling kind of stupid for that stunt that I did. I really hope that everyone is alright and I'm just dreaming on a hospital bed, all messed up.
- Everyone is Ok, but you are not on a hospital bed, dreaming. I'm sorry.
Her expression changes. She's looking at me with a gentle smile, and I understand immediately.
- I see... Well, if all the kids are ok, I'm glad. And it seems that you are also Ok, so I guess I did a good thing.
- Why did you throw your car in front of the truck and ended your life like that? It was because I spoke to you?
- No. I was already moving the steering wheel and shifting into gear. It was just a coincidence that I pressed the gas when you yelled at me.
The little girl smiles by hearing that.
- I knew it already. You knew what was going to happen, but still, you rushed your car against that big truck. Why did you do that?
- Why not? A school bus full with little kits just having fun. Little kids! Of course, anyone would do the same thing.
- I've been watching your kind for many, many millennia. You guys always surprise me. Lately, I've been impersonating this body and trying to find someone like you, willing to even throw their life to help others. It's been hard...
- That's strange. Normally anyone would do anything to protect little kids.
The little girl shakes her head.
- No, normally, everyone freezes on a dangerous situation. Or takes a second to react to actually be of significance. You did well, and for that, I thank you.
After hearing that, one dark thought crosses my mind, and I yell.
- Did you cause that accident? You knew that something like that was going to happen?