Cough*
A man coughed up blood, holding his chest with a painful expression. He took out a pen from his breast pocket and scribbled a few things while his eyelids were getting heavier with every passing second. He felt his strength was draining out from his body as he felt he wouldn't live long enough.
" Dear Martha, how are you? I miss you and my little Gretta. I hope you will live without any regrets and I am sorry for being such a bad husband. I think Jay is a good man and you genuinely deserve such happiness. I will leave every single thing in my possession to you and say goodbye to Gretta and say that I will always love her..."
Thud*
The pen fell from his hand as his head loomed down. Death embraced his body when he left this world.
Rip, crack*
A young man opened the iron door and ran to him with a panicked expression. He held his hand and shouted out his name, but the man was too far away to hear his voice. He felt his time was over and he had to go.
" Norton, wake up! Norton, it is me, Ian. I have come to save you. Please, open your eyes. You said you missed your daughter, right?"
Ian held his still warm hand and shouted out his name. He couldn't believe a man who always laughed with him died just like this. He was a kind man who was trying to redeem himself as a rescuer.
However, he fell into the bunker where he was trapped for days without any rations and water. No one knew he was here because he was a former convict and no one cared about him except of his family and close friends.
" Damn it!"
Ian crushed the stone next to him while taking a deep breath to calm down. He crouched down to pick up his body.
The feeling of helplessness and anger covered his heart, showing him how cruel the world was despite his power. He was a student of the most powerful hero in the world, yet he failed to save a single person. His heart felt heavy and painful.
" Here! Sir Ian is here. We have found the missing man."
The rescue squad came in and looked at the lifeless man in his arms. They widened their eyes as they clenched their fists to express their frustration. He was their comrade even though he was a convict. He laughed with them and cried with them.
" Ah! Norton, you liar!"
A frail woman entered the vicinity as she sobbed when she saw the corpse. She saw the parched letter in his hand and how he struggled from the marks that were left there.
" I shouldn't have let you go. I am sorry."
She hugged his warm body, believing he would open his eyes, but it was too late. Ian painfully closed his eyes, walking toward the ambulance with his body.
" Sir, we will take it on from here. You go home and rest."
The captain patted his shoulder, gesturing for him to go home early.
After a few minutes, he opened the door of his dormitory, laying down on the bed immediately. He looked up to the ceiling and wondered where he went wrong and why he wasn't as strong as his teacher. He knew Arthur was a symbol of peace and he won't reach the height where he stood, but he was still his proud student with great potential.
He extended his hand, clenching in the air while not knowing what to do in the future. He remembered the moment when he promised Arthur that he would become a hero who can change his home and other places, so he went to the USA as an international student. Moreover, he applied for volunteering and met people like Norton.
He recalled the hours that he spent with them, talking with them about their families and lives. Everyone had those bright faces and he laughed with them together.
" Human's life is fragile."
Ian muttered, feeling a little blank. He didn't notice the boy that came into his room.
" What is up? Why the long face?"
Peter asked, feigning his worry because he heard about the incident that happened today.