Max winced slightly at the sound of her voice, his eyes fluttering open before squeezing shut again in a grimace of pain. A dark stain spread across his forehead, blurring the line between his hair and his skin. Blood, thick and crimson, trickled down his temple, weaving its way through the grime that coated his face. His breaths came in shallow gasps, each one a ragged hitch that spoke of underlying pain.
Her heart lurched in her chest, a frantic drum solo echoing the pounding in her ears. Memories of her own car crash, the screech of metal, the agonizing wait for help, flooded back, momentarily paralyzing her.
"Oh my god," Emily whispered, kneeling beside him, the words catching in her dry throat . Panic clawed at her throat, momentarily pushing aside the adrenaline rush from the encounter with the muggers. The fight, though brief, had been brutal.
Now, the smaller mugger, a forgotten figure huddled against the grimy wall, whimpered again, seemingly emboldened by Max's unconscious state.
Emily shot him a withering glare.
"Stay put," she hissed, her voice sharp with warning, laced with an undercurrent of steel that surprised even her. It wasn't her usual voice, but in the face of danger, something primal had taken over.
The smaller mugger, his bravado thoroughly deflated, shrank back against the grimy wall. Turning back to Max, Emily checked for a pulse. Relief flooded her as his heart thumped steadily beneath her fingertips. However, his injuries – a nasty gash on his head, a bruised jaw and a stab wound to the stomach – were concerning.
She remembered seeing him at a coffee shop and at the scene of the car crash just a few days ago. A vivid image of his face, etched with concern as he helped her out of the wreckage, echoed in her mind. His voice,
gentle and reassuring, had helped calm her in the aftermath of the trauma. To be precise he didn't actually calm her down but she believed that was what he was going for. But now, his face was pale and drawn, a stark contrast to the vibrant smile he had flashed her when she was leaving the scene of the accident few days ago.
The memory of that smile, warm and genuine, sparked a flicker of protectiveness within her. Could it even be called protectiveness?. She has never been good at putting her emotions into words. Moreover all that counted was that; He had been kind to her, even though he was a complete stranger then. Now, she couldn't just leave him here, unconscious and vulnerable, on this cold, unforgiving street.
Glancing at the whimpering figure huddled against the wall, an idea struck her. This wasn't ideal, by any stretch, but it was the only option she had.
"Hey you," she called out to the smaller mugger, her voice surprisingly steady considering the chaos of the situation.
The man flinched, his eyes darting from her to the unconscious Max. Shame flickered across his face, a flicker she hadn't expected. Perhaps he wasn't a hardened criminal after all, but just a desperate kid caught in a bad situation.
"I need your help," she continued, her tone leaving no room for argument. "He needs medical attention, and I can't move him by myself."
The mugger hesitated, his face a mask of conflicting emotions – fear, uncertainty, and a flicker of something that might have been shame.
"Look," Emily pressed, her voice softening slightly. "I get it. This wasn't your finest moment. But right now, this guy needs help. We can either sit here all night, or you can help me get him somewhere safe. Maybe even make amends a little."
The mugger mumbled something inaudible, but after a moment's contemplation, he shuffled towards her. Maybe her words, the unexpected offer of a chance to redeem himself, had struck a chord.
Working together, they managed to maneuver Max to the curb. Despite his slight frame, Emily was surprised by her own unexpected strength.
With a wave and a muttered word of thanks to the now surprisingly cooperative mugger, Emily hailed a cab. As they loaded Max into the backseat, a sense of surrealism washed over her. This night had taken a sharp turn from a chaotic night club to a mugging, and an unexpected reunion with a charming stranger, all within the span of a few minutes.