"Who has ever heard of someone laying an egg?" This was the question circling Lowo N'air's mind as he tossed and turned in the narrow bed. The only bed in that small house, the one available to him. It had already been hard to believe when he once read that a rooster had laid an egg. The fact that a rooster, which was male, did something like that was surprising enough. But a man? That was even more absurd. But to his dismay, that was exactly what had happened to him.
Lowo N'air was so embarrassed by the situation that he didn't have the courage to tell his friend Smile. What would he think? With that question hammering in his mind, he got up carefully so as not to disturb Smile, who was lying on the floor over some old blankets. He walked toward the little corner where he had hidden the egg.
Yes... it wasn't a figment of his imagination. The egg was there, as real as he was. That night had been endless, leaving him exhausted. With dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, Lowo N'air began to dress slowly.
"Good morning, Lowo N'air," said Smile. "Glad you woke up. Yesterday you rested the entire Monday. Today is Tuesday. Ready to go out and look for a job with me?"
Lowo N'air nodded his head, and soon the two were having breakfast, accompanied by some eggs. After that, they set off in search of work. But Lowo N'air's luck didn't seem to have changed; in every place he tried, he found nothing. Grocery store, simple bakery, diner, butcher shop, tire repair shop — nowhere would accept him. It was as if there was something on his face that repelled people.
"Don't worry, Lowo N'air," Smile said, trying to cheer him up. "This is just a phase. Soon you'll find a job. Go back home, and I'll take care of my business. We'll talk tonight."
With a tired face and slumped shoulders, Lowo nodded silently and had barely taken a few steps when he bumped into a young man who was part of a local gang. Unfortunately, he didn't even have a chance to apologize because, before he could say a word, he was tripped and, as soon as he hit the ground, kicks rained down on him mercilessly.
Smile, upon seeing the scene, immediately ran to save his friend. Not for a second did he think he could end up like Lowo N'air, and, driven by adrenaline, he delivered a flying kick to the attacker, who dodged it and crashed heavily onto Lowo N'air, who was already badly hurt.
The group of delinquents was made up of boys between 15 and 17 years old, all strong and well-fed. Used to intimidating defenseless victims, they had no idea how far Smile would go to protect his dearest friend, but what they were witnessing was the most foolish thing they had ever seen.
The others watched that foolish boy who, not knowing how to fight properly, ended up hurting himself and his own friend like a complete idiot. To them, the scene was pure comedy, and after laughing to their hearts' content, they decided to act. One of them lunged aggressively at Smile, who swept him off his feet, causing him to fall right on top of Lowo N'air, who still hadn't gotten up.
The other boys were calculating if there was an easier way to win that fight. After all, they had the numbers, and that Smile was so clumsy that the more he acted, the more he ended up hitting his own companion. So, they decided to all attack Smile at once and end the spectacle for good. Smile defended himself as best as he could, but there were too many of them against him.
Finally, after suffering countless blows, he gave in to the pain and exhaustion and fainted.
One of the boys came over and stomped on his head, delivering a sentence:
"Don't mess with us, man! You have no idea what we're capable of."
The words were left unsaid because Lowo N'air, though still a bit dazed, was now on his feet and determined to defend his friend at all costs. One of the boys, however, spotted a piece of half-rotten wood and, without hesitation, with the others' approval, delivered a full-force blow to Lowo N'air's face, shattering the rotten wood to pieces.
The impact on Lowo's face was strong, but his mind seemed slow to register what had happened, as if the damage was nonexistent.
"You cowards! If you think he's alone, you're dead wrong. Mess with my friend and you'll see what I'll do as soon as I get up!" Smile shouted, struggling with all his strength to stand.
"You got lucky this time, but the next time you run into us, you won't be so lucky. And you, Smile, we'll find you alone someday. Remember, we never bothered you, and you should've done the same, kept to yourself. You'll see how bad it is to have us as enemies."
"If you want to settle this, come now, all three of you," threatened Smile, though he couldn't even stand up.
Still dazed from the hard blow to his head, his thoughts were scattered, drifting between pain and fatigue. He didn't notice the child who, distracted, ran out of a store and started crossing the street, unaware of the car rapidly approaching. The vehicle sped up, and the accident seemed inevitable. But in that moment, something inside him awakened — an uncontrollable desire to protect the innocent life in front of him.
Despite being weakened by the torments he had faced in the lab, his body responded with an urgency he no longer believed he possessed. Without a second thought, he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. The adrenaline fueled his strength, and in a desperate move, he threw himself at the child, embracing them tightly. His leap, almost superhuman, carried them both out of the path of the speeding car.
They rolled across the ground, and he kept the child protected against his chest, feeling the brief relief of having saved a life. But that relief lasted only a moment. When they finally stopped, he realized the child was safe and unharmed, but something wasn't right with him. A sharp pain shot through his skull, radiating throughout his body, and his field of vision began to narrow.
His breathing became heavy, and his thoughts grew foggy. The tremendous effort had taken too high a toll. The previous blow, combined with the impact of the fall, triggered a deep, silent, but devastating brain injury. He felt his strength quickly draining away, as if darkness was overtaking his mind.
The child, scared but grateful, clutched his hand tightly, not understanding the gravity of the situation. He tried to smile at her, but his lips only trembled. A tear slid from his eye as he struggled to stay conscious. His final thoughts were of gratitude for saving that small life. But with a heavy heart, he knew he wouldn't have the same luck.
The hero fell in silence, his battle finally over. Though he had won the race against fate to save the child, he lost the last and most painful of fights: his own. After the near accident, the car skidded for several meters, sliding uncontrollably until it crashed hard into a lamppost on the sidewalk. The sound of the impact echoed down the street, but everyone's attention was on the small body that had just been saved by a truly heroic act.
From the vehicle, a stunned and visibly worried driver, rubbing his head, stumbled out and made his way toward young Lowo N'air, who was still lying on the ground. His steps were unsteady, his eyes wide with terror. He stumbled over his own legs as he approached, guilt etched across his face.
"My God... I almost..." The man mumbled to himself, his voice trembling with fear and anguish. "Are you okay? You... you saved that child, didn't you?" His breathing was ragged, his hands shaking as he reached out, as if trying to find a way to help but not knowing exactly what to do. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed — such a great sacrifice, such a noble gesture, performed before his very eyes.
Lowo N'air, lying on the ground, fought to stay conscious. The pain in his head throbbed relentlessly, each second feeling heavier than the last. He could hear the driver's voice, but the words sounded distant, muffled, as if they were coming from a place far beyond where he was. His eyes, half-open, briefly focused on the blurred figure of the man kneeling beside him, but his thoughts were far away, the darkness slowly taking over.
The child, now safe in the arms of a passerby who had come to her aid, was crying softly, unable to comprehend the sacrifice that had been made for her. The driver, in complete despair, looked around for help, but time seemed to have frozen there, in that tragic moment.
Lowo N'air, a hero to the end, offered his last gift to the world — a life saved, while his own faded away silently before everyone. He departed.