Why did he try to cross the road?

*Disclaimer, this story is based of a true traumatic story back when I was nineteen.*

Just one foot in front of the other, that's all it takes. Left foot, then right foot, again left foot, then right foot. But with every step my feet ached more, I don't want to rush anymore but that just isn’t an option. My full arms swung forward with every step, trying to keep the momentum going. I made the mistake of looking at my watch.

“Damn it, Just two more minutes! I don’t think we’re going to make it!”

“We can do it!” My mother was ahead by a few feet, holding most of the groceries. I’m so thankful she left me with just two bags and my newborn daughter in her car seat. Which is a hell of a lot heavier than I ever believed possible. 

 I kept trying to jog, hopefully the bus will be late or maybe there are already people at the bus stop so we have just that extra bit of time. The space between us seemed to widen; I think she sensed that because she stopped and turned to me. 

“Go, I’m good!” My voice cracked. I was in fact not good, my mouth is dry, I'm rapidly getting dizzy and my arms are already burning from the strain. There is no way we can miss this bus. We have no more cash and our passes will expire before we catch the second bus. I felt that striking pain in my ribs; my body begging me to stop. I wish I could, but my broke ass doesn't have any other options. 

Finally, I made it to the curb as my mother made it to the road. We might actually catch it! The hope it brought me, gave me the motivation I needed to continue. Unfortunately, a delivery truck leaving out of the loading area caused me to stop. With such a small turn it blocked the sidewalk, the view of my mother and as it exited, it also caused a lineup of cars. 

Panic filled me, what if the bus is passing right now? What if my mom makes it but I'm still stuck here? Fuck, i can’t go in front of the truck, it’s already halfway out. I’ll go behind it and hope it doesn’t try to back up.  

Just as I took a step that way, the stupid driver backed up. Fuck, I just wait for him to get his slow butt out of the way! But that is exactly what I had to do. Thankfully the driver went back enough that the sidewalk was available. I took that chance and took off. My poor daughter's cheeks are bouncing, but at least she's still secure and asleep. Couple more steps and I'll be able to see the bus stop…

The air burned my lungs and I couldn't catch my breath but I made it to the road. Stopping caused my entire body to feel more pain, but I see mom. She made it, and so did I! Thank goodness, I can see the bus coming but it’s two lights away. My last challenge is to cross this busy four lane road. For how many people who jaywalk to cross, you would think the city will install at least a crosswalk.

I watched and waited for a time where the cars were mostly all stopped at a red light, made sure the car beside me was turning left instead and made my break for it. I rushed across, ignoring my muscles as they begged to put down the stuff and sit. I will soon, is what I told myself. Halfway across, I did have to stop for one car and continue. Again I rushed across and only when I landed on grass did I get to slow down. Finally I made it, granted I wanted to throw up but I did it. I can’t wait to get home already. The bus was arriving just in time; I put my daughter down to grab out my pass.

“We did it!,” she held out her hand and I gave her a high five. 

“Yay,” it came out so weakly.

“Tired?” 

“Yeah, it's… hard to… breathe…”

“Oh, well at least you can start to relax.”

I just nodded, what i want is to lie down and stretch out, maybe nap. The bus pulled up to us just as the bus across the street did. The people that were here started to load in first, I watched with jealousy. Mom was next when I heard yelling across the street that caught my attention. It sounded like a man, screaming to wait. But who is he talking to? Is he trying to catch this bus? Or someone trying to catch that one. I hate seeing bus drivers leave people trying to get on so i was about to ask the driver to wait. 

I was still outside when I saw him, he was trying to catch this bus. He was in front of the other bus trying to cross. He was still yelling, “Please wait! I beg you!” He caught my eyes, and yelled to me, “tell him to wait, please?” 

I was just turning my head away but still saw what happened. Within a second he had just passed the bus and Bam! A squeal of truck brakes and no more guy… What the fuck just happened? I stood there in shock, all i could think is what the fuck. Everything was a stand still, the buses were stopped, the truck was stopped and every other car had paused.

What the fuck, tears poured out of my eyes. What the fuck, i couldn’t breathe. What the fuck just happened?!? Then time started again and a crowd of people ran about twenty feet away from where he was last standing. Both the bus drivers ran to his aid, people exited their cars to make sure he was alright. 

Is he dead? My mother even ran to try to help, I slowly walked over. Please don’t tell me I watched someone get killed. My eyes flooded with tears, I had to know. Finally I got my body to put my foot in front of the other. Once I got to the edge of the bus I could see him. Or what I think is him. His jacket covered his body, but I could see red on the ground. I couldn’t breathe, air was going into my lungs.

The person who hit him stepped out of the truck and fell to the ground. He too was crying, “Please don’t tell me I killed him! Is he alright? I didn’t see him, he just came out of nowhere! Is he dead?” He spoke through his own sobs. 

I looked back at the guy on the ground, and one of the bus drivers had rolled him over onto his back. I kept getting closer and he let out a blood curdling scream. “Oh, thank god, I said under my breath.” Then again he screamed, this one I could hear the amount of pain that poor person was through. 

He had a good fifteen people surrounding him, the bus driver told him to not to move, help is on the way. I felt so bad, he was covering his face crying. “But it hurts, it hurts so bad.”

“Where is the most pain at?” I could tell he was searching for injuries.

“Everywhere!” He started sobbing, “it hurts so much.”

No shit, he just got hit by a truck. He may be alive and talking but flying twenty feet down hill landing on his face is going to hurt a lot. For all we know he could have multiple broken bones or even a pierced organ. I felt sick to my stomach, I didn’t know what to say. I’m still in shock at how a person can even fly that far. How fast was the driver going? I felt worse so I went back to the bus stop and sat down. There's nothing I could do, except pray his poor soul makes it. I took my daughter out of her car seat and cried, hoping she will never have to experience something that horrible.