Chapter 3 - The Impact at the Curb
The sudden deceleration of the car sent a wall of air rushing across the street. In the chaotic blur of movement, tiny Lily tumbled head over heels across the blacktop before her momentum carried her to the grassy edge of the curb, where she came to a sudden halt. Her soft golden curls were disheveled, and her gray elephant hood had slipped back, leaving her angelic features flushed deep red with sheer terror. She immediately clutched her small face with both hands, letting out a piercing, heartbroken wail that cut through the silence of the afternoon.
Noah dropped to his knees beside her on the asphalt, his chest heaving, tears streaming freely down his cheeks.
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"Lily! Please look at me!" Noah sobbed, his voice trembling as he wrapped his arms around her tiny body.
Lily reached out her little fingers, clinging tightly to the fabric of his costume as Noah pulled her close to his chest, crying out of a mixture of profound relief and lingering horror. Just feet away, the red Lotus sat idling on the street, its engine throbbing with an impatient rumble. Behind the tinted glass, the driver made no move to open his door or offer assistance. From the front porch of the house nearby, the front door burst open, and Emma came sprinting out onto the lawn.
