Chapter 2 - THE COLLISION
Noah’s small sneakers hit the pavement, his eyes fixed entirely on the shivering, filthy puppy. He didn't hear the roar of the rogue delivery e-bike tearing down the wrong side of the avenue, running the red light with reckless momentum. Nia, sprinting out of the subway station to make up for a delayed train, saw it all in a horrifying flash of slow motion. The heavy metal frame of the bike was barreling directly toward the six-year-old boy. Nia didn't hesitate. Dropping her leather portfolio, she launched herself across the concrete. Pavement tore through her pantyhose and shredded her knees as she tackled Noah, shielding his small body with her own. The bike clipped them hard, sending them rolling into the gutter. Noah’s head struck the edge of a newspaper stand, and instantly, a terrifying amount of crimson began pouring from a gash above his brow. Panic seized Nia’s throat, but she pulled the sobbing child against her pristine white silk blouse, pressing her hand desperately against his wound.
