Chapter 27: Other Plans
The old man was breathing heavily, still visibly shaken from the close call of his death. He looked at Gray with widened eyes. Reflecting on it was disbelief and gratitude.
"You..." the man rasped, his voice slightly trembling. "You saved me."
The old man gripped on Gray's arm tightly as if he was afraid to let it go.
Gray smiled lightly, brushing the dust off the man's sleeve. He let him hold his arms, knowing that the impact of the accident might still be on his mind.
"It's okay, sir. You're safe now," he said. "You really should be more careful, though. You nearly gave everyone here a heart attack."
The man gave a weak chuckle, still catching his breath.
"I suppose I did because I also, almost had one." The old man still had the chance to joke around, even if he was still visually anxious.
Gray let the man regain his composure for a few minutes. He just stayed there in silence, as the old man breathed in and out, each one was filled with heaviness.
The flock of crowd also slowly disappeared, each one going on with their lives as if nothing happened.
After a few minutes, the old man straightened his back slightly. He looked up at Gray, his expression softening for a moment.
"What's your name, young man?" he finally had the chance to ask the question.