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“Hey, Carl. You’re hurting me! What’s up with you?” Sean gasped, his voice strained as he realized Carlisle was leaning heavily on him, almost putting all of his weight on his shoulder.
Sean’s gaze flicked over Carlisle’s pale face and the beads of sweat dotting his forehead. Instantly, his expression shifted from confusion to concern. “What happened, Carl? You’re scaring me!”
Carlisle’s teeth gritted, his voice hoarse. “Lily… she’s in danger. We need to go, quickly.”
Sean’s brow furrowed in panic as he pressed his hand against Carlisle’s forehead. A wave of heat radiated off him. “You’ve got a fever! Why are you burning up all of a sudden? And what do you mean by ‘danger’? You’re talking nonsense!”
Carlisle’s eyes snapped with urgency, his body trembling as he struggled to stay standing. “Go! Now!” he shouted, pushing himself to stand taller, even though he felt like he was about to collapse at any moment.
“Stay here, I’ll go get her.” Sean didn’t hesitate. He could see the desperation in Carlisle’s eyes, and without another word, he quickly steadied him, making sure Carlisle could stand on his own, before darting toward the bus stop where Lily was.
As Sean ran toward her, the screech of a motorcycle engine echoed in the distance. The roar of it grew louder, and before he knew it, the motorcycle appeared, speeding down the lane with two masked figures on it. Sean’s heart raced as he saw the pillion rider’s hand shoot out, grabbing Lily’s backpack with a sudden force.
“Ah!” Lily cried out, unable to react in time as she was yanked forward, her feet dragging against the pavement.
Sean’s blood ran cold. Without a second thought, he sprang into action, launching himself at the motorcycle with a primal yell. His body collided with the side of the bike, sending it tumbling to the ground with a deafening crash. The two men were thrown from the bike, sliding across the street, their helmets scraping the pavement.
Sean landed hard but didn’t hesitate. He jumped back up to his feet, adrenaline surging through him. “We’re being mugged! Call the cops!” he screamed, but as he looked around, he saw the passersby merely stare at him, not lifting a finger to help. He was struck by the apathy in their eyes—no one was brave enough to step in.
Lily, still stunned, dashed toward the two men who were picking themselves up from the ground, her face etched with panic. “My school fees… my school fees!” she cried out, her voice cracking.
The two men, now on their feet, were glaring at Sean with fury. Each pulled out a glinting knife, the sharp blades reflecting the harsh city lights. They took slow, deliberate steps toward Sean, ready to attack.
“Get back here, Lily!” Sean shouted, his heart pounding in his chest as he rushed to shield her. But Lily froze in her tracks, terror in her eyes as she saw the knives gleaming in the men’s hands.
Just then, a cement mixer truck roared past them, honking loudly. Sean’s breath quickened, but he kept his ground. His voice rang out with defiance. “How pompous of you to rob someone in broad daylight. Aren’t you afraid of the law?”
Rory had warned him about the chaos in Riverland—the city wasn’t kind to the unprepared. But this was beyond what he expected. These men weren’t just robbing people; they were taunting them, as if daring anyone to step forward.
Carlisle, despite his fever, had grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and was hurrying over to Sean’s side. His face was flushed, but his eyes were sharp with resolve. He muttered, “Take the things and leave. Don’t do anything rash.”
The two robbers exchanged a look, their eyes filled with a strange combination of anger and calculation. They weren’t backing down just yet. They were burly men, far stronger than both Carlisle and Sean, with knives in their hands. Carlisle knew the odds were against them if things escalated.
Lily’s backpack likely contained all of her school fees—the money her grandfather had sacrificed by selling his favorite cow. Carlisle glanced at her tear-streaked face and felt his stomach churn. The money was important, but it wasn’t worth the price of a life.
Then, as if sensing the approaching danger, the robbers spotted the flashing lights of a patrol car in the distance. They looked at each other, then at their stolen prize. The decision was made. With a quick, furious glance at Sean, they turned and bolted, sprinting back to their motorcycle.
Lily’s sobs filled the silence. “My school fees…” she cried out again, her voice filled with helplessness. She stood frozen, staring at the retreating figures, tears streaming down her cheeks. Those fees meant everything to her.
Sean clenched his fists, frustration and anger bubbling up inside him. “Are you all heartless?” he shouted to the bystanders, his voice thick with outrage. “Why didn’t anyone help when you saw a woman being robbed? Where are the virtues of our country? What has happened to us?”
But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The crowd merely shifted uneasily, avoiding eye contact, as if they had never seen a thing.
Carlisle, still leaning heavily on the fire extinguisher for support, watched the scene unfold with a heavy heart. He knew the system here was broken—people were afraid, unwilling to take action, and it was all too familiar.
But as Lily’s crying continued to echo in his ears, Carlisle’s resolve hardened. He would make sure that such injustices wouldn’t go unpunished—not while he still had the power to change things.
