TO SAVE A DEMON

September 23, 2022

The warm breeze, the heaps of leaves scattered by the wind, and palms slick with perspiration.

The noisy, bustling street and the laughter of passersby—all of it meant nothing to Hiraya.

She stood there, watching the crowd pass by along the roadside. She had been growing impatient, restless as she leaned against the school gate. Behind her, a billboard displayed bold letters: Eastwood Technical University. This was where she currently studied Senior High School, enduring the challenges of the STEM strand.

Her knee fidgeting anxiously as she tried to calm herself. If there was one thing she hated, it was being made to wait. But she had no choice but to endure it while waiting for her sister. She could do nothing but tolerate the itch caused by her long-sleeve uniform. She wondered why the teachers ever thought this design was appropriate, especially in the sweltering heat of the Philippines.

She glanced at her wristwatch: 5:45 p.m., and her sister was still nowhere in sight. Her frustration grew as her gaze wandered back to the street. Time seemed to crawl when waiting but flew when one was distracted.

Her attention shifted leftward when loud laughter echoed from that side of the road. A little boy, about five to seven years old, caught her eye. He looked adorable, chasing after a ball that had rolled toward her feet. She watched as he bent down to pick it up.

“Sowwy po,” he said, his speech slightly slurred, grinning wide enough to reveal dimples on his chubby, rosy cheeks. Hiraya noticed his small hands gripping the ball, his nails dirty with sand and soil clinging to the toy.

So innocent, she thought, a big smile forming on her face. She loved children. To her, they were far more trustworthy than adults. “It’s okay,” she replied with a gentle smile.

The boy giggled bashfully, turned around, and ran back to his friends on the opposite side of the road.

Hiraya’s smile lingered as she watched him. But it quickly vanished when she realized something alarming: the boy was unsupervised, playing with other street kids near the dangerous roadside.

A surge of worry filled her chest. She moved away from the school gate, concern etched on her face as she shouted, “Don’t cross the street yet! Hey, you shouldn’t be playing there!”

But fate didn’t seem to favor her. The boy ignored her warnings, sprinting toward the middle of the road just as the traffic light turned green. Vehicles began moving from the opposite side, but the little boy kept running.

Without thinking, Hiraya’s legs moved, rushing to save him. But she only managed three steps before catching sight of a speeding red car from the corner of her eye. Its horn blared loudly, tires screeching against the pavement as the driver tried to brake. Yet it wasn’t enough to stop in time.

“No, wait—” Hiraya couldn’t finish her scream. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hand flew to her mouth.

Her eyes widened in horror as she watched the heartbreaking scene unfold. The small child’s body collided with the car’s hood and was thrown onto the road like a rag doll. He tumbled several times before coming to a lifeless stop. Red liquid pooled on the pavement, spreading like thick ink.

The women who had witnessed the accident screamed, covering their mouths in shock. Bystanders froze, their faces mirroring the horror of the scene, while the other children scattered in fear.

The red car screeched to a halt, backing up slightly, but the driver didn’t step out.

Hiraya stood frozen, unable to tear her gaze away from the boy gasping for air on the ground. She didn’t even notice the ball rolling back toward her feet until it bumped against her ankle. Her attention shifted downward, to the toy now stained not just with dirt but with blood.

“No! No!” she cried, shaking her head in denial. “I won’t let this happen! Please, God, take me back before it’s too late!” She clenched her eyes shut and prayed desperately for a chance to undo it all.

When Hiraya opened her eyes, she found herself in a familiar scene. She stood frozen, her mouth slightly agape, watching the crowd pass by in front of her. Laughter. Chatter. Noise. Everything was exactly as it had been.

For several seconds, she stood there, her heart pounding in her chest, her mind still reeling from what had just happened. Then, snapping back to reality, she quickly pushed up her sleeve to check her wristwatch.

5:40 p.m.

She had gone back five minutes before the boy’s accident.

Panicked and sweating, Hiraya scanned her surroundings. This time, she wouldn’t waste those five precious minutes standing idly. She would use them to save a life.

She looked left and right, searching for the boy. Her breath caught as she spotted him mischievously running toward the road, throwing his ball to a playmate. The playmate tossed it back, but the ball missed its mark, hitting the ground and bouncing away.

Hiraya knew exactly what would happen next. With purposeful strides, she crossed the road while the traffic light remained red. She picked up the ball and approached the boy, grabbing his arm to pull him back to the sidewalk.

The boy looked up at her, confused as she nearly dragged him along. Ignoring his questioning gaze, Hiraya crouched to meet his eyes.

“Where are your mom and dad?” she asked firmly, irritation creeping into her tone. She couldn’t contain her frustration. “Do you realize how dangerous it is to play near the road?”

The boy didn’t answer, his lips trembling as his face turned red with embarrassment and fear. His playmates gathered around them, equally puzzled.

“Go home!” Hiraya snapped, handing the ball to one of them. “Don’t play here anymore!”

“Sowwy po...” the boy muttered, tears welling up in his eyes.

Hiraya felt a pang of guilt for making him cry. It wasn’t her intention to upset him, but if scolding him was what it took to keep him away from danger, she would do it. She didn’t care if he hated her or got angry with her. She would do anything to ensure his safety.

“It’s better to see you cry in front of me and stay alive than to see you smile, only to end up lying in a pool of your own blood.”

This thought echoed in her mind as she watched the children walk away.

Her eyes held no light, and her lips didn’t curl into a smile. The haunting image of the boy’s lifeless body on the road remained vivid in her memory. Yet she silently thanked the heavens for giving her the chance to change his fate.

With a deep sigh, Hiraya felt the weight lift from her chest. Once again, she had saved a life, all thanks to her extraordinary gift.