Story: As the man was walking, he saw a woman who was lowering a tire from a car by puncturing a nipple. He saw that she was anxious and decided to help her. She took it and ran, and he ran after her and said he wanted to help. He said he wouldn't say any
As the man jogged across the parking lot, he spotted a woman crouched beside an old sedan. She was gripping a tire iron, her brow furrowed in concentration. But something about her demeanor was off—she looked anxious, glancing around as if she were afraid someone might see her.
Curiosity piqued, he slowed his pace and watched. Suddenly, with a swift motion, she punctured the tire's sidewall. The air hissed out, and with it, the little bit of tension that had enveloped her.
“Hey! Do you need help?” he called out, his voice breaking the silence of the late afternoon.
She startled, her eyes wide with surprise. For a moment, she hesitated, but then nodded, looking conflicted. “I… I just need to get it off quickly.”
He approached cautiously, hands raised to show he meant no harm. “I won’t say anything. I just want to help.”
There was a flicker of doubt in her eyes, but the desperation seemed to outweigh it. “Okay. Just… don’t let anyone see.”
He nodded, feeling the weight of the situation. “Show me what you did.”
With a quick glance over her shoulder, she led him to the scene. She pointed to the flattened tire, the puncture raw and leaking. “I don’t have tools. I’ve got to get it off before someone finds me here.”
“Let’s get it done then,” he said, rolling up his sleeves. “What do you have?”
Digging through her bag, she revealed a small jack and a wrench. “I thought this would be enough for a quick change… but I didn’t think.”
“Hey, we’ll manage,” he reassured her. With her guidance, they worked together in a feverish race against the clock.
“What’s the story?” he asked as they struggled to lift the weight of the spare tire.
“It’s… it’s complicated,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “I just needed an escape.”
He was about to press for more details when he caught a glimpse of a car approaching in the distance. Panic washed over him. “Someone’s coming! We need to hurry.”
With renewed urgency, they tightened the last bolts and lowered the car back down. Just as they finished, the other vehicle parked nearby. She grabbed the spare tire and, without another word, took off.
“Wait!” he shouted, running after her. “You can’t just leave!”
But she was already sprinting, a flicker of relief crossing her features. He slowed, watching her disappear into the throng of pedestrians, his heart pounding from both exertion and a newfound sense of mystery.
He stood there, catching his breath, torn between concern and curiosity. What had she been running from? What had driven her to puncture that tire? He shook his head, the puzzle swirling in his mind.
As he walked back to his car, the memory of the encounter lingered. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever see her again and what fate awaited her in the world that prompted such desperate actions.