The cold concrete beneath Quinn's body felt far too comfortable. He could hear sirens in the distance, but they were fading, not fast enough to save him. The blood pooling around him made his vision swim, but his mind remained clear.
What was I thinking? He wondered. Why did I try to be a hero?
His thoughts drifted back to life he had lost. He had no one left. His ex-girlfriend had found someone new, someone who could provide for her. His job had betrayed him. And now this.... He had tried to do something good, but all he had was regret.
Why couldn't I just walk away? Why couldn't I have been selfish for once?
He closed his eyes, exhaustion pulling him under. The pain in his side seemed so distant now, overshadowed by emptiness gnawing at him.
Maybe this is my punishment. I'm not supposed to be here. Not supposed to matter.
A bitter laugh bubbled from his lips, weak and strained. "God's...if you're really up there....this is a life you gave me? A pitiful existence, one where everything I loved just slips away?"
As his breathing grew shallow and his grip on life loosened, he whispered one final prayer, though he wasn't sure if anyone would hear it.
If there is a next life .... please...let me be someone else
The sound of police sirens grew louder, echoing through the alleyways. The man who had stabbed Quinn -- panicked, eyes wild-- glanced over his shoulder. He cursed under his breath, then bolted into the shadows, vanishing into the maze of backstreets.
By the time the flashing lights arrived, the street was silent. Quinn's body lay lifeless in the alley, a casualty of his misguided sense of justice.
The girl cried, her heart pounding in her chest, stood at the entrance to the alley, staring In disbelief at the man who sacrificed everything for her.
She never even had the chance to thank him.