Minoru Sazaki had all the time in the world. The peak hour traffic at the junction before the famous marketplace didn’t face him. The Mediterranean sun warmed his body and delighted his soul. He was looking forward to spending the evening amidst the sea of tourists, painters, musicians, restaurateurs, revelers, sex workers, and even pick-pockets who had made themselves comfortable in the chaos of the marketplace.
Sazaki smiled at the children, standing with their parents, making impatient noises as they waited for the signal to turn green. Sazaki muttered a prayer for peace and happiness.
A loud noise brought him out of his reverie. A truck was thundering on the wrong side of the road, plowing through the barricades. Flashes of Nice, New York, London and Barcelona flashed through Sazaki’s mind.
Without bothering about his safety, he ran towards the speeding truck. He looked into the driver’s eyes and found nothing but hatred. He shouted out something loud just before the truck rammed into him.
The terrified onlookers saw in amazement as the truck and the little Japanese man vanished right before their eyes.
Written for the 138th edition of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers hosted by Priceless Joy. Image credit – Dorothy. Please find other entries and enter your own here.
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L.E.R.T 
nice story!
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Great story Varad! You certainly know how to tell a story and especially how to end it.
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I wish it had happened in real life too! I wish the hatred in the eyes of few can be erased some way or the other…
World needs many like Sazaki.
Anagha recently posted “Not So Human Yet”
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What a story-weaver you are. Nicely done!
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Guardian angels! Need them sorely Varad. Beautifully woven a complex topic into the story. Good one!
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If only the world had more guardian angels like Sazaki. Lovely writing
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If only! Thanks for the comment, Michael.
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Although sad and chilling ending it is very majestic that he gave his life to save the other people and by doing so he and the truck disappear. Great story!
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Indeed! Disasters bring out the heroes in people. Sazaki sure was one. Thanks for the comment, PJ.
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Great story Varad!
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Magic?
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Some higher form of it, definitely
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I liked the mystical ending that turned this into a sort of superhero tale. If only there were some real life equivalent. Nice one.
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If only! Last year, I was at La Rambla, Barcelona with my family – the same place where a traffic terror attack happened earlier this year. I shudder to think what I might have done if the attack had happened when we were there. I can’t even imagine the mindset of the terrorists who commit such heinous crimes against the innocent. The haplessness of the common man was what made me take the story towards a mystical sorta direction. Thanks for the comment, Iain.
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