"No!" I wailed.

With every inch of breath that rested in my lungs, waiting to be sucked up and spat back out; I wailed. Reaching my hand out into the abyss of the city, clenching my fist in reaction to my mistake. My voice carried an immense amount of agony across each trembling crack and my cheeks became blemished by falling droplets of salt. The streets were bustling, but that did not countervail my ear-piercing cries. There was a constant blare of horns and sirens in the distance that stretched far beyond the massive buildings, but those roaring sounds were engulfed by my own scratchy, wavering voice. Murmurs of people walking by faded in the background. I was in my own world, drowning out all human life that circled me.

"How could you!?"

My scream was carried by the wind, effortlessly flowing about until it was absorbed into nothingness. I lurked forward toward the edge of the fissured sidewalk beneath my shaking feet, trampling on weeds poking out for freedom. Removing them of their happiness as mine was. I stared out in front of me and fixed my eyes only on her. Soaking up the world through teary eyes as it kept spinning on its axis; but my world stopped.

Motorized vehicles kept driving by like nothing had happened. People kept walking, their own worries muffled out the suffering of others, selfish humanity. An occasional bystander let out a small gasp at the sight, but nothing more. Do it, my mind irked at the thought of my feet guiding me off the ledge of the sidewalk, and onto the weather-beaten pavement. Worn out by monstrous steel. You won't forgive yourself if you don't.

"That's terrible," a woman muttered, strolling by without a second glance.

"Thank god that didn't happen to me," another tonelessly spoke.

A woman walked by briskly, creating no attempt to cover up the fact that she sped up on purpose. Her hands were resting in her jacket pockets, clearly aware that I was crying like a mother who had just lost her child. She passed by a tree, coughing into the crisp morning air as she hurried to flee the scene.

Pain unfolded inside my body. Creeping over my skin was a dreadful feeling of guilt. The hairs on the back of my neck rose. This is all my fault, I thought, before I took that first step onto the busy street. I need to get her. My feet dropped from the protrusion of the walkway, landing mountains below, but was only a few inches. I felt the impact of the road's surface under my heel.

"Is she fucking crazy?" people questioned beyond my ears.

I was too focused to care. The suspect was no longer in sight, he did not even trouble himself to stop. How could someone be so selfish? I inquired. Individuals gaped at me across the street. When they looked closer, they saw why I was asking for a death wish instead of anxiously waiting at the crosswalk like everyone else. A car whipped past me, ruffling my thick brunette hair into my face. I spat out a strand that was left lingering on the corner of my mouth. Chilly air grazed against my skin from the presence of the vehicle. Not once have I stopped crying, but my whimpers for help have dialed down to faint sobs within my own world.

"You should really get off the road, ma'am," a man stated with a heavy Boston accent. He was standing ahead of me at the other end of the street, looking at me as if I were idiotic. I knew the truth, people showed emotion, only to disguise their own selfishness. They were only voicing their concerns so they would not have to witness the wretched death of a human being. They did not care about her. Humanity only cared about themselves, nothing more.

"Someone should help her."

I tuned out the honks of automobiles indicated for me as they whirled past. I was greeted with a "Fuck you, moron!" accompanied by a middle finger out the window, aimed in my direction as a guy swerved by.

Fuck you, too.

I proceeded to put one foot in front of the other, with each step closer adding more weight to the soles of my feet. I was trekking with bricks attached to my ankles. The more I maneuvered further, the heavier my body felt. Dreading arriving at my destination because that would make it real. Humankind did not pause. Not a single vehicle stopped for me. They kept zooming by, and I asked myself if I should return to the walkway. Fear within my body expanded, but I refused to turn back. I kept inching forward, dodging the path of cars. Suddenly, an unexpected hand brushed my arm aligning with me.

"Come on, I gotchu," a man uttered.

His firm, coarse voice clung to my heart. I swiveled to take in who was next to me with such a friendly voice. I hastily noticed his chiseled cheekbones, chin dimple, and snarly black hair. His brown eyes held sympathy, but I realized nothing more as I turned my attention back to the street before me. He helped usher me through the whirling traffic.

I felt like I was swallowing my own heart in my throat as I got nearby. "I'm so sorry," I whispered beneath my breath when I reached her. I scooped her up in my arms with the aid of the gracious stranger. My hands tightened into her fur, gripping hard enough to keep her close. My tears created a tiny pool on top of her, waiting to be swept away by the passing wind.

"I'm sorry this happened," the man said.

My glossy eyes lingered on him for a split second before turning my attention back to her. My baby. Tear droplets soaked into her white, wiry fur. I did not care about the cars headed at me, or the yelling of pedestrians for me to move. All I cared about was that I had her in my arms once more, hating myself for letting go of her leash in the first place.

"I'm so sorry," I mumbled again between heavy sobs.

I buried my face into her lifeless body, grateful to have her in my arms and not lying in the middle of the road anymore. I was assisted up to the sidewalk by the stranger behind me; feeling my heart shatter in my chest when my eyes took in her appearance. I recalled the man's selfless gesture just moments ago. No one cared. Except him.

I had to thank him. I had to give him something in return for what he did. I said, "Thank you," as I raised my gaze upward to meet his eyes. Except my eyes did not meet his, and I did not hear the words, "You're welcome." Instead, I was struck by the noise of the city as I watched the man disappear into a crowd of people.