Ren turned and looked at the woman.
She was still pressed against the tree, shopping bags scattered around her feet. One hand covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide not with fear anymore, but with something else.
Relief. Disbelief. Gratitude.
"Are you okay?" Ren asked, his voice rougher than he intended.
The woman blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. She lowered her hand slowly.
"I... yes. I'm okay." She looked down at herself, checked her arms, her legs as if confirming she was still in one piece. "No injuries. Just... scared."
She looked back up at Ren.
"You... you saved me."
Ren didn't know what to say to that. He glanced down at his hands instead.
Blood was seeping through the makeshift bandages from this morning. Fresh red mixing with dried brown. His knuckles throbbed with every heartbeat.
