Without another word, Derrick dashed into the pink-tinged sunrise. Every muscle ached, but adrenaline propelled him forward. He clutched the crumpled bills in one hand, phone buzzing in the other. His tired legs pounded the pavement, each stride taking him closer to the clinic—and Rusty’s last hope.
Cabs honked, and pedestrians sidestepped his frantic path. He apologized between gasps, refusing to slow down. The city blurred, a backdrop to his single-minded mission: reach the veterinarian in time. His overnight shift felt like a fever dream, overshadowed by the sudden bloom of charity he never expected.