The bus rattled along the rainy streets of London, the hum of the engine drowned out by the tense silence between an elderly woman and a young man in a white vest, his arms covered in ink. She kept glancing at him, lips pursed, before sharply turning back to the window, muttering under her breath.
The lad, Ethan Whitmore, had his headphones in, oblivious to her disdainuntil she snapped.
“Whats wrong with young people these days?” she burst out, voice trembling with outrage. “Covering yourself in all that devilry! Disgraceful!”
Ethan slid one earpiece out and met her glare. “Maam, is there a problem?”
Her face twisted. “A problem? With that mess on your skin, youll never see heaven! Its a mortal sin! How can you walk around like that?”
“Ive done nothing to you,” he said calmly. “My body, my choice.”
That only stoked her fury. “Cheek! In my day, youth knew their place! No wonder the countrys gone to the dogslook at you, scrawled like some gutterpunk! What would your parents say? Shameful! No decent girlll have you now. Mark my wordsGodll punish you for this!” She crossed herself, shaking her head. “May your hands wither if you keep staining yourself! May your soul blacken with every mark!”
Ethan exhaled, turning to the rain-streaked window as the bus trundled on. But the woman wasnt done.
“Youve given me a proper turn, you rude little!” Her voice faltered. Suddenly, her face drained of colour. A hand clutched her chest.
“Oh I feel faint cant breathe”
Passengers shifted uncomfortablysome pretending not to hear, others staring pointedly away. No one moved.
Then Ethan yanked off his headphones. His gaze sharpened. Quietly, firmly, he said:
“Maam Im a paramedic.”
The bus froze, time itself seeming to stop.
In an instant, he was at her side. With steady hands, he loosened her scarf, undid her coats top button. “Breathe slow. Stay calm.” His voice was gentlenothing like the “lout” shed cursed moments before.
He checked her pulse, eased her forward. “Severe spasm, blood pressures spiking.” Pulling out his phone, he dialled 999, rattling off their route and her condition with clipped precision. “Hold on, helps coming.”
The womans eyelids fluttered open. For a second, shame flickered in her gaze. She tried to speakbut all she could manage was a weak nod.
