The car quickly drove away, and Ronald, who had lost everything, sat by the roadside, burying his head between his knees.
The laughter of those gang members seemed to still echo in his mind.
And last night's storm, the lightning and thunder that darted through the clouds, the broken tree branch lying on the road, and the helplessness of waking up to find his daughter missing, all flashed before him again and again.
Ronald felt as if he had fallen into a nightmare from which he would never wake, not knowing when he could return to reality.
He thought maybe he was cursed by the Devil—ever since being fired, divorcing his wife, and now this, nothing had gone smoothly.
...
After much contemplation, Ronald ultimately blamed everything on his careless driving.
Deep in self-reproach, he failed to notice a tall vagrant approaching from the other side of the street, bypassing him and entering the adjacent shop.
...
