Ashes Of Tide

The morning sky was clear, and the cathedral bells echoed across the city. For Klyden Theodore Ashford, today was supposed to be the beginning of the life he had chosen—a life devoted to God. Dressed neatly and carrying only a small bag, he looked out the car window as prayers quietly escaped his lips. "Lord... if this is truly Your will, give me the strength to follow You until my last breath." The road stretched ahead, peaceful and calm. Then, in an instant— A deafening crash. Screeching tires. Shattered glass. Darkness. ————— Miles away, in a quiet mountain village, Caspian Wade Hashiro was making his way home after another long day of work. Tomorrow he had classes, and after that another shift. Life had never been easy, but he had learned to keep moving forward. As the sun began to set, something beside the road caught his attention. A man. Motionless. His white clothes were stained with blood. Without thinking twice, Wade ran toward him. "Hey! Can you hear me?" There was no answer. His breathing was faint, but he was alive. Wade quickly called for help, then, with the villagers' assistance, rushed the unconscious stranger to the small clinic. Hours later, the village doctor stepped outside. "He's stable now," the doctor said. "But he suffered a severe head injury. We won't know the extent of the damage until he wakes up." Wade let out a quiet sigh of relief. He didn't know the stranger's name. He didn't know where he came from. He didn't know that this single act of kindness would change both of their lives forever. The tide had already begun to carry them toward a future neither of them could have imagined.