Read, Write, English!

Ethan was just an ordinary teenager, like many others his age. He spent most of his days with his head buried in his phone or computer, immersed in the world of video games. The excitement of defeating monsters and completing quests was far more appealing to him than studying for exams or doing his homework. Ethan didn’t have many close friends, but he didn’t mind. He preferred the virtual world to the real one, where things were more complicated. He didn’t think of himself as brave or special—just another face in the crowd. He often daydreamed about being a hero in one of his video games, but deep down, he didn’t believe he was capable of doing anything heroic in real life.

One warm summer evening, after spending the afternoon indoors playing his favorite video game, Ethan decided to take a walk to get some fresh air. His neighborhood was quiet, and the streets were empty, save for a few scattered cars and a few people walking their dogs. The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink as the sun began to set, casting long shadows on the ground. As Ethan strolled through the park near his house, he heard a faint sound in the distance—something that sounded like a cry for help.

At first, he thought it was his imagination, the product of too many hours spent in front of a screen. But then he heard it again—a weak, trembling voice calling out for help. Ethan froze in place. His heart skipped a beat. What should he do? Who was in trouble? The voice sounded desperate, and it was coming from the direction of the small wooded area at the edge of the park. Without thinking too much, Ethan jogged toward the sound, his mind racing.

When he reached the woods, he found the source of the cry—a frail elderly woman, lying on the ground, her leg pinned under a thick branch. Her face was contorted in pain, and she was clutching her ankle with both hands. Ethan’s eyes widened in shock. She looked hurt, and from the way she was lying there, it seemed like she couldn’t move.

“Are you okay?!” Ethan called out, his voice shaky. The woman looked up at him, her face pale. She seemed to be in a lot of pain but managed a weak smile.

“I’m stuck,” she said softly, her voice cracking. “I twisted my ankle when the branch fell.”

Ethan stared at the branch, which was thick and heavy. It was clear that the woman wasn’t going to be able to free herself on her own. He felt a wave of panic wash over him. What was he supposed to do? He had no idea how to help someone in this kind of situation. He wasn’t a trained medic, just a teenager who barely remembered to do his own laundry, let alone deal with emergencies.

But then, something clicked. A memory surfaced—an old first-aid lesson he had half-heartedly paid attention to in school. They had learned how to handle situations like this—how to help someone who was hurt, how to stabilize them until help arrived. Ethan took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He needed to act fast.

“I’ll try to help you,” he said, though he wasn’t entirely sure how. He knelt beside the woman and quickly assessed the situation. Her leg was caught, and she couldn’t move it without risking further injury. He couldn’t lift the heavy branch by himself, but he remembered what they had taught him in first aid: stabilize the injury before trying to remove any pressure.

Without wasting time, Ethan quickly took off his belt and used it to carefully secure the branch, keeping it from pressing further into the woman’s leg. Then, he used his phone to call emergency services. “There’s an elderly woman trapped under a branch. She’s injured. Please send help!” he told the dispatcher, trying to keep his voice steady.

While waiting for help to arrive, Ethan stayed by the woman’s side. “My name’s Ethan,” he said, trying to comfort her. “What’s your name?”

The woman smiled faintly. “I’m Mrs. Carter. Thank you, Ethan. You’ve saved me a lot of pain.”

Ethan nodded, feeling a little proud of himself. His hands were trembling, but he was doing something good—something real. They spoke for a while as they waited, and Mrs. Carter shared a little about herself. She explained that she was a local historian, passionate about preserving the history of their town. Ethan found himself listening intently as she told him stories about the people who had shaped their community, the places that had stood the test of time, and the forgotten secrets buried in the old buildings around town.

Soon, the ambulance arrived, and the paramedics quickly took over. They carefully lifted Mrs. Carter and transported her to the hospital for treatment. Ethan watched as the woman was driven away, feeling a sense of relief that she would be okay.

A few days later, Ethan received a phone call from Mrs. Carter. “I wanted to thank you properly,” she said. “Would you like to come by my house? I’d love to show you some of the history books I’ve collected.”

Ethan, who had never been particularly interested in history, agreed to visit, partly out of curiosity, but mostly because he felt a connection to Mrs. Carter after their brief conversation. When he arrived at her home, he was surprised by how much he enjoyed hearing her stories. Mrs. Carter had a wealth of knowledge about the town’s past, and she spoke with such passion that Ethan found himself fascinated by the rich history she had witnessed.

Over time, Ethan began visiting Mrs. Carter more often. He started helping her with various community projects, restoring old landmarks, and sharing her stories with younger generations. Through these experiences, Ethan found that he enjoyed learning about his town’s history and became more involved in local events. What had started as a simple, nervous reaction to an emergency had led him down a new path—one that he never expected.

Word of Ethan’s heroic actions quickly spread throughout the community. He wasn’t just the teenager who had helped an elderly woman; he was now someone who was making a difference, who cared about his town, its history, and the people in it. He had become a local hero, not because of any great deeds or battles fought, but because of his willingness to help when it mattered most.

Ethan had always thought that bravery was something that only happened in movies or video games. But he learned that sometimes, courage comes when you least expect it—in quiet moments when you decide to do the right thing. He may not have had the superpowers of his favorite video game characters, but Ethan had something just as important: the ability to act when it counted.

And as it turned out, that was enough to make him a hero in his own way.