Chapter 42 Searching the Entire Internet for Amelia to Save Her
The video in question was captured by a traffic camera at an intersection.
It was initially shared by the Department of Transportation's video account, and soon after, it was picked up by mainstream media outlets. Within two hours, the video skyrocketed to the top of trending topics.
The initial trending title was [Girl Rushes to Save Boy from Oncoming Truck], which later changed to [Internet Searches for Heroic Girl Who Saved Boy from Truck].
Because the intersection was in a relatively remote area with outdated equipment, the footage was in black and white.
Clicking on the video, you could see a boy, Rex, suddenly run into the street. Out of nowhere, a large white truck came speeding toward him, slamming on the brakes but unable to stop in time.
Just as Rex was about to be hit, Amelia, with her ponytail flying, dashed in and rolled him out of harm's way.
The truck screeched to a halt several feet beyond where Rex had been. Amelia shielded Rex in her arms, saving his life in a heart-pounding moment.
The raw footage had no special effects, yet it was more thrilling than a movie scene.
When the truck was about to hit Rex, everyone watching held their breath. The intense sound effects in the short video only heightened the tension.
Some people even closed their eyes, afraid to see the boy get hit.
But then, Amelia's sudden dash astonished everyone.
Her quick reflexes and disregard for her own safety were remarkable. A split-second delay, and she would have been hit along with Rex.
In today's world, how many people would risk their lives for a stranger, aside from their own family?
Amelia's kindness and bravery earned widespread admiration.
More impressively, after the rescue, Lila rushed over, seemingly thanking Amelia, but Amelia said a few words and then walked away.
Clearly, she wasn't seeking any reward.
Such a dangerous act, even for a reward, few would dare. But Amelia asked for nothing in return, making her actions even more heartwarming and moving.
The video, just over two minutes long, showed Amelia only from the back. As she turned to leave, viewers tried to zoom in, but the quality was too poor to make out her features.
Yet, the power of the internet is immense.
When looking for bad guys, people expose all sorts of information. When looking for heroes, many come forward with clues.
For instance, the top comment under the video claimed to be from someone who was there.
They said the girl who saved Rex was beautiful and looked like a high school student. Amelia didn't want any reward or to leave her name, but under pressure from Lila, she reluctantly mentioned she was from the Martinez family.
Another top comment said they found a name badge near the intersection that might belong to Amelia.
The badge had a school crest on the left and indicated she was a senior in Class A.
Soon, someone identified it as a badge from Prestige High School.
Prestige High School is well-known online, even to those outside River City.
Being a prestigious private school, any video tagged with its location garners many comments.
Linking Prestige High School, senior Class A, and the Martinez family, it wasn't long before people identified Amelia.
Shortly after, some Prestige High School students confirmed that the only girl in senior Class A from the Martinez family was Rachel.
This revelation caused a major stir online.
It turned out to be someone from the Martinez family!
Rachel had accounts on various social media platforms. On this short video platform, her username was Charlie Little Bun.
She had around 200,000 to 300,000 followers, mostly posting polished selfies and subtly flaunting her wealth.
Rachel was admired for her looks, intelligence, and talent, with a wealthy family and five handsome brothers doting on her. Young girls envied her dreamlike life.
Once people identified her as the rescuer, her account was flooded with new followers, likes, and comments.
Within hours, her follower count surged from 200,000 to over 700,000.
Her latest selfie video received thousands of comments, praising her bravery and kindness for saving a stranger's child. They admired her looks, talent, and family background, marveling at how exceptional she was.
Some even dug up old videos featuring her brothers, Tobias and Kevin, with girls swooning over their looks, joking about marrying them.
Rachel was looking at her reflection in the mirror when she got a call from Kelly.
All night, she'd been worried about the red spots on her face, keeping her mask on all day, claiming she had a cold.
It seemed she'd have to wear a mask to school the next day, still searching for a way to clear the spots.
Rachel answered the call, hearing Kelly excitedly say, "Rachel, you did something amazing and didn't even tell us!"
"What?" Rachel was confused, having no idea what Kelly was talking about. "What did I do?"
"Don't play dumb," Kelly said. "Everyone found out the girl who saved the kid is from Prestige High School senior Class A and the Martinez family. Who else could it be?"
Save a kid? What saving?
Rachel was even more baffled.
"Check your TikTok," Kelly continued. "Your followers have more than doubled. You're famous now."
"But your reaction was so fast, and you weren't afraid at all. Tell us all about it when we see you tomorrow."
Rachel mumbled a few responses, then quickly hung up and opened TikTok.
Her phone lagged with notifications, all showing 99+ likes, follows, and comments.
Rachel took a deep breath, her hands shaking slightly.