Reunion

"I'm tired…"

Maybe the second time I say it will make the world realise how troubled I am. What am I troubled by? Maybe it's the homework looming over my shoulders every waking hour of the day, gripping my attention in hopes of one day being completed. Maybe it's the stress of living alone and preparing my own meals, including the one I had just consumed and whose dishes I'm currently washing. Those both sound incredibly poetic in my head, but the obvious answer is probably that today is Friday. I'm ready for a brief respite.

I place the last plate in the drying rack and turn off the faucet before turning my attention to the rest of the room.

There shouldn't be a whole lot left to do in this tiny studio apartment. You can see basically every corner from here, and it's not all that interesting. Just a bed in one corner, a desk in another corner, the tiny kitchen in this corner with an added dining table, and a small sofa/tv combo occupying the remaining space. One short hall leads to the bathroom and entry door. Perfect for exactly one person.

"Alright, I have two options. I can either be a good and productive student and work on my homework a little before bed, or I can go walk outside and enjoy some fresh air."

I looked around the room for input to help solve my major dilemma. I see on the counter the bowl of fruit that Mom had sent me with at the start of the semester, hoping to at least somewhat promote a healthy diet. Unfortunately for her motherly concern, the items have not been touched. The pale purple ribbon is still tightly holding the plastic wrapping together.

No matter how long I look, the items do not respond. I guess I have to be the one to make all of the choices here.

"Yeah, I can deal with homework later."

Procrastination wins.

* * * * *

A cold wind blows through my grey jacket and chills the dark green shirt just above my skin. Ask just about anybody and they would say that we're in for a rainstorm, but I'll worry about that when it happens.

As far as the direction of my meandering is concerned, I could go left of this small apartment complex and hit the park. The other option is to go right and end up on the road to school. The park is at least 100 steps further and I can't be bothered to put in that much work.

"I probably should have at least brought an umbrella…"

The die has been cast. It's not like I'm not still within the lot of my apartment and could easily travel up to grab an umbrella.

I follow the sidewalk for as long as possible, but it quickly ends as the road becomes flanked by trees. There was still plenty of grass before hitting the bridge, but it wouldn't make any sense to extend concrete to an unwalkable space. The clanging of metal rings beneath my feet as I step over the last drain before becoming a car accident waiting to happen.

Except for the wind, the space is quiet and peaceful. No noisy neighbours above, below, or beside me. No cars ro ruin the view with their headlights. Everything is perfect—or it would be if it hadn't started raining.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

The downpour was quick and decisive, soaking me from head to toe in a matter of seconds after the first drop. It wasn't until I finished sprinting to the bridge that I would receive a dry moment. The ground may have already become effectively a marsh, but there were at least enough rocks such that I could climb down to the cover provided by the structure.

"I was lucky that I left my phone and wallet at home…hm?"

I'm not alone. Cowering in small huddles are a group of floppy-eared friends. It's hard to tell if any of them got caught in the rain, but they certainly look more warm than I do.

"Even the feared mafia doesn't appreciate a bit of rain. Can't say I blame you."

They either don't mind my presence, or are simply willing to take their chances against me rather than nature itself.

For several minutes, I camped out with the silent pack of rabbits beneath the bridge. It doesn't look like I'll be able to get back with a dry bone in my body.

"I guess that's my fate sealed. You all stay dry."

I wave at the rabbits before sprinting back out into the storm. If I'm going to be soaked anyways, might as well be soaked while bringing myself closer to not being soaked.

I can barely hear anything, not even my rough breathing. My thoughts are barely even able to form with the constant impacts to my skull, not that I need any thoughts to get home. It's not long before the sidewalk appears and I leap over the muddy grass onto the concrete. My pace isn't broken as I splash through the waves flowing into the drain.

While I can't hear the metal grate, I can feel the edges against my soggy shoes and sock.

Squeak

I slow to a stop, the rain continuing to pound against my body relentlessly.

"That must have been my imagination…"

I could barely hear the sounds of my own footsteps, there was no way I would be able to hear such a small whimper. Was it even a whimper? That was the word that immediately came to mind but I have no reason to think that the sound came from a small animal. Why am I imagining a small animal? The sound is already gone, which wouldn't make sense if an animal was in trouble.

My eyes are drawn to the grate. The gaps between the bars are kind of large now that I look at it. They would have basically no effect on something as large as a human, but I suppose it's possible that an animal, say the size of a rabbit, would find itself fitting through the bars. But that wouldn't make any sense. A rabbit would have no reason to go down into the man-made space forsaken by all life.

"I need to go home…"

Every second I stand here, the colder my body gets.

We may only be halfway through autumn, but that isn't to say that it doesn't get very cold at night. If I'm out here any longer, I wouldn't be able to trust my immune system.

I try to turn around and continue running, but something is continuing to pull me back. It's all inside my head, the thoughts that I shouldn't even be able to hear in the noise. Nonetheless, it holds me in place.

"Alright, fine! It doesn't hurt to at least check!"

I yell to nobody in particular before running back to the storm drain built into the concrete walkway. To my dismay, I didn't find nothing.

A small creature is crouching down within the torrential rainwater. Everything is pouring into a smooth funnel to the sewers, everything except for the rabbit holding on for dear life to avoid being carried away. Its fur coat is stained a murky brown and it can barely open its eyes with the constant stream of water.

"Hold on, I'm getting you out of there!"

Rabbits might have exceptional hearing, but I doubt even it can hear me at the moment. Regardless, I quickly crouch down and begin pulling the metal grate. It's heavy, much heavier than I had expected.

"Damn it! Move! Please, just move!"

The weight was obviously too much for me, but that didn't matter. Little by little, the metal scraped against the concrete as I moved the grate with some strength that I didn't know I had. I wasn't the only one struggling. The small creature was also slowly losing strength, inching closer and closer to the point of no return.

Everything was in pain, everything felt cold, it all felt as if I could pass out on the spot. However, the rabbit still hasn't given up on life, so I can't give up on it either.

"GRAAAAH"

My body screamed alongside the grate as an opening large enough for my arms finally presented itself to me. I quickly drop down into the streaming water and reach to the small creature. My numb hands can't feel its fur, but I know I have it in my grasp. The rabbit doesn't have the energy to struggle, it barely kept itself out of the hole by the time I brought it into my arms.

"Hah…hah…I got you now…"

I can barely feel any warmth from its body. Yet as I hold the creature close to my chest, I feel it trembling.

"Let's get you warm now."

With the rabbit cradled within my shirt and jacket, I sprint back to my apartment.