Rory and Wolf

Chapter 1

Pov. Storyteller

Rory walked through the streets hungry and cold, the temperatures were 18 degrees below zero, it was one of the harshest winters recorded in 20 years, it was so cold that the tops of cars, sidewalks and roofs of houses were painted with a thin white layer of snow, the raccoon had his hands under his old coat trying to keep them warm with his body heat, only removing them from under his coat when he found a trash can, the raccoon quickly removed the lids from them, he will sometimes kick them because he felt his hands hurt in contact with the cold metal of the lids.

It was difficult to find anything there, as if all the rest of the food had disappeared, Rory imagined himself finding a piece of an apple, even if it was just a bit, it was already worth it to him because he felt very hungry, so that imagination disappeared, leaving only his belly growling. Rory looked inside that open trash bucket but there were only bags and plastic cups there, the angry raccoon kicked the trash can causing the plastic cups and plates to scatter on the floor and then be carried away by the strong wind.

Rory went to another rubbish dump and found nothing, it was empty and the third one was full of rice, leftover food and worms, Rory felt sick when he saw it and still smelling its putrid smell he almost felt like vomiting.

Disconsolately, the raccoon left the dumpster walking along the sidewalk with his head down and with his hands under his coat, there were some stores with windows in the place and some people inside having lunch with their families, seeing that was torture for the raccoon who was alone and also hungry, Rory caught the smell of roast turkey, chicken, meat and tuscan dishes invading his nostrils while his mouth salivated as he imagined tasting those delicacies but once again his imagination was gone. with him feeling his belly growling but this time with more force.

Rory continued walking when he heard the owner of the restaurant give orders to throw all the remaining fruits and vegetables in the trash, Rory cheered up a little knowing that those fruits and vegetables that were left would be dumped in cardboard boxes in front of the place, the raccoon waited until some men appeared bringing boxes with leftover food and vegetables.

Rory saw two local employees bring the boxes with the leftover fruits and vegetables and put them on the sidewalk, and then go back into the restaurant to get the rest. Rory approached and went to get an apple and a banana that were still fresh.

- What a waste they threw these fresh fruits in the trash - thought Rory, approaching and picking them up.

The raccoon let out a scream and let the fruit fall to the ground when he looked back and saw the restaurant owner who had hit him with a broom in the back.

Why did you do that ? - Rory asked the owner of the restaurant, a 32-year-old cat.

- Go beg somewhere else, this is no place for beggars and bums - said the restaurant owner.

- I didn't do anything, I was just picking up these fruits that were in the trash - said Rory.

- Outside! - said the owner of the place, trying to hit the raccoon with another broom that would have hit Rory squarely if he hadn't dodged.
Rory, dodging the blow, still managed to grab an apple before running.

The raccoon ate it while waiting for the opportune moment to go back to where the boxes were and get more fruit, but the owner of the restaurant was still there at the door of the place, with a broomstick in his hand, Rory waited patiently until the moment he could go back there but unfortunately saw the garbage car passing down the street.

- Oh no! - said the raccoon, realizing that all those fresh fruits and vegetables would be thrown into the garbage cart.

The garbage car stopped in front of the restaurant where Rory had been expelled, and the Raccoon watched from afar as the local employees threw all those fresh fruits and vegetables into the garbage car, which then crushed them.

The owner of the restaurant and the two employees looked at Rory with a hungry face and let out some laughs, making fun of the raccoon's face.

- You'll pay for this! - thought the Raccoon while looking at the three.

Rory continued walking aimlessly going from trash can to trash can looking for something to eat but finding nothing. Rory passed by a house that had the TV on and heard the news that the temperatures would continue to drop.

- Everything could get a little worse! - thought the Raccoon when he heard that news.

Rory continued walking when a gray wolf stopped to ask him for information.

- Excuse me, do you know where 09th Street is? - The wolf asked, not looking very comfortable because he was talking to someone.
Rory soon noticed that the wolf didn't seem to be from that city, he seemed lost there.

- I'll answer you if you give me some change - said the raccoon, belly contracting with hunger.

Rory saw the wolf look at him strangely with a mixture of astonishment and disappointment.

- I'm really sorry! I'm very hungry, ok I'll tell you where it is, you don't need to give me any change - said the raccoon.

The wolf stared at that little raccoon and thought he was 12 years old or older and wondered what that little raccoon was doing on the streets, abandoned, and even more so in that cold.

- I'll buy you something to eat - said the wolf, looking at the hungry raccoon.

- Thank you - said the raccoon, already salivating with hunger.

Rory followed the wolf to his address showing him where the so-called ninth street was, the wolf's house was a two-story American style house with a garage and a small space in front, Rory noticed something he hadn't noticed before, judging by the house and the way that wolf was dressed he didn't look like someone with little money, Rory even thought he could be a play boy.

- Thank you very much - said the wolf to the raccoon.

- And my help? - asked the raccoon.

- Oh yes, I had forgotten - said the wolf, taking his wallet out of his pocket and looking for some banknote to give to the raccoon, but his wallet was empty and his money was in the bank, he couldn't just leave there and go get his money because the agencies they were tied up because of the cold. I don't have anything with me here right now but I can prepare something for you to eat, and just stay here and wait, wait and I'll be right back - said the wolf entering his house while the Raccoon stayed outside in the cold with a disappointed face like if it had been passed back.

The raccoon waited a few minutes, sitting on the doorstep of the wolf's house, when he got up and was already thinking about leaving, he heard the door of the wolf's house open and the wolf appeared carrying a ham sandwich in his hand and a glass of water. hot chocolate in another.

- Hang on! - said the wolf

The raccoon returned and took them from the wolf's hand, who watched him eat everything very quickly as if he hadn't had a good meal in a long time. Rory was so hungry that he ended up burning his tongue while drinking the hot chocolate.