Writing Duos with aelithchu
Darkest_Camera
He stumbled in and out of the light as the lampposts went by on the side of the street. The cold September air filled his lungs, bringing him a sense of freedom that couldn't be explained. The night was dark but the yellowish lights illuminated his path every few steps. A gust of wind hit him from behind suddenly and he started walking faster. The guy held his coat closed with frozen fingers. The package he kept close to his chest was wrapped in his old washed out shirt. It was silly, yes, but it was the only thing he had the time to grab before leaving his appartement in a rush.
From one street corner to another, the young man was unsure of where he was heading. His footsteps echoed as the entire city remained silent. The streets were empty and no vehicle could be heard from afar. His heart started pounding against his chest as a burst of adrenaline filled his entire body. With not a single person in sight, the man hurried down an alleyway and hid behind a large green dumpster. Alone and hidden, the man uncovered the small package that he had kept tightly close to him.
He laid out the bundle on his lap. The kitten squinted and started mewling repeatedly.
"Shit, not now," the boy muttered, rocking the cat on his knees, "Fuck, please don't do that. You're going to kill me." He facepalmed mentally. Rescuing a kitten in the middle of the night was probably one of the stupidest things he'd done. And he'd done stupid shit. What was he supposed to do? Did those things drink milk? Or was it bad for them? Thoughts were blurry in his head as he tried to remember if he had seen an animal shelter at one point in his life. Even then, he doubted it would be open at this hour. He was so distracted he didn't hear the footsteps coming his way until a bright light was pointed directly on his face.
"Excuse me sir, what are you doing?" Asked a tall and intimidating police officer holding his black flashlight. The young man jumped on his feet, "Oh, uh, I'm— I mean, nothing you should be concerned about, certainly.." The police officer raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What're you holding there?" He asked. "A kitten! Uh, a cat," the guy answered. The officer stared at him for a second and then shook his head, he proceeded to close his flashlight. "Alright, take care man," said the cop, waving and returning to his vehicle, "What a weirdo," he thought to himself, driving away. The young man sighed in relief, the cat moewed and he laughed, pressing his head againt the baby kitten. "What am I going to do about you."
The kitten rubbed its nose against the warmth of the boy's skin. It hit him the the poor thing must have been freezing. He shoved it back gently in the shirt and into his coat and made his way back to the street. His original intention when he found the cat on his fire espace was to go to his sisters house, a veterinary. But then he realized it was the middle of the night, and he didn't know the way to her house. And his phone was dead. His flat was now too far away, he would have to wait until the weather got warmer to head home. After a few turns he arrived in front of the only store open in the middle of the night. He pushed open the doors of the Burger King, careful to hide the bundle as much as possible. A girl was at the counter, busy studying multiple big manuals and papers. She had a long blond ponytail attached above her visor hat with the chain's logo. She looked exhausted. A few cups of coffee laid by her side. The guy made his way to a booth and the girl paid him no attention. He wasn't even sure she'd seen him. The kitten chose that instant to mew. The girl looked up.
Surprised and shocked, she asked, "E-Excuse me sir, what was that?" The young fellow froze, "That was... my ringtone! Yeah, uh, sorry about that." The girl adjusted her visor, "All good. 'Something you wanna order?" "I'll go sit down first, it's been a long walk to get here y'know so give me a moment." The girl nodded, "Of course, I'll be waiting," she said. The young man sat down and sighed once again. He bundled up the kitten in his coat and put it in the corner of one of the seats of the booth. He walked up to the young lady and ordered a few things. She started cooking up his food right away; she was working alone since it wasn't a very busy night. She told him she would call him when it would be ready so he walked back to his booth. Exhausted, the man peeked under his jacket. The kitty was gone. "You have to be kitten me."
The girl turned around and sled the tray on the counter, "There you go—" her eyes grew wide at the sight of the small creature on the floor, "Is that a kitten?" She asked in a high pitched voice. The man sighed, relieved to find it hadn't gotten very far. The girl jumped over the counter and sat down in front of the kitten, petting it. The man hovered awkwardly next to them.
"So, um," he started, "I'll leave the money on the counter I guess..."
"No need to," the girl said, not turning her attention from the animal, "This one is on the house. I think I've never been more calm since I started college." She giggled as the cat curled up in a ball on her lap. The guy sat down, watching them and eating his fries until early customers started coming in and out of the store. Soon there was a small crowd of nerve wrecked employees and college students around the kitten.
Later that day, surprisingly, the police officer the young man had encountered entered the Burger King. After talking for a little bit, and getting to know the story of what happened, he offered the guy a ride to his sister's house. He called her beforehand of course, since he didn't know her address. After such an experience, he decided he would legally adopt the cat and name it Bambi. The blond girl visited him at times because she enjoyed playing with the kitten. The two students remained friends for a long while. Even after Bambi passed away, the small cat remained in both of their hearts forever.
