Yolanda ran through the rain, cursing quietly at her choice of a simple singlet and jeans. She would be soaked to the bone - but at the moment, there were more important things to worry about. Moving her bag up and over her head to provide at least a little shelter from the cold droplets, she ran towards 7th Avenue Subway Station. Yolanda didn't know where she would go when she got onto that subway, only that she wouldn't stop moving. She couldn't stop. She squeezed her eyes shut against the rain and the cold for just a moment.

[i]"I think he's dead." Alu spoke in her quiet voice, just a hint of unsteadiness to it. She was fighting back tears as she looked down at the bird that had crashed into the east facing window of her home. Alu looked up at her sister, a pleading look on her face.

Yolanda looked back at her sister and grimaced slightly. The sweet young girl was right; he was dead. Yet, she seemed to doubt herself. Maybe her big sister could fix it. Maybe her big sister could fix death. Alu thought too highly of her but Yolanda didn't want to disappoint.

"I'll see what I can do, okay?" Yolanda said as she reached for the bird. Her fingers twitched, unsure if she wanted to touch the creature. The bird's wings twitched. She frowned and withdrew her hand, only to have the bird fall forward, as if connected by strings to her fingers. Alu looked up at her sister, her eyes now wide. 

"Yolanda, what's happening?" 

Yolanda barely heard her as she stood up, her hand still outstretched. The bird followed her lead and jerked up into the air, hanging, clearly dead and yet mimicking life. Alu had stood as well and had run inside, yelling for her parents. The next thing she knew, her mother and farhert were dragging her backwards into the house, away from the bird, who now flopped to the ground as her arm was forced down. She looked down at her hands. What had just happened?[/i]

Yolanda tore herself from the memory and found herself at the subway station. Glancing around, she slipped aboard the waiting train, unsure of where it was headed, not caring, and sat down. Her teeth chattered and her hair dripped. She unzipped the bag and removed a jumper that she had luckily made it into her bag. Pulling it on, she wrapped her arms around herself and put her face against hee folded arms, only allowing herself a small, relieved smile as she felt the train begin to move.