The sun had begun to set as I stood up in the alleyway. All that was left of the mango was the skin and the pit, the monkey currently nibbling on the little parts left behind on the discarded skin. Standing looking up and down the alleyway, it finally dawned on me. I had nowhere to go. I was so excited to be on my own, so happy to get away from my parents that I had forgotten I was in a foreign country. I sighed aloud at my new dilemma.

An earth shattering bang echoed through the streets. I walked out of the alleyway glancing around the market. I felt a tugging on my leg, as I looked down the monkey climbed up the rest of my body resting on my shoulder. I glanced to it as I continued to figure out where the noise had come from. All the vendors looked to be packing up for the night, no one seemed to be frightened or concerned by the noise from moments before. The loud bang repeated making me jump slightly at the suddenness. I glanced beyond the river to the jungle on the other side. Just above the mountains, dark menacing clouds began making their way towards the town.

Of course it would rain. I thought. I had nowhere to go and soon I would be soaking wet. Letting out another sigh a flash of light materialized from the clouds, followed by another bang. I had never heard thunder so loud, so close, it honestly sounded like a gunshot. I began walking down the street as it started to rain, looking for any place I could spend the night. The monkey clung to my shoulder as we were soon drenched in water, my hair clinging to my neck and face. Continuing to walk down the noe empty market we began passing by boats on the docks, the monkey jumped off my shoulder running to one of the boats. I looked for the monkey, feeling a little disheartened that my new friend left so suddenly. I watched it jump onto a boat, I squinted to see it better but couldn't read the letters on the side. However I could see it looked like a complete dump. The monkey was probably someone's pet who was just returning home. Another thunderclap slammed around me, shaking the ground, you could feel the electricity in the air. I needed to find a place to get out of the rain, and the new fear of getting hit by lightning. I was now completely alone here, for a brief fleeting moment I contemplated going back to my parents. I shook the horrid thought from my head. There was no way in hell I would go back, not now not ever. I began walking towards the town, where it looked like some of the places were still open when someone called out.

"Hey!" a man's voice echoed through the night. Another thunderclap slammed through the atmosphere. I turned around at the voice, noticing a light on the boat where the monkey had gone. I could faintly see the silhouette of a man. I shielded my eyes from the rain, straining them in the dark to see if I could see any features. Another light illuminated the night, revealing the man with the monkey hanging on his shoulder. I smirked, seeing that the monkey had indeed returned home. I focused on the man now, he was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, his arms looked too big for the shirt.

"You brought Kong back?" he asked in an American accent. I looked in his direction confused at his question.

"Kong?" I asked.

"The monkey." he said like I was supposed to know.

"Oh ya." I said.

"Thanks." he yelled back, I waved in reply and continued on walking.

Needless to say the interaction stayed on my mind. I considered going back to introduce myself, I thought against it for obvious reasons. I was a single woman traveling alone in a different country, it wasn't a wise thing to do. That man though, just wow, I could tell he was very well in shape, almost a military physique. I remembered seeing pictures of my grandparents coming back from war in their uniforms. Both of my grandfathers had large, broad shoulders always back in a perfect stance. I could only make out parts of the man's face, I think he was handsome but I guess I would never know for sure. I smiled and waved and started to walk again. I didn't really see the man in detail but I did see him.

I walked into a sketchy looking bar that was open and ordered a water. Once I was handed the cool drink I made my way to the back of the bar, sitting a booth. I took of my bag and went through it, checking to see if everything was still dry, thankfully it was. I rummaged through bag taking notes of what was in it. My passport, money, and an extra pair of clothes. Just one extra pair, I let out a small groan as I took a gulp of the water. It looked like I would have to go shopping tomorrow for some of my essentials and a pair or two of clothes. I took another large gulp of my water making a mental list of the things I needed to get tomorrow, while simultaneously trying to make the time go by.