Asami

It's raining.

All I wanted to do was read today's paper, but it's coming down so fast that the paper would turn to mush in seconds. So I've stuck it under my jumper, or what passes for a jumper… I've lost count of the holes in this damn thing. I'll probably end up with newspaper print stuck to my skin at this rate.

I try to squeeze back further into my spot, pushing myself against the wall, making the most of the two inches pf pavement that passes for a dry spot. I guess it's not as sheltered her as I'd hoped, certainly not when the weather turns to shit like this. I clutch my knees to my chest and sigh as my stomach rumbles again, like it has been all morning.

I'm actually starting to feel queasy from the lack of food, and the last thing I need is to pass out, be taken to a hospital and probably left to die. I fumble in my pocket to check its still there. Yeah, it is. The card, with the coin still fixed to it. It's been a week since I took it, and the woman… Korra… has been to see me a couple of times since, bringing food, drinks, and idle chit chat. I suppose, if I'm honest, I'm… starting to like her.

The rain slows to a drizzle, and I pull the card out, turning it around in my hand. I'm not much of a believer in the gods of this world, but even I find it a little peculiar when the sun starts to come out and a single ray of light just happens to fall almost deliberately on the small square of card, almost like it's highlighting Korra's number.

"Heh." I say out loud. I've found myself making little noises to myself lately, even talking to myself. I tell myself I'm just doing it to keep my sanity, and it's normal. I really hope that is the case.

The sun comes out in all of its glory, seeming to push the rainclouds away. I squint upwards at the nearest skyscraper, and that's when I see it… there's a new advertisement stuck on the billboard up there… and it's… it's a gigantic picture of a very fierce-looking Korra, promoting some new action movie.

She looks kind of hot, actually.

It's weird that that's my first thought, rather than "what the fuck?" but hey, my mind works in mysterious ways, and I've learnt to accept it. I look at the card again, this time feeling more confused than anything else. Why the hell would some movie star do this… why would she even have the time of day, when barely anyone else does?

I'm half-tempted to call her right now, because I'm curious, despite my reservations, and despite my distrust of strangers. What's her game? Maybe it is a game. Maybe she's researching some new role for her next big movie. Yeah… that's probably it. I sigh, put the card back into my pocket, and try to put thoughts of Korra-the-hot-movie-star to the back of my mind.

I haven't seen Earl in a couple of days, and I really hope he's okay. He's quite old now, and the crazy weather can't be helping his bones. Take today for example - it's freezing, and the rain earlier was ice cold, colder than it should be this time of year. Most of my pants are drenched, and whilst the sun is shining, I can barely feel its warmth.

As though to spite me for my internal complaint, the yellow orb suddenly vanishes behind a thick layer of clouds, and I'm quickly feeling colder, shivering even. My belly growls again, and it's actually painful this time.

As I'm grimacing to myself, some passer by looks down at me with suspicious eyes, and I snap,

"What are you looking at?"

He quickly scurries by, completely oblivious to the fact that I'm grumpy, and snapping at him because I'm literally starving to death. I curse the fact my body needs food, it's nothing but an inconvenience, after all.

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to will away the despair threatening to take over. And to think that I told myself I'd never give up. But here I am, a mess, unable to find any answers, any way to get out of my plight. I absent-mindedly fumble at the card in my pocket again.

Well… it's got to be better than starvation, I figure, standing up, and heading to the address of the nearby shelter. Sure, I'll lose my hard-earned spot, but hopefully it'll all work out, somehow…