- Bucket -
"Someone! Anyone! Please!"
A voice called out from close by. I stumbled up from the doorway of the butchers shop to search for where the voice was coming from. Shivering, I rubbed my fingers together and blew on them, as if it would help at all. It felt as if they could have fallen off any second. I realised the voice was coming from the alley just beside me.
"Anyone! .... anyone, please!...."
The voice was still pleading, but slowly getting weaker. Breaking.
Losing hope.
Quickly, I peered into the alley. It was pitch black so I couldn't see anything. Hesitantly, I lit a match and gasped at the sight in front of me.
There was a woman. Her body was mangled and she was covered in blood, desperately looking up at me with pleading eyes.
"....p-plea..."
She held up a small bundle.
"........please........" I stared back for a moment then realised.
"Oh my god! Are you okay?! What happened?!I need to get help!"
Before I could move she grabbed my sleeve.
"Please." She gasped, placing the bundle in my arms. For its size, it was fairly heavy. I moved some of the smooth material and couldn't believe my eyes.
A baby.
I looked back at the woman. She'd stopped breathing. Her eyes remained open, as did the small smile on her face.
I guess she was happy someone could save her child. After closing her eyes out of pure respect for the deceased lady, I headed out of the alley. Still processing the whole event, all I could do was drag myself along the path for a while. I was only brought back to my senses when the cold child began crying.
And I cried too.
We sat in front of the butchers shop together. Just...crying. I stared at the child, smiling through my tears.
"Hey there, kid......my name's Bucket."
She turned silent.
And opened her tiny, hopeful eyes...
(10 years later...)
