On a 

Tuesday

afternoon, Ray walked the sidewalk west under the 

overcast

sky. It looked like it would 

rain

soon, but this didn't deter people from being out and about. Or maybe that was why there was no shortage of people on the street? Because they were trying to arrive at their destination before the rain finally came.

Almost everyone had their 

umbrella

at the ready. Ray's hand felt empty, not being able to grasp the handle of his. Before leaving his bedroom he had not taken it. It was only once he was two blocks away from his house that he had noticed that it was probably going to rain. His pace had slowed for a few steps as he thought of turning back, but he decided to just trek on through. If he got wet then so be it.

It was not that he was in a hurry either. Tuesdays were his most open days. It was that the thought of returning for an umbrella didn't appeal to him. Or less so about the umbrella, and more that the thought of returning home didn't appeal to him.

He hated that house now. He never ate there and he'd constantly find excuses for why he had to be out. Some evenings he'd be at the 

library

until the only people around were the 

nightstaff

 

janitors

and any

students

pulling an

all nighter

. The last category was usually not present except for during midterms and finals week.