It was early morning in the beginning of December, and the leaves of the trees were mostly changed now the cold spell of winter had gripped the city. People wrapped up against the cold in their winter gear. A few commuters wound their way down the vacant avenues to beat the rush hour that would come soon. The sidewalks had a harshness to them that caused those in transit to hurry to their destinations rather than mingle on the benches that lined the streets. On the other side of town, the river flowed through the city. Glassy but black, and in the cold air it looked as hard as the slate floors in his home.
The crisp winter morning offered blue skies and a warming sun that caused the dusting of snow that had fallen the prior night to glint prettily. It wasn’t uncommon for him to head out for a walk with Cooper on mornings like this. In the little free time he had before the all-consuming shift at the hospital would demand his every attention. His path today brought him from his house and through Central park, the tips of the high-rises winking through the trees in the early morning light. A remarkable sight. On all sides surrounded by the absolute forest of sheer-sided sky scrapers. There was a complex interplay of energy in the park, one he found quite soothing on a morning such as this.
Pulling his coat tight against the wind that attempted to burrow in any gap it could find in his attire he’d stopped in the middle of Bow Bridge to simply admire the view. Cooper, his short-coat beagle was wrapped in a plaid vest to take the edge off the winter chill. Typically, Alistair would never put his dog in clothes but the biting chill demanded some extra protection for his canine companion that common sense dictated it necessary on this occasion. Normally, Coop was never an issue when they walked and didn’t often require leashing; content to trail at Alistair’s side wherever they happened to be headed.
Today, seemed to be a different matter entirely, as Cooper had gotten it into his head that a stranger wanted to play and was currently bouncing and bounding in zip-lightning like circles around someone’s feet barking with every bound. The sudden commotion drew Alistair over looking thoroughly apologetic as he tried to rein the animal’s excitement though he was by far much slower than the young animal “I’m so sorry! He’s normally better behaved than this… I’m not sure what got into him today…”
Milly had been having . . . dreams. They weren’t bad dreams, necessarily, but they weren’t restful or calming either. They faded when she woke, turning from full-fledged visions into hazy, half-formed thoughts that she couldn’t piece together. They left her restless, and although she shook it off most mornings so that she could fall back into the swing of her day but every so often it left her too riled up to sleep again, and this was one of those mornings. Luckily she had a free morning and so she chose to bundle up and headed out to see where her feet took her. She wasn’t overly fond of the cold but she could brave it when necessary and this seemed like one of those necessary times. At least the chill cleared the cobwebs from her mind and she felt much better by the time she arrived at the park. It wasn’t a short trip from the apartment but it felt right to be at the park now.
She didn’t have a purpose as she walked, although she kept her pace up to try and stay a little warmer despite the cold air. There weren’t many other people out at this time and she paid attention to the few who were, watching curiously as she continued on her path. The dog caught her notice first, startling her into stillness before she chuckled, bending down and holding her hand out to him. “Well, hello there. Who are you here with?” He obviously was well cared for and she straightened up to look around, eyes landing on the clear choice for owner as he chased the dog down.
“It’s fine,” Milly said, with only a cursory glance at the man who came over, looking back at the dog with a bright smile. “He has a lot of energy this morning - I wish I had as much. What’s his name?” Her eyes lifted once more and she took a true look at the stranger, only to find herself frowning. She didn’t know him, but there was something about him that seemed known. “I’m sorry - have we met? You seem . . . familiar.”