Loren let out a sigh as she stepped off the train and walked out into the rain. The 45 minute wait for the train had been brutal as the wind had picked up and the rain hit Loren from every direction. She shivered constantly as there was nowhere that she could go for cover. There were several people who came onto the platform but they had umbrellas that they used as shields against the raging wind.
When the train had finally arrived, Loren found it packed with so many passengers who were going to the neighboring city of Hunts Point. She squeezed her way and spent the next 30 minutes cramped among everyone. Her stomach was growling a lot from skipping lunch and she couldn't wait to get home to eat the bowl of spicy basil noodles that she had made herself for dinner the previous night.
Now, she walked quickly toward her apartment which was several blocks away. Jackson Falls was a small city that was slowly getting even smaller due to the economic downturn that had been happening for the past five years. Businesses were closing shop and the streets were getting emptier day by day. Many people who could afford to leave moved to Hunts Point where the economy was on an upswing. Loren desperately wanted to move there but she could not afford it. She was stuck in Jackson Falls.
Loren's shoes splashed in a puddle of water as she could not avoid it. Her wet shoes flooded with the water. "Shit!" She shouted with frustration. It was like the puddles had gotten even bigger especially on the few blocks to her apartment. She ran through them as that was the best thing to do to get home quicker.
Her apartment complex was several gray ugly buildings. The elevator was always broken and the five flights up to her apartment was a daily workout for Loren. Her shoes squeaked as she made her way up the stairs. There was loud music playing on several of the floors as well as people shouting at one another. She got to her floor and squeaked her way to her unit.
As she opened the door, she was greeted with loud laughter. In the small apartment, Loren's roommate was slouched on the couch with her boyfriend. They were both staring at the television as they passed a joint back and forth between one another. The coffee table in front of the couch was covered in empty beer cans and Doritos chips.
Paula turned and looked at Loren with a blank expression. "Is it raining?"
Loren nodded as she closed the door. She hung up her wet coat and then she slowly took off her shoes and then her wet socks. Reggie let out a loud laugh at the television. Loren glanced over and saw that it was a commercial for laundry detergent that was not humorous in anyway so she figured that he had to be either drunk or high or even both.
Paula had been Loren's roommate since college and she was the worst roommate anyone could have. She was messy, loud, and always high. Loren hated living with her but it was the best she could afford. Paula did not do any of the chores in the apartment which led to Loren doing them all in order to not live in a complete pigsty.
"Hey, Loren! What up?" Reggie shouted. He took a long puff on the joint and then let out a big cloud of smoke.
"Hi," Loren grumbled. She walked into the kitchen where the dishes were piled in the sink. She ignored them with anger rising inside of her. It would be her that had to wash them as Paula would let them sit forever. She was about to open the refrigerator when Lazarus bounded up to her. Lazarus was Loren's cat and the only saving grace to coming home to her shitty apartment.
"Hey, Lazarus. How are you doing?" Loren squatted and ran her hands over the cat's smooth fur. Lazarus purred with pleasure. Loren glanced over at the cat's bowl and saw that it was empty. "Did you feed Lazarus?"
"Oh, sorry. I forgot," Paula said in way that proved to Loren that she did not care in the slightest.
Loren grit her teeth and walked to the cabinet to get a can of cat food. She opened it and dumped the food into the bowl. Lazarus ran over to his bowl and began to eat like he hadn't eaten in years. Loren shook her head with anger at her roommate's negligence. She then went back to the refrigerator and opened it. Inside were lots of takeout cartons and beer. Loren moved the cartons aside and tried to find her small container of noodles. It was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, Paula. Did you see a plastic container of noodles in here?" Loren called out.
"Oh, my bad, Loren! I think I ate it!" Reggie said from the couch with a grin. "There's some Chinese food in one of the cartons that you are welcome to. I think its about a day or two old but it's still great!
Loren grit her teeth again and closed the refridgerator. She had been looking forward to those noodles all day. She was too tired to cook so she grabbed a bowl and then a box of Cheerios and poured it in. She put some milk in, grabbed a spoon, and then headed to her bedroom. Lazarus walked behind her as he had finished his meal.
Loren's room was so very tiny. She could only fit a twin-sized bed and a small desk in it. Her few clothes were packed tightly in the small closet. There was a window that faced the brick wall of the opposite building. Rain was splashing against the window pane. A single pipe ran from the ceiling to the floor near the head of the bed. The heat had not kicked in yet.
She closed the door as she entered and got into bed. She wrapped the big striped blanket around her and began to eat. Reggie let out a loud laugh from the living room and then Paula began to talk loudly about a tv show that she wanted to watch. Loren frowned with annoyance and then grabbed her cellphone and began to play some music. It was the only way that Loren could drown out the noise of the two of them.
Lazarus hopped onto the bed and nuzzled against Loren. She ran her hand over his coat. "I know, Lazarus. I wish we could get far away from here too."
The cat looked up at her as if he understood. Loren ate the cereal and then after a while stretched out on her bed. She was so drained from the day that she didn't even have the energy to take a shower and put on some fresh clothes. Lazarus lay beside her and she petted him as her eyes drooped. The sound of the heavy rain hitting her windowpane slowly lulled her to sleep.