When she finally pushed her shoulder into the door and managed to wrench it open, she was overcome with the sweet scent and gentle pitter-pattering of the summer rain. It was warm and for a minute Carrie lost herself in it, smiling up at the clouded sky. All of a sudden, she was brought back to Earth by a meek, shaky, Mew. Her eyes snapped from above to below and there she found the cause for the rattling sound that had woken her up so early, not allowing her to sleep in on her rare day off.
It was the smallest kitten Carrie had ever seen. Though it was probably shrunken by half its normal size due to the sticky, hot rain pinning its brindle grey hair to its bone-thin body. It was really quite pitiful, starring up at Carrie with wide yellow eyes that seemed almost too big for its miniature triangular head. But Carries heart swelled with compassion for it. Like her, this poor feline was a stray. She scooped it up into her arms and immediately could feel its shedding, damp fur cling itself to every inch of her bare arms. Her nostrils twitched with the rank smell of wet dog, garbage and sewage. The first thing youre getting is a bath, she told the purring kitten as she closed the door. Though her attention was focused on her new roommate, Carrie was careful not to wedge the door too tightly back together. She didnt know if another hopeless refugee might stumble into her life again and giver her reason to be.









