In the rain, a solitary silhouette. A walker in a wide brim hat and a trench coat. Neon spills from the lamplights and billboards onto the wet, reflective concrete. Each step sends up a little splash, twinkling like sapphires. Each puff of his breath, cigarette smoke. \u201cIt will be alright, it will be alright,\u201d he mouths to himself, lips slick. He passes pigeons in sodden clumps, clinging to each other. The roaring of a train somewhere in the earth beneath him. He starts skipping.\u00a0 The click of his heels as he gallops. He catches a glimpse of himself in the reflection of a darkened window. His heart is thrumming, alight with exhilaration. He shouts into the empty street. Thunder booms, and the rain is coming down so hard he can\u2019t hear his own thoughts. With all the force of his being he lets out one more great yawp into the innumerable deserted corridors. It is drowned out in the din. — Christian Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n