On the U-Bahn

A young girl stepped onto the train. She had very short red hair beneath a yin-yang headscarf, and was wearing black leggings and Doc Marten boots.

She sat next to an old lady, who looked quite perplexed for some reason. Eventually I noticed that the girl had a bulge in her jacket, and she was stroking something inside. The old lady was watching.

Eventually, a small pink nose ventured out from inside the jacket. The old lady said something to the young girl, and they began to chat to each other. Eventually the young girl brought out the rat and let the old lady stroke it.

The rat was a pale golden yellow colour; it sniffed at the air inquisitively and looked around the crowded carriage. Nobody seemed to pay it much attention.

The girl smiled.