OUROBOROS

15th of November 2034

Rain, nothing but the amplified sounds of pouring clouds against damp concrete was audible. It gave clarity to a peaceful night, sharply interrupted by the oncoming sound of a car engine barrelling down a modern suburban neighbourhood. A Blue soda can laid along the road, hollow echoes radiating from the aluminium interior as the rain tickles it. Thick Red and Blue lights accelerated through the fog of hazy rain, the police cruiser would crush the can and send it hurdling towards the sidewalk as forced by the car's much more important journey.

Two men sat within the cruiser, cloaked in the shadow of the night with a glum and dull expression wracked across their faces. Only ever illuminated by the sirens of Red and eventually followed by Blue. Jake was the driver, a Jackal with Autumn fur and deep blue eyes that harboured determination and radiated righteousness. His partner Andy, had a puzzled expression and was sat just across from Jake, having his arm propped along the fogged, cold window. The meaty fist of this pale white furred husky was resting against his weary head. One thing was for certain, neither of these cops seemed too happy and the weather accommodated the pair's emotions beautifully, this silent night was a morbid one. For they had a homicide, one such homicide that left a bad taste in each of their mouths.

Radio chatter filled the squad car, it was suppressed for the time being and instead they were mainly listening to a radio host discuss the growing tensions within their world and country. People were commenting on violence towards a group of people known as 'Outsiders', they were protesting. Demanding rights to be removed from said people. One such man behind the radio was holding a sign and talking angrily to the police chief far out at the rainy city hall away from here. A reporter for the news and Radio was also there, holding a plastic wrapped microphone to guard against the rain. The sign would simply display the words 'OUTSIDERS OUT' in a cold, crimson Red among a crowd of people holding similar signs and chanting in harmony with one another.

"We've had ENOUGH! THE REAL PEOPLE. HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE I TELL YOU! UP.. TO.. HERE!- I will Stand here and wave this Damn sign in your face day and night because what else am I supposed to do.. Huh? We can't fight back against these fuckers LEGALLY even if we wanted to. But I won't rest, no.. I will not. Not until I know those monsters are locked back up in a lab or better yet- Prison.. I won't sleep easy knowing my Children are exposed to those Outsider scu-"

The Jackal's tired and baggy eyes flickered towards the hostile radio, immediately running the volume slider down to silence. Deciding he had enough listening to the political mumbo-jumbo for one damn night.. He just wanted to get this over with and go home to his lovely wife. To his perfect slice of life tucked away in a pretty little suburban cul-de-sac just like this one, and to sit and forget all the violence and hatred in the world with his lover. That was home for Jake, but like all men he had a job to carry out. No matter how difficult, he knew a night of relaxation was earned through a day of tribulation. The police cruiser would decrease in speed, Jake would pull down a gear and pull into the drive-way that belonged to a beautiful Blue coloured home. Suppressing the bright lights atop his car and giving his partner a silent glance just as he applies the parking brake. They'd emerge from the car and each take their police caps off to show respect as they approached the comfortable looking home. Contrary to the beautiful blue paint, this door was coloured blood Red.

Jake and Andy stood in front of the door, the Jackal's ears perked up wearingly of the mumbled television chatter coming from inside the home. Staring down at the 'HOME SWEET HOME' Mat along the floor as his heavy knuckle hammers the front entrance. One second passed and then Six or so before the flurry of noise inside came to a complete stoppage.

It wasn't long before they were greeted by an old lady with a matching fur colour to Jake's own, he gazed into her eyes and he could see that they even shared the same eye colour. Her fur was drier than a desert, her shivering fingers clutching a lit cigarette just while her mouse tail recoils reflexively at the sight of two police officers, the harbingers of horrible news, she thought. Andy could immediately tell by her distraught face, as well as her puffy eyes from crying. This lady was expecting to hear the worst.

"Can.. I help you- kind officers?" Upon hearing her voice, Jake would stand in silence before realising Andy was leaving this duty to him only. The Jackal peered down at the welcome mat once more before resuming eye contact with a sincere rumble in his gentle voice "I'm afraid not, Ma'am. We're actually here to deliver you some news regarding one.. Rosco Jackson? We know you made a report for his absence and we may have an update on his whereabouts."

Her face scrunched up, almost as if she was suppressing a waterfall of tears. Insisting that she distract herself. "Rainy night tonight- Isn't it b-boys?" The mouse lady took a drag from her cigarette, ash fell from the tip as her quivering digits betrayed her sense of humility and calm.

Andy would peer over his shoulder momentarily before clearing his throat awkwardly and continuing to avoid eye contact with her. Jake narrowed his eyes at her response and decided a blunt approach would be best, she clearly needed this bandaid ripped off one way or the other. "Ma'am I'm afraid your son may have been involved in a homicide relating to an organised crime crew of which he possibly affiliated himself with. We'll need you to come to Morisville to identify the body at the local morgue there where he is being examined."

Just as the Jackal got the sentence out, the old woman collapsed to the floor in a flurry of tears and wild emotions. Clutching her chest and weeping herself into a ball along the doorway "No- No.. He- He.. Oh, Rosco.. My sweet Rosco." No words could describe her endless sorrow and worry, losing a son? Jake felt his heart skip a beat, he saw his mourning wife on the floor in her place for a split second. Rejecting any and all form of professionalism that his job required and kneeling to her level respectfully, rubbing her shoulder in desperate attempts to comfort the grieving mother. Andy would turn, rubbing his snout and power-walking back towards the police cruiser. He didn't do good in emotional settings like this. But Jake could relate, despite not having a son or daughter he knew he wouldn't be the same without a loved one.

"Listen to me."

His voice broke the sound of the pouring rain and frantic sobbing like hot knife through butter, fixing an intense gaze on her watery eyes and speaking to the depths of her very soul. Her cigarette laid idly along the welcome mat, burning an angering hot Red as the wind catches it's fluttering ambers. "Whoever did this will get what's coming to them, you hear? I'll make sure of that. I have a wife of my own, I don't want my kid to grow up in a world of monsters. You're a strong woman, none of this is your fault and you have to promise me you'll remember that." His hugging embrace met the mouse just as the wind caught the cigarette, throwing it to the wet pavement further down the walk-way. The sizzling amber would be extinguished, nothing but ash remained in it's once firey fury. 

Andy stood by the car, drenched in pouring rain and gazing at his distorted reflection along the wet window of the car. Glancing back over his shoulder and watching his partner physically console the elderly woman, taking another longing glance just down the road towards a steady stream of rainwater following a route towards a storm-drain. Along this stream was the cracked Blue can from earlier, approaching the drop off before disappearing permanently into the darkness of the drain.

Tears, now the tears have joined the rain in harmony and perfect silence. Merely indistinguishable compared to the downpour. Just like us, the world can cry too.