Damian zipped his coat up to his chin. Fall in Wisconsin meant enduring what other states considered to be winter. The crisp October air threatened to tear his skin from his bones if he let it. The leaves had changed to vibrant, colorful shades of orange, red, or yellow, but it was likely that they would be frozen in place, unable to escape their branches.
Damian enjoyed the cold. He truly did.
He just enjoyed it from the indoors, where it was safe.
Thankfully, Max Potential was only a short walk from home. The bus was certainly a viable option, but Damian knew better. It was almost midnight. Anyone on the bus at this hour was best to be avoided.
Damian contemplated how squirrels—the more civilized rat, in his opinion—could possibly survive winter in the Midwest when he saw a flicker o
