Friend

Darren is a watchman. He is alone.
He stands on the outpost. He is alone.
He makes a cup of tea. He is alone.
He breathes warm air into his hands. He is alone.
He thinks of the sand, wind, air. He is alone.
He makes his bed for sleep. He is alone.
Darren is a watchman.
Darren was alone, but now Darren has a friend.
Hello Friend. Friend looks at Darren.
Darren doesnt move, don't scare Friend. Darren slowly raises his arm to wave hello, a gesture of friendliness to Friend. Friend stares.
Hello Friend, says Darren
Hello Friend, stay with me.
Darren doesn't want to be alone.
Friend looks cautiously around. Friend moves towards Darren. Darren's heart leaps. Darren isn't alone anymore.
Friend! crys his heart
Friend looks at Darren and sniffs the air.
Darren puts bread on the ground and stares at Friend.
Friend moves forward to eat.
As Friend does this Darren imagines life with a companion. A friend.
They would be happy. He would be happy. He would be content as the watchman on the outpost, happy with his friend.
Friend looks up from his bread and stares at Darren. He sniffs the air again and scurries away. He is not a friend he is a rat. He is a rat with rat things to do.
Darren looks at the crumbs of bread the rat has left. Darren's heart sighs. Darren is alone.