The woman patted her hair. It was ruined, definitely. Not that she cared. She had little use for the opinions of other people. Humans! Such a petty, disagreeable race. The woman knew she was one herself, but to be a human actually brought a blush of shame to her cheeks. And she wasn't even a notably wonderful human. She had no occupation. It seemed that her lot in life was to wait for the bus forever.
Where was that damn bus?
Out of nowhere, a figure appeared in the rain. It approached her, slowly but surely. The woman glared suspiciously at him- her- it, no, him. It was a man. She could see him clearly now.
He wore no coat, just a long, plaid shirt and black pants. He was balding, probably in his late forties. He held nothing of interest except for a gray folder. And, the woman noticed with certain panic, he was not in the least bit wet.
"The rain is terrible," said the man.
The woman was taken aback. "What?"
"The rain," the man repeated. "The rain is terrible."
"That it is," agreed the woman. "And yet you, sir, are not wet."
"Rain doesn't bother me. However, you look completely drenched."
The woman narrowed her eyes. "Yes. I'm wet. And cold. This has not been a good night for me."
"This has not been a good life for you," said the man.
The woman was caught off guard. This was not someone whom she knew. And yet he seemed to know, in his matter-of-fact way, exactly what her problem was.
"You are considerably unhappy with your life," the man went on. "I have come to you with an offer."
"An offer!" snorted the woman. "Nothing you can offer me will change my life. I'm a street mouse to these people."
"These people," echoed the man. "These people: humans. Humans don't appreciate you."
"They don't," the woman said bitterly.
"But surely you have realized that you are human."
"Of course I've realized I'm human. That doesn't mean I have to like it."
"You don't. You don't like it and you don't have to. However," the man held out his folder, "I have an offer. I can change your life. Not your past; your future. I can reverse your destiny."
The woman's eyes widened. Now she was genuinely afraid. "Reverse my destiny? How? To what?"
"Your future, as you must know, does not look pleasurable. I can change that. I can make you rich and successful, with a good husband and a nice house." He paused. "I understand these things are desirable to..... humans."
"Yes." The woman nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, they are very attractive to me. But I'm no fool. You want to make me rich and successful, fine, agreed. But you want something for yourself, too."
"I am in want of nothing."
"You're going to reverse my destiny. In exchange for what?"
"Your humanity."
The woman's heart gave a horrible jolt. "My humanity!" she gasped.
"Yes. You will live as a human, look like a human, act like a human, be a human- but human things will not be known to you. No sadness. No loneliness. No anger or frustration. But at the same time," he stared hard at the woman, "no happiness. No comfort or satisfaction. No love."
"No emotions whatsoever?"
"Yes. That, and no memory of the past as you have now."
"No memory of my past? I don't want that!"
"Your past is not a happy one."
The woman hesitated. It was true. There was little to celebrate when regarding her experiences. But still.....
"There are happy memories," she argued. "My childhood was no party, but I had good times. Friends. Parents."
"So, you will sacrifice a successful future for a few insignificant memories?"
"Yes," said the woman simply. "I will sacrifice a successful future for a few insignificant memories of happiness, comfort, love and many memories of humiliation, anger, and hate- for my humanity," she added with a cold smile.
"You have made your decision, then?"
"Yes. I'm sorry. I guess your mission has failed."
"No," said the man, withdrawing his folder. "My mission has been completed." He smiled for the first time, nodding down the street. "The bus is coming."
The woman followed his gaze, and when she turned back, he was gone. Simply disappeared into the rain.
She stepped carefully onto the slippery steps of the bus. She told the bus driver, "I'm headed toward the library."
The woman sat down, surprised at herself. The library? What was she going to do there? She didn't know. But she felt like going to the library.
And she had never felt so like a human.