Chapter Two
So, he may have forgotten about the pictures and boxes in the closet, stuffing the photographs in his nightstand next to a printed spreadsheet about the best types of bread.
In the meantime, Warren’s been creating a new life for himself, forgetting almost completely about the event that had occurred about 2 and a half years ago. He found friends both in and outside of work Sally and Paulina, and he has formed quite the bond. Mostly about their shared love of knitting and crochet. They even formed a knitting club inviting a few new friends as well. He’s joined a book club that Cecil and Theodore founded, making him laugh and feel a new sense of community. During one of their book club meetings Theodore asked him to play chess.Warren agreed, which resulted in him joining a chess team and participating in local tournaments. Realizing how much he enjoyed and liked knitting was actually pretty good at it.
As the boxes were collecting dust, Warren began to renovate the apartment, remodeling the kitchen and bathroom, repainting the entire place to feel more happy and uplifting less of the dark purples, tans, greens, and yellows that first covered the place. Now they were still in the same base colors, but they overall allowed the flat to have more light.
To him marking a new chapter in his life, even though everything before was blurry.
About two years later, with encouragement from Thalasse and Alette he learnt how to drive. They kept saying how even if Ren didn’t want to buy a car it's an important life skill to know. At the end of the day, he didn’t end up buying a car but instead a Triumph Bonneville motorbike, which he now used as a main method of transportation to and from work. He now was also able to make trips across the country and because of this new freedom even started volunteering at an animal shelter.
One day while volunteering, he was doing the rounds walking one of the dogs, Otto- a labrador shepherd mix. While outside Otto was digging and barking in the garden bed, as Warren tried to talk to him to convince him to stop, he saw what Otto was trying to get at, a rat. The rat looked to be malnourished and dying. He couldn’t stand to see the innocent rat dead, so he picked it up taking it and Otto back to the animal shelter where he then asked Helene-the owner, if there's anything he can do to save the rat. In response she said there was a possibility. Feeling some a newfound connection to the injured rat- not wanting it to die because of Warren’s neglect.
“Thank you doctor, I appreciate your help.” Warren said, as he walked out with his new pet rat name yet to be decided. The doctor said it was the runt of the litter, most likely abandoned or separated from its family. Poor thing, Warren thought, a little thing without family or friends. I’ll be there for you. You’ll never feel alone again. Warren thought as he pet the very squirmy rat. The rat, who had been determined a female, was additionally suffering from hypothermia but that could be solved with thyme and care. On the plus side, she wasn’t suffering or containing any other diseases as far as they could tell. Making Warren feel better, no need for a rabies shot today, He then went to a nearby pet store grabbing a cage, food and water bowl, toys, a heat lamp, anything he deemed Evangeline, nicknamed “Worms” for the fact she would wiggle and make a little dance that looked as if she was a worm. Warren was excited to take care of Worms, happy that he could save her in time and importantly that Worms had warmed up to him in a sacred connection he didn’t quite understand