Specificity

A "The Common People" story…

...water all around, a thundering sound that might turn one deaf were death not waiting around the corner already. Panic, fear and terror. Being ripped away from comforting warmth and sent to darkness and despair, not understand how or why...

"Zack? Are you okay!"

"Oh my god, he's choking, someone help him!"

...claws scrabbling for purchase, for a way out – freedom and life denied repeatedly despite every single attempt, water pouring into the darkness, stealing lives away too quickly, too suddenly...

"Help! Someone please, help us! Our friend's-"

"He's not choking. He's trying to breathe."

"Wha- Zack! Wait! The hell-"

"Where is he going? Follow him!"

...sinking now, falling into something cold and far too powerful, struggling anyway, alone now and not understanding how or why this could have happened...

"Oh god. Oh no, oh god. Help him!"

"Why? What the hell is under that grate?"

"Just help him, Michael!"

...water all around, suffocating, slipping into tiny lungs despite the struggle and the fear and the desperate cries for help... for something, anything to make this stop, to be safe and warm again...

A boy climbs out of a sewer, assisted by his friends. One who has no idea what is going on, but helped, simply because there was no way he could do anything. Another who has guessed what just happened, having been taking into confidence weeks ago.

"I'm sorry, Zack. Oh god, I'm so sorry. Are you..."

"One of them is still alive. I can feel her."

From a plastic bag, a small body is withdrawn. A kitten, shivering and moving weakly, soaked through and through, mouth opening wide suddenly in a plaintive, piteous and silent wail. Cradling the small kitten in one arm, soothing it in ways neither of his friends will ever hear, the boy stands up. And picks up the bag, water streaming out of the many small holes and tears in it to pool at his feet.

"C'mon. I've got something to return to someone."

"He can-"

"Yeah, Michael. He can."

"Oh. ...you saw the face of the person who did this, didn't you? Through... through the kittens?"

"Yeah."

"And you felt them die."

"...yeah."

"Right. C'mon then. Let's go. I'm going too."