Brucie opened up his crusty pale white eyes to be blinded by the inside of the plane’s light. A pain came to his head for a moment and he grunted. Brucie stretched his back and looked out the small window. They had landed. It was raining heavily outside and he was very tired. His long bright blond hair was damp with sweat and the plane window was wet with rain. Drops of water slowly dripping down the window, sometimes colliding with other drops and making itself bigger before falling to the bottom of the window. He moved his arm which was asleep but quickly put it back due to pins and needles. He gave an angered look at his arm and stared at the blue soft seat in front of him. The miniature television was cracked and broken. He had tried turning it on when his hands weren’t drenched with sweat, but there was no luck. His hand was awake again and he grabbed it with his other arm and twisted it to verify that it still worked. It was very quiet. People started to fuss around and it was unpleasant compared to the silence before. Then, the plane came to a stop and people stood up and their backs cracked and they stretched and wiggled out of discomfort. Brucie stared out the window with his back against the seat and his arms crossed. “So this is New York,” he said looking out at the tall brightly shining living city. He looked over to his left to find that everybody had exited the plane and the only one who remained was him and an old woman. Her light above her was shining and she had been sleeping the last time he checked. Brucie got up from his seat and felt a pain in his head from the blood rushing down from his body and head. His knees cracked and he let out a grunt and stretched. He looked at the lady, she looked asleep, he should wake her. He stepped out into the narrow hall and reached into the white compartment and grabbed his brown suitcase. He looked at the woman, dare he say a word. “Ma’am?” He asked. She didn’t respond at all. She didn’t even… even breath. A terrified expression ran across brucie’s face. He grabbed her on the shoulder and shook her but all that moved on her was her flower dress. She was pale, too pale. “Ma’am!” He yelled. The flight attendant walked over. “Sir please exit th- “ She noticed the woman. “Ma’am!” She called out while placing her pale ears and red hair against her chest. She looked at Brucie and walked to the cockpit. Brucie knew it was time to go and picked up his bag and started out of the plane. The flight attendant rushed off to the back of the plane. Before he left the plane, he turned around and approached old woman and shut her eyes. He turned and walked off the plane.

He walked through the airport with his bag gripped firmly in his left hand and his phone in his right. As he walked through the shops, he started to forget about the lady. When he reached security, he looked at the man and walked through the machine. After walking what seemed like a marathon, he arrived at the exit. It had to be midnight. The first thing he felt as he walked into the cold air was the icy sting of rain on his neck. This shocked him and he took a step back into the airport. Brucie opened up his phone and called his sister, Susan, who happened to be picking him up. She didn’t answer but shot him a text a few minutes later saying she was going to be late. "Typical," he thought of his sister to do something like this. She wasn’t your normal girl, she could fight and throw a punch if provoked. She smoked a lot but that didn’t seem to bother Brucie, it was the drinking and gambling he hated. She was always out late drinking and playing cards with money she didn’t have. Brucie would send her money and she would come back asking for more, and he would oblige everytime. Brucie came to America to start a new life with his sister and her delivery service. He thought that he could help out and they could make some money. He also learned that she had started doing drugs and rarely dealing them. She got in trouble with the law quite a bit and Brucie would bail her out from across the ocean with money he barely had. Brucie and Susan’s mother had recently died and he had been taking care of her. She said she had always wanted to move to America; the land of opportunity and freedom - but she could never afford it. Now Brucie has come to spread her ashes at the top of the tallest tower in the city and finally give her the freedom she deserved. She was his mother and she deserved to be treated like if she was a queen.

Susan pulled up. She reached over the brown fabric seat and opened the door of the old black sedan. Brucie sprinted to the car and somehow got his hair wet. He closed the door and his wet hand slipped off the knob. He gave an angered look at his sister. “What?” She asked. Brucie sighed and looked in front of him. She changed gears and took off. “Look, I’m sorry I'm late but I was at a really good game of cards and I could have won if it wasn’t for you.” Susan explained. Brucie looked over with an evil frown and stared at her. She quickly drew her eyes at the road and had a worried look on her face. “I’m sorry, Brucie.” She apologized. Brucie looked out the window at the buildings passing by. There were so many people trying to make a living with shops you'd never think to go in.

"How was your flight?"

"Average..."

"Did you bring Mom's ashes?"

"Uh huh... They're in my suitcase."

Susan reached into her back pocket with one hand on the wheel and pulled out a pack of cigarettes - plopping one into her mouth.

"Brucie... You got a light?"

Brucie shot her a menacing look. "You know I don't smoke, Susan."

"Tch... Dweeb."

She took the cig out of her mouth and tossed it onto the dash.

The bright street lights passed one by one as Brucie followed them with his eyes. Each one almost told a story; some were brighter while some were dimmer - each was unique. Susan took a hard right that startled Brucie.

"Gosh.. Watch it!"

"Shut up ya old crank..." She stopped the car. "We're here."

They arrived at the old but well kept building. They both got out of the car and rushed under the building to get out of the light rain. So this is where all Brucie’s money was going.  It was so cold compared to home. It was close to winter, about a month from it. They walked over to the elevator and pressed the button. It opened up and they entered the metal elevator. It smelled of fish and it seemed extremely worn out. They went up about three floors and came to a squeaky stop and opened. Heat came from the long hallway and it was a fresh smell, a complete 180 from the lobby. The two walked down the well lit hallway to a big heavy wooden door. All was well.