OK! I've decided 3 votes yes is enough, Time for the first part.
Part One: The Boy in the Rain
The rain was coming down hard when Adrian first saw him. At first, he thought it was a discarded bundle of clothes beside the road. Then it moved. A boy sat beneath the overhang of an abandoned building, knees drawn to his chest. He couldn't have been older than eight. His thin, pale-gray clothing was covered in tiny numbers and unfamiliar symbols, and a plastic band circled his wrist, bearing a series of identification codes. No coat. No shoes. Just a child shivering in the rain. "Hey, buddy?" The boy's head snapped up. Adrian stepped out of his car, raising both hands when the child recoiled. "Easy. I'm not going to hurt you." The boy stared silently. "What's your name? Where are your parents?" His lips parted. "...Leave?" The word sounded unfamiliar on his tongue. Adrian's expression softened. "Oh, kid." He removed his jacket and held it out. The boy examined the fabric before pressing it against his face. "Smells like rain, huh?" "Rain," the boy repeated. "Yeah, rain." This time, the word came out perfectly. Adrian frowned but helped him into the oversized jacket, careful to stop when the boy flinched at his touch. "Sorry. I'll let you do it." When Adrian asked if he knew where he lived, the boy shook his head. Asked if he was hurt, he touched his wrist. "Bad." "What's bad?" The boy looked up. "People." Something twisted painfully in Adrian's chest. "Okay. You don't have to tell me anything else." He offered his hand. "Come home with me. Get warm, have something to eat. We'll figure things out tomorrow." After a long hesitation, the boy slipped his cold hand into Adrian's.
During the drive, the boy watched the windshield wipers sweep back and forth. "They help me see through the rain," Adrian explained. "See. Rain." "Exactly." By the time they reached home, the boy had stopped shivering. Adrian also noticed he'd figured out the seat belt without being shown, but decided not to dwell on it. The kid had been through enough. Inside, Adrian found him clean clothes and an oversized sweatshirt. "Bathroom's there, kitchen's through that door. Sit wherever you like." "Bathroom," the boy repeated. "Yep." "Kitchen." "You're catching on." The boy studied him before replying, "You're catching on." Adrian blinked, then laughed. "Smart mouth, huh?" The boy seemed pleased. Adrian made him soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. The child watched him eat before carefully copying his movements, finishing everything and staring at Adrian's remaining sandwich. "Still hungry?" A nod. Adrian pushed the plate toward him. "Go ahead." The boy ate eagerly, making Adrian wonder how long he'd been alone. Later, Adrian showed him the spare bedroom. "You can sleep here tonight. I'll get you proper clothes tomorrow." The boy stared at the bed. "Sleep?" "You know what sleep is, right?" Silence. Adrian demonstrated by lying down and closing his eyes. The boy immediately copied him, folding his hands over his stomach. Adrian almost smiled. Because the boy lay perfectly still, his breathing so shallow that Adrian had to watch his chest to reassure himself. "Hey, you don't have to do it exactly like me. Just get comfortable, okay?" The boy rolled onto his side and pulled the blankets up. "Goodnight, kid." Adrian reached for the light switch. "Adrian." He froze. "What did you say?" "Adrian," the boy repeated. Adrian was certain he hadn't told him his name. Then he remembered his wallet lying open on the kitchen counter, his driver's license visible beside it. "Right. My wallet." The boy said nothing. Adrian switched off the light. "Goodnight." As he closed the door, he heard the boy whisper the word to himself. "Goodnight." Then, almost perfectly imitating Adrian's voice: "You're catching on."
