"Reptile Brain Romance"
The neon lights bled into streaks of color like spilled watercolor paint on the rain-slick windshield as Jack navigated the familiar streets. His phone buzzed insistently on the passenger seat, Melissa's name flashing on the screen. He sighed, the weight of his decision a physical presence in the car. He answered, "Hey," his voice gruff. "Jack," Melissa's voice, a siren song laced with desperation, filled the air. "I need you. I'm on the street again. Please come get me." As Jack weaved through the city's underbelly, his mind drifted to the first time he met Melissa three months ago. She had been sitting at the bar, fingers dancing across piano keys only she could see, humming a haunting melody. Her talent for music was one of the first things that drew him in, a glimpse of beauty amidst the chaos that seemed to follow her. He spotted her on a corner near Fordham Road, a lone figure illuminated by the harsh lamplight. As she...