Thirst

Drought

Imagine a place where all your dreams come true. A place where it never rains. A place where it's always a nice, breezy, summer day...

Well that's not this place. Where we are, it never rains. Not a single drop. It's always a dry, hot, blistering day.

The only thing that people are dreaming of here is a tall, cold, glass of water.

★.·'¯'·.·★ JUNE 23rd, XXXX ★·.·'¯'·.★

It's 3:37 in the morning. Why is he still awake? Well that's an easy one. If he falls asleep, he knows he won't wake up.

He needs to drink something, but his mother- if she can even be called that anymore- won't give him any water.

"We have to make this last." she says

"At least until the next fall."

The fall was what they called rain. It happened once every ten years. The towns folk would set out their pots, pans, bowls, you name it. Just to catch as much pure and un-tainted water as possible. To preserve they're water supply, they only allowed themselves one cup of water every other day. Some would go as far as stealing their neighbors water if they were running low just to avoid drinking the tainted stuff.

The tainted water has a chemical that completely re-wires your brain. You'll have the urge to work constantly without stopping to eat or sleep. It forces you to work yourself to death. Literally.

He knew that, he pondered it every night. So much so to the point it gave him nightmares. Just thinking about working for that dreaded factory was enough to make his stomach turn.

★.·'¯'·.·★ JUNE 23rd, 5:17 AM ★·.·'¯'·.★

His mother was awake now. He could hear her preparing for the fall. She urged him to get up and stand outside with her. He felt so weak but obligated. At least during the fall he'll get something to drink.

He struggles to sit up, even with the help of his mother. But by some miracle he manages to stand and walk outside.

He sat himself down on the stairs leading to his porch. He watched as his mother hurried to gather pots, pans, bowls, and even plates and sat them out on the porch.

'Only half an hour until the fall, I wonder why we have been cursed with this.'

He thought to himself. Why did they have to fight for something as simple as water? What kind of god lets this happen?

Suddenly, he feels a drop of water hit his nose. The fall started early? Soon a drop turned into a drizzle, then a drizzle to a pour. This hasn't happened before,  so why now? Why today?

The rain started to get heavier, the towns people were confused as to why this was happening. Then they saw the water rising. At that moment they finally realized, even after so long without water...

It began to flood.