Umbrella (girl x girl)

The Town

Rain crashed on the windshield of the truck. Wave after wave rolled down from the roof, blurring everything beyond the confines of the little rugged cabin. Inside, it smelled strongly of hay and rubber. Outside, it smelled of petrichor and mud. That brief day of sun was now gone, and it wasn't coming back any time soon.

They were parked along the main street of the little town. Willow watched the droplets roll down the side of the passenger window, her eyes filled with interest. Sawyer, however, had long since become immune to the wonders of precipitation, and was busy digging around between the seats.

"Yes, welcome to our lovely town, Willow. I swear those of us who live around here would evolve gills if it rained any harder." They gave up in their search, "Promise me you brought an umbrella because I can't find my own."

"Don't worry, Mom was very adamant about me having one. She said it's the best form of protection against anything out here,"

Willow pulled out the little umbrella her mother had so lovingly packed. Instantly, Sawyer's annoyed expression faded to relief.

"Oh thank goodness, your whole side of the family is made up of angels, I swear," They said, zipping up their jacket, "Alright, out into the hurricane?"

They popped the doors open and climbed down into the soaking grey street beyond.

The town was supposed to be the economic hub of the entire Valley, but truthfully, it was just a dwindling little settlement made up of everyone who was too old to work on their farms anymore. There was no thriving main street, no fancy tourist attractions, and only one restaurant that doubled as a cafe --and it was only open three days a week. Half the buildings were made of brick and the rest were made of wood, and all of them were crumbling or fading in colour. But it was peaceful without the noise or the chaos that always accompanied the big cities to the west, and the scenery was breathtaking. Even though it had it's flaws, there was still a lot to admire about the little town.

"The best part about living in a town where everyone knows everyone is that you can make friends in no time. Granted, there aren't a whole lotta younger people out here, but there are plenty of young souls!" Said Sawyer.

Willow's umbrella was large enough to fit over both their heads. She carried it silently, not quite sure how to respond to this. Seeing her expression, Sawyer and let out a laugh.

"I'm just messing with you. This town is just plain old, both in age and in... thoughts and opinions. I suggest you keep any progressive city-girl views you have to yourself. Just to avoid offending folks, y'know,"

"Wait, what do you mean?" Willow asked.

"You'll figure it out, don't worry," They said dismissively, "How about I start by introducing you to my friend Reg? I think you two would get along,"

"That sounds nice," She replied, her voice soft.

"Wonderful! That way I can also get the six dollars he owes me!"

Sawyer tugged her down one of the few side streets. It was full of potholes and cracks, having been ignored by the higher offices of government for several decades. But that was fine because the street wasn't very long anyway. It ran about a hundred metres off the main road before it ended abruptly at the boundary of the forest.

On the very end of the road was a shabby looking car depot. It was a rough white cube of a building surrounded by a field of concrete, spotted with the remains of several dismantled cars and trucks. The air around it was completely filled with the scent of steel and gasoline so strong that not even the rain could drown it out. Various metal objects were strewn about, adding to the rustic appearance. Willow had to be careful not to trip on anything.

A paper sign was taped up on the front door of the building, reading: "Closed for Lunch". Despite this, Sawyer still knocked a couple of times just to see if anybody was around. When nobody came to answer the door, they spun around the building, looking for any signs of life. Meanwhile, Willow remained standing under her umbrella, watching from afar.

"C'mon, Reg, where you at?" Sawyer called.

Suddenly, a slim figure appeared from behind one of the many dismantled cars, approaching them leisurely. Willow didn't even get a chance to see the person's face before Sawyer quickly moved in front of her. The gesture was strange, almost protective, but Willow didn't seem too bothered.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Keep your head down under the umbrella," Sawyer said.

Their voice was suddenly very cold. It was nothing like the goofy, sunny voice of before. Sawyer seemed almost tense, so Willow had no choice but to obediently lower her head beneath the umbrella. But when Sawyer turned to face the new comer, she couldn't help but raise her head just a little bit.

"Sorry, Reg is out for lunch," Said a deep, yet distinctly feminine voice, "Is there something I can help you with instead?"

"No, just tell him he owes me six dollars," Sawyer said coldly.

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Willow lifted the edge of the umbrella slightly. First, she saw a pair of black work boots, stained with mud. Then as her gaze traveled up the person's body, she was able to see the figure of a pale woman dressed in a black jumpsuit. Her arms were so unhealthily skinny that her bones were almost visible through her translucent skin. The woman's face was attractive in an almost uncomfortable sort of way, with glittering black eyes and messy black hair that framed her high cheekbones. As she observed this stranger, Willow was frozen as still as a statue, gripping her umbrella a little too tightly.

"Alright, will do. Is there anything else you need?" The woman said.

"Oh, no. Everything is fine, thank you." Sawyer grabbed Willow's arm and started pulling her away, "See you around, Tawny."

The woman named Tawny nodded silently. Though her voice had been quite friendly, her expression was completely neutral, showing no emotion at all. She looked like a perfectly normal person, but Sawyer had been so tense after speaking with her, it was rather strange.

As the pair hurried back down the street, Willow glanced over her shoulder. Tawny was still standing where they had left her, watching them go in silence. Then after a moment, she blinked and disappeared back into the jungle of automobiles.

"Who was that? What happened?" Willow wondered aloud.

"You stay away from that woman, understand?" Sawyer said quickly, "You do not wanna get involved with a person like that,"

"Why not? Who is she?"

"Her name is Tawny," They replied, "People around here... they don't like her kind. --Except Reg, of course, who was willing to take her in when nobody else would dare. Threw his dignity down for that one. He's got a big heart... too big if you ask me,"

Willow frowned slightly.

"I don't understand. What's wrong with her?"

"I'd rather not say. Just promise me that if you encounter her again while you're here, you won't try to talk to her. I can't risk your reputation getting ruined before anyone knows what a nice, pure girl you are,"

Their voice was so firm, Willow didn't pursue the subject any further. She just silently held the umbrella up and followed Sawyer back towards the center of the town.

...