Raging Storm

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Julia had always loved running. It kept her alone, no one bothered her, and she could push herself into exhaustion. Sometimes it even helped her sleep normally. Despite the pain that racked her body, she pushed herself hard as the rain started to patter down. Every drop that fell onto her sent a resonating shockwave through her body. As if they were causing ripples under her flesh. It burned and throbbed and ached and she didn't understand why.

By now Julia had reached the stretch of woods that ran behind her neighbor hood. You could get lost in them if you weren't paying attention, but pick a direction and walk in a straight line and you'd reach the edge in a day or less. In the sunshine of day, these woods were inviting, cheerful and relaxing. But with the branches dancing in hte growing wind, illumination coming in flashes of lightening and thunder dark clouds giving everything an eerie dusk light, Julia had these woods to herself.

The pressure in her skull was excrutiating, it felt like her brain was boiling and that sharp clawed scorpions wreethed under her skin. The wind lashed rain inter her eyes, mixing with the tears of pain streaming down her face and Julia wrapped her arms around her skull, hoping hte physical pressure would ease the internal but to no avail. As the thunder battered her eardrums and lightening tore across the sky, Julia allowed herself ot rage out here where it was safe. She screamed and thrashed, kicking and striking an old bent and gnarled tree. She felt the skin on her hands tear and couldn't stop herself. The rain washed the traces of blood away while she contrinued to howl and shriek, wishing she could vent out hte pressure. When a huge blast of thunder rattled her to the core, she fell to her knees and let loose a blood curtling howl from her gut.

Panting from the exhertion, Julia collapsed to her hands and held herself off of the muddy ground with shaking arms. The storm around her continued to rage on, but soem of hte internal turmoil eased. It was always like this, during a storm. The chaos outside pulled the terrible darkness out of her and to the surface. Sick with pain and dizzy, Julia started to retch when she heard something approaching.

Oh shit, the rabid animal. Ju thoguht wearily, too tired to even think about running away. But it ws just Graham who stepped out. Oh great, now the cute guy KNOWS you're a head case. Julia managed to push herself back so she leaned against the tree she'd been abusing earlier.

Without saying anything, Graham walked over and sat down next to her, ignoring hte rain drenching him or the mud soaking into his jeans. He just sat next to her while the thunderstorm started to wear itself out around them. At one point of time he offered her another piece of gum from his pack and she gave a tired, humourless smile and was embarassed as hell and oddly grateful to have him there.

When the thunder started to rumble away and the rain eased off a bit, Grahman got to his feet and offered his hand to help Julia up. "You have to be careful in these woods. There's a pretty nasty pack of wolves that roams the outskirts of this city." he offered randomly.

Julia got hauled to her feet and frowned. "That what decimeted the farmer's sheep?" she asked curiously. Graham nodded his head kind of side to side, not really a yes or a no. 

"Could be. Or could be a rogue wolf running outside of the pack. We like to pretend we're a big metropolitan city, but we're three feet from country bumpkin out here. We get a lot of wild animals moving through here. Some stay and behave, some misbehave and most move on rather quickly." he explained cryptically.

Uncomfortable with the weird conversation, Julia decided to ignore it and change topics. "Listen, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone what happened. I'm... ah... well..." she trailed off, not sure how to ask him to not let everyone know she was batshit crazy.

He smiled at her and it was a little creepy. "No worries, you're not the only one with secrets.:"

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