Raining Cats, Dogs and Maple Syrup

Thunderstorm

The morning started out with pale grey clouds, patches of drizzle scattered throughout the northeastern quarter. There were less customers than usual, likely due to the weather and the two had nothing better to do so they started cleaning the restaurant. While wiping down the drink station, one of the glass cups had been knocked over by mistake and were sent down the tile below with a loud shattering sound as glass fragments had spread out across the floor. Upon hearing the sound of shattered glass, Cooper's pupils grew wide, his chest heavy and his breath was rapid as he gasped for air while in a state of panic and mental shock, remembering the adventure through the windshield glass just a few days earlier. He reached out to Cookie and began stress-petting them, not that Cookie minded, they adored head pets. Prudence took notice of this sudden change ''Are you okay Cooper?'' ''Yeah, yeah, I'm okay, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm completely fine.'' ''I'll take your word for it.'' The rest of the day went as usual, sparse customers and the restaurant was clean as a whistle by late afternoon. ''Hey, I think the grey clouds are moving west, they were wrong about the storm after all.'' Soon it would be she who would be proven wrong. 

As in a matter of minutes, the sky darkened upon our humble mountains, the myriad of rain splashed across the forest of pines and the Pancakeria's lumber rooftop while thunder crackled across the sky. Cooper looked out the window to see if what Prudence was saying about the weather clearing up was true,  then a boom of thunder shook the tables and chairs sending them drifting a few inches and Cooper's body became devoid of color. It was as if he was painted white from head to toe by a clan of mischevious invisible imps, motionless, eyes giving the stare of a thousand yards, he was frozen in terror. Prudence took the terrorized stiff figure of Cooper and took him upstairs to the attic, hopefully safer from the storm. Cooper managed to thaw from his pale white state of constant fear once away from those windows that reminded him of his most recent and distressing trauma. ''You aren't completely fine, are you?'' ''What makes you think that?'' ''You froze in terror at the sound of thunder.'' ''Okay, you want to know my story? Well it started last Thursday...

I was driving up the mountain to get a first-hand taste at Papa Louie's delicious pancakes when I was caught in a sudden thunderstorm and began hydroplaning. I couldn't stop so I tried to pull over and ended up crashing into a pine tree, Cookie was ejected from the car in the accident and apart from some cuts and bruises I was unharmed. But my last night at the hospital, I started experiencing flashbacks of the accident, sometimes they're in the form of dreams and other times, like you saw with the shattered glass, it can be triggered by things that remind me of the accident like broken glass, thunder, the scent of wet pine needles. I get this panicking stress response even though I'm out of danger, I've been thinking about it ever since I was discharged. Sure I haven't sustained damage physically, but maybe, just maybe, I have sustained some damage mentally. I'm now traumatized by the rain of all things! ''Have you asked the hospital staff about what could be going on?'' No because if they knew I was like this, that I was broken, they would keep me in there for longer and reduce my chances of finding Cookie again.'' Prudence looked concerned for Cooper, would it be selfish to confess her love to him right now, when he was suffering? Cooper immediately noticed the distress and anxiety in Prudence's eyes. ''I am so sorry for unloading this on you.'' He stuttered. Prudence just took his hand, rested her head on his shoulder and said ''It's okay, it's okay.'' The two sat facing the attic window revealing the rain hadn't completely stopped but the storm was over, sun rays shone through the glass revealing a rainbow stretching to somewhere over the mountain.