Clouds Cover the Sun Because they like the warmth

A Strange Encounter

A loud ring awoke Manon from her slumber. Manon lightly tapped on the button before sitting up. She stretched her arms and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Five a.m, the clock read as Manon got out of bed and walked over to her closet. Pulling out a gray short sleeve shirt, a gray blue plaid skirt, gray tights, and a gray blue jacket that ended at her waist. Manon changed out of night gown. Once again checking on her wound. The bandages were if anything a fail safe in case she pulled a stitch, but for now it was healing well. Forming into a ugly scab to say the least. After rebandaging her stomach she returned to her room, and changed into the clothes she had laid out before slipping out of her room. She flicked on the light switch to the kitchen, grabbing a bowl from a cupboard followed by a box of cereal. She ducked down to a cabinet and grabbed a kettle before running some water into it before placing it on the stove and letting it heat up. She walked over to a different cabinet and grabbed a tea bag from a box alongside a mug from another cabinet before walking over to the fridge and grabbing milk. She walked back over and poured her cereal in before pouring in the milk. She placed both back in the original places as the kettle began to hiss. She grabbed a towel and turned off the stove before pouring the hot water into the mug and placing it back over an unheated part of the stove. She walked over to her pantry and grabbed honey before going to a drawer and grabbing two spoons. One to stir her tea, and the other to eat her cereal. Walking back over she grabbed a spoonful of honey and stirred it into the water before dipping her tea bag in. She removed the spoon and placed it in the sink alongside placing the honey back in the pantry before turning over to her breakfast and moving it over to peninsula and began to eat her breakfast, and drink her tea. Once she finished she did the dishes. Before grabbing her purse. Double checking that she had her wallet, and keys. Before leaving the apartment. Double checking it was locked before making her way to work.

It was around a twenty minute walk before she arrived at the cafe. The lights were on in the back informing her somebody was there. When she opened the door she was immediately greeted by her coworker Rebecca. She was an inch shorter than her, a pale woman with blonde hair, and deep brown eyes. She wore a blue dress over a white turtleneck shirt, a white scarf, white tights, and blue dress shoes. She already threw on the brown apron over her clothes and was already starting on most of the chores. "Marianne!" Rebeca exclaimed as she turned around to give her a warm smile. Manon gave her a polite smile back as she placed her purse over in a cubby next to Rebecca's. "What else needs to be done?" Manon asked as she grabbed her apron. "Some muffins, and a few of the fruit loafs." Manon nodded as she got to work. With Rebecca mostly assisting her in baking. Considering Manon was more experienced in baking. Soon the smell of fresh baked bread and coffee filled the cafe as they placed the freshly baked goods into areas to grab for later. Only a few minutes after they opened they were well swarmed with people on their way to non ending jobs, or tourists wanting a meal before wandering off to tour the grand city. Rebbeca and her were busy that entire morning rush. Which slowly became more manageable as more of their coworkers showed up. Almost everyone was given a station. One person passed out food. About three worked on drinks, and two were behind the registers taking orders. The day never seemed to come to a slow end as businessmen and women turned into tourists and regular civilians. Even while there were significantly less of them. It still felt crowded. Manon found she did not mind. Eventually she got a small break. She took a glance to look at Rebecca and noticed her face of discomfort. Manon may had only been working there for a week but she could tell the difference between a genuine smile from her, and a fake customer service smile. Manon looked at the customer to see a man with several eyes on his body. Manon wouldn't be lying if she said she hadn't noticed this kind of behavior from her when someone with an oddity was ordering from her. It made Manon a little sad. Sure the man was slightly creepy looking with his several eyes, but seemed friendly nonetheless. Though Manon had to remind herself of the last time someone seemed rather friendly towards her. She bawled her hands into fists. Now was not the time to be thinking about this. Thankfully the door opened and another customer walked in. Manon put on a smile as she assisted the person. Slowly but surely the day began to slow. Customers were few and far between as evening approached until they closed. Manon had started volunteering to stay behind to close up, and was always the last to leave. Today was no exception. Yet as she locked the door behind her she heard the sound of droplets pattering on the ground. Turning around she watched as the rain began to pour down. "Shit." Manon said as she opened her purse. She didn't have an umbrella. Looking down the street she noticed how dark everything was. With the exception of street lamps everything was dark. Manon remembered a scene like this all too well. This time she didn't hold back a shudder. Now here she was. Stuck outside the cafe. No phone nearby, no umbrella to get her out of the rain, and barely anyone who would notice her absence. "Keep calm Manon." She said to herself. For now she would have to wait until the rain cleared up. Though considering it had just started that may take awhile. She stood there for about fifteen minutes. Her only company being the pattern of rain on the awning. Occasionally she looked out to see if maybe anyone was coming. On one of these glances she noticed something odd. The rain seemed to part for a strange circle. As it crossed over the awning the rain patter stopped. For a moment Manon had hope. She could use this space to get to a place that may have a phone or possibly even pull over a cab. At the same time. The circle was walking in the opposite direction of where she needed to go. There was also the possibility that it could be a threat. Though compared to standing under the awning all night the circle seemed like a better option. Without another thought as it crossed over Manon followed. Sure enough the area in the circle was dry. Though it was moving. Making it minorly difficult to stay in the space. Eventually Manon got the pace down and was moving along remaining perfectly centered in the circle. It gave her some small confidence to look up. Unfortunately due to the darkness around her all it looked like was a black circle. Manon sighed as she continued to walk with it. Passing by business that had all closed for the evening. Unfortunately there was no sign of a payphone. As Manon took another step forward she felt water splash onto her face. She gasped as she stepped back to the middle. The circle had stopped moving. She looked up. Greatly confused but the more she watched it the bigger it appeared to get. Was it coming down to her? It was. The closer it got the more Manon noticed. It hadn't been a flat circle. It was an umbrella in the hold of an unusual looking man. The closer he got the more details Manon could make out. He was dressed in a dark gray suit with black dress shoes, and a black tie with a white button up shirt. His hair was the same dark gray as his blazer, and pants, and was cut close to his head. While his skin was a pale gray. Though Manon was most intrigued by his eyes. Two pools of ink that reminded Manon all too well of another man. Only this man's eyes were much friendlier looking. In fact his whole face looked rather friendly. With a smile placed on his face. This did nothing to calm Manon's nerves. Had the man noticed she had been following him? What was he going to do now? Was she about to die again? Her eyes scanned the area. It was just them two alone on a dark street. If anything she could run back the way she came. Maybe her aunt or uncle noticed she hadn't returned home by now and was driving to her work to pick her up. "Now it could be just me, but it's a little rude to follow people you don't know." His voice was smooth, yet rather weird. It Sounded as if it was coming from something electronic rather than human. Manon was too stunned to speak. Remaining frozen as she had to look up to meet the man's eyes. He was significantly taller than her. Maybe around 6'5. "I-..." Manon couldn't find any other words to speak. The man raised a brow. Remaining quiet as if waiting for her answer. Though Manon had more questions. Such as how he had been walking on the sky? What was he doing out this late? He looked like he had an average nine to five job, and yet it was around ten p.m. Manon't teeth began to chatter. She wasn't sure if it was out of fear, or from the cold. Then suddenly the man had a look of realization on his face. Or it seemed that way as he held out his umbrella. "Here. You can use it this evening." He said gently, giving a sweet smile. Manon had to blink twice to process what was actually happening. Hesitantly she reached out and took it. Her fingers grazed over his for a fraction of a second. He let go and gave her a polite smile before turning around. Manon felt a tad bit guilty. Afterall it was his umbrella. Not to mention it may take him a while to get home. She couldn't just keep it. "How will I give it back to you?" Manon asked. Finally speaking as the man paused. He turned over to look at her, and shrugged. "Hope we meet again, then maybe you can give it back." Manon wasn't sure if he blinked or gave her wink but he continued to go in the direction he was originally. Manon watched as his body rose into the air with each step. She continued to watch until he was out of sight. Still slightly stunned after what had just happened Manon remained there. Until the chill of the night air snapped her back into reality. She should head home. She turned around and walked quickly in the direction she had come from. Passing the cafe she worked at before making the twenty minute walk back to her apartment. Perhaps she should invest in a bike like one of her previous boyfriends had. It would surely trim down the amount of time she would spend getting to places. Not to mention maybe she would feel a bit more comfortable going home in the rain without an umbrella.Her body had started shivering. She would have to hope she didn't catch a cold. Eventually she reached the familiarity of the apartment complex she lived in. She made a beeline straight for her place. Unlocking the door as quickly as she could before slamming it shut behind her. Making sure she deadbolted, and locked the door naturally. The curtains were drawn letting in a sliver of light form the streetlamps around the area. Manon used the light to locate the closet near the front door. Closing the umbrella and tossing it in there. She couldn't entirely trust the man didn't add some sort of distinction to his umbrella in some way or another and would use it to track her down. Then again that could be her paranoia talking. Still it was better to be safe rather than sorry. She walked into her room. Flopping her purse on her dresser. A nice warm shower would do. Then she would head straight to bed. Hoping to forget the encounter she had with the gray scaled man from before.