Rain, Rain, Go Away

Embrace the Stranger

As Yuna-song and Jeong-yun ventured into the abandoned grocery store, the eerie silence was punctuated only by the creaking of rusty shelves and the faint hum of the half-functional neon lights. The air was thick with dust, and the smell of stale food wafted through the aisles.

Their footsteps echoed off the empty shelves as they searched for any remaining supplies. Yuna's eyes scanned the barren area, her gaze settling on the empty fridge, its doors hanging open like a hollow mouth. "Not a single bottle of water" she muttered, clear frustration on her face.

Jeong nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the surrounding shelves. "It looks like we're not the first ones to raid this place." He kicked at a discarded can, sending it clattering across the floor. "I was really hoping to find some juice or something. We could use a boost."

Yuna sighed, her shoulders sagging beneath her backpack. "I know. Me too." She glanced around the store, her eyes settling on a door marked "Stockroom." "Hey, Jeong? You think it's worth checking out the stockroom? Maybe they have some supplies stored back there."

Jeong's face lit up with a glimmer of hope. "Yeah, it's worth a shot. Let's go check it out."

As Yuna and Jeong reached for the stockroom door, a disheveled man punched Jeong, his eyes blazing with desperation. The man, likely a beggar, clutched a tattered jute bag, has messy hair and his face was full of scars.

"Get out of here!" he yelled, his voice hoarse. "This isn't your store. We're just trying to survive, just like you." Jeong stood his ground, shouting back, "We're not looking for trouble. We just need some food."

The beggar's expression turned venomous. "They've already looted this place. They killed the store owner and kidnapped his daughter. Did they send you here?"

Yuna stepped forward, her voice calm. "Who are 'they'?" she asked, her eyes locked on the beggar.

"So, you're not one of them?" the beggar asked, to which they both denied.

"I apologize!" A tear rolled down from the beggar's eyes.

"Please, tell us what happened here. Maybe we can help you," Jeong said.

The beggar took a deep breath before speaking. "My name is Lee-dong. I make a living by collecting trash or sometimes by begging. I've been sleeping on the streets since my son kicked me out of our home. After the apocalypse, I struggled to find food and stumbled upon this grocery store. The owner refused to give me anything, and then, out of nowhere, a jeep with 5 or 6 men wearing black skull masks, black construction looking helmet and katana in hands pulled up in front of the store. They demanded that the owner had to hand over all the water in the fridge, but he refused. They killed him on the spot and kidnapped his daughter right in front of me."

"My god!" Jeong exclaimed. "No cops in the city means the criminals are free to roam and they're looting, but not for money... for water. I don't understand."

The beggar, Lee-dong, looked at Jeong with sadness. "An educated person like you still doesn't get it," he said, shaking his head. "In today's world, water is worth more than money. Don't you know how you get water in your home? It's from the levels of evaporation and rain. But now, with the city turned toxic, the water in the freshwater ponds has also turned acidic. A normal person can't survive drinking toxic water."

Lee-dong's eyes pleaded for understanding. "The only freshwater left is in bottles, and those have been looted by them. They're not just stealing water, they're stealing life itself."

"I think I remember you now," Jeong said, eyes narrowing. "Aren't you the same guy who asked me for money some days ago?"

The beggar nodded, a hint of shame in his eyes.

"If this is true," Jeong said, "we'll die from water scarcity."

The beggar's expression turned grave. "The water raiders are looting everyone who has water in the city. They're preserving the water for themselves by diluting it. They might check your bags. The only way to survive their attack is to give them the water they need."

With a sense of urgency, the beggar said, "Now, go from here!"

Jeong hesitated, looking at the beggar with concern. "Without water, even you will die."

The beggar lee-dong's eyes seemed to cloud over, and he said, "I have nothing to live for."

Yuna stepped forward, her voice firm but gentle. "We're heading towards a building in the hope of exiting this area safely. It depends on you if you want to starve here or join us."

Lee-dong looked at Yuna, then at Jeong, before nodding slowly after a minute of contemplation.

Meanwhile Tae-hoon and nimesh navigated the desolate streets, the darkness seemed to swallow them whole. Without the moon's gentle glow, the only sound was the soft crunch of gravel beneath their feet.

Finally, the highway gave way to a cluster of apartment buildings, their silhouettes rising in the darkness. Tae-hoon, his voice low and even, suggested, "I think we should stay there until the next interval."

Nimesh nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the buildings for any sign of danger. The darkness seemed to press in around them, making the apartments seem like a fragile oasis in the desert. Without a word, they moved towards the buildings, seeking refuge from the unforgiving night.

As the thunderstorm rolled in, the air grew thick with electricity. The rumble of thunder vibrated through the ground, and dust particles danced in the air, illuminated by the flashes of lightning. The acid rain that accompanied the storm was a deadly combination, capable of stripping the flesh from their bones.

"I think we should stay here until the clouds clear," Nimesh suggested, his voice low and cautious.

As they approached the empty apartment, their eyes scanned the building for any signs of danger. That's when they saw it - a large poster plastered on the third floor. The image depicted a skull wearing a helmet, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly intensity.

Tae-hoon's whisper was barely audible. "Strange." His eyes locked onto the poster, a sense of unease growing in the pit of his stomach. The symbol seemed to radiate an aura of menace, a warning to stay away.

"Do you really think we should enter inside?" Nimesh asked hurriedly, his eyes fixed on the ominous poster outside.

"It's the only shelter here," Tae-hoon replied, his voice firm as he stepped into the building.

As they entered, they were met with a sight that made their hearts sink. A large, endless corridor stretched out before them, the dim lights casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air was thick with an unsettling silence.

As they scanned the area, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air, making them both jump. "Hey! Who are you? How dare you enter here?" a voice thundered from the depths of the corridor.

Tae-hoon and Nimesh exchanged a panicked glance, their hearts racing with fear. They had stumbled into something they didn't understand, and now they were face to face with an unknown threat.