Star Dust

Chapter 9 ~ Matthew

 This stupid planet went into a mass panic years before I was born, it started to rain almost everyday, twenty-four seven. We used to be a very dry planet, now the rushing water makes us cautious and fearful. The planet needs to put up a huge dome and increase it size as they need and wait out the rain but... everyone here is too stupid to do anything much less think up something as simple as that. 

 The rain outside my window beats its never ending rhythm, I long for the chance to abandon the rules of this gods forsaken place, to go up in a ship and find a great adventure. Wrenching my gaze out of the window full of wonders. 

 Casting my gaze around my boring grey walled room with sparse amount of furnishing besides a small bed, and a dresser that also acts as a side table holding a glass of water. The only entertaining feature in the room was the poster of a scientist saying that things will be all right. But the thing is that it's been about two years since the rain first started and scientist have only succeeded in making it rain harder. 

 Exiting my room to I skip some stairs heading down to our homey kitchen a hallway away, the smell of earth food wafting in my direction. Our supreme court had issued an alliance with earth which included food ration, this was issued four years ago after a disease broke out and we were fearful of each other.

 My mother sits in a chair reading some article on her tablet that's way out of date while bacon and eggs cook behind her, so I step forward and take over the food. The eggs  were a slight brown colour thanks to my mom.

 "Thank you dear" she didn't looked up, even when a plate was shoved near her on the titanium alloy table that was covered in a thin tablecloth of silky soft blue fabric. "After breakfast I'm going out to the library." She looks at me this time than speaks to me with the voice of a concerned mother "stay inside and don't let the water touch any bare flesh, Mathew" she gives me a concern look over her magazine, nodding I respond "yes mother" like an obedient son. 

 Putting on the multitude of layers, as is required of the entire planet, I walk out of my house with three coats sprayed with water resistant chemicals, gloves made of similar materials and a hat that is wider than a regular sun hat the folks here used to wear. The hats more so and umbella than proper head gear. 

 Outside my street is as deserted as it always has been, houses are boarded up with small cracks of glowing light sneaking through and doing little to illuminate the rainy landscape. Walking down the streets and in the direction of the beach no one stops me, no one even bothers to come out or look out the window any more unless necessary. If only they knew the most critical information that could release, set them free, from being cooped up in a house all day.

 The beach is my true home, the place of peace for me and no one else, all those people too fearful to even stay in contact with neighbors. The water has been eating away at our land, crashing down and adding its mass to the ever growing ocean. Through the never ending storm of rain I make out the silhouette of an abandoned shack, or at least it once was anyway, now it is mine.

 The shack is small and can house a small family easily enough, the only problem was that it was grounded. One day I stumbled upon some boards in a junkyard and found a way to make it float, next was the anchoring system which took many more trips. Chain, good and strong covered in a water resistant coat, so it doesn't rust. I was picking through a tower and had fallen down wrapping myself in multiple yards of chain. 

 The shack comes into full view, a mass of wood planks in shambles yet still in one piece, it once was someone's house but it became abandoned when the water started to rise higher than predicted. So now I am its soul inhabitant.

 The water had not reached my shack yet but it will by next week, so entering for what could be the last time in a long time, I breath in the scent of old wood, rusting metal and the salty water that comes from the great ocean behind the small house. Striping off all my cloths and putting on the spare pair of shorts I keep here I hang my cloths on a rack to dry a bit and head out into the forbidden water of this 'forever' storm. 

The rain trails itself down my bare back making me shiver in delight at its cool touch, I absolutely love it here, the beautiful calm in the storm and the cool relief it brings to my skin as I walk towards the pier. The pier being barely visible in the morning gloom, I start to wade into the icy cold water and start swimming to the shadow of the still floating pier, diving below the onslaught of waves to avoid being slapped by the refreshingly salty liquid. 

 The pier is just ahead of me, so pushing up with a strong kick I surface bringing my arms up to help me get up onto its water slicked surface. What i find nearly makes me drop back into the sea there on the pier in front of me is a girl. Wielding a pair of wickedly sharp swords she absolutely ignored me, if she knew i was there, the blades a blur of movement as she waves them everywhere at once in a somewhat uniform fashion. 

 Making a quick and probably stupid decision I call out "who are you" bad idea, she turns with little emotion in her pretty features almost masked by deep burnt amber coloured hair plastered to her face by the water crashing and falling all around them. Her already close fitting black clothes are glued to her tiny frame accenting her every curve.

 She laughs "I like your handy work" sheathing her weapons, she reaches out her right had "I'm Mystery and you are" clearing my throat I begin "Mathew and what is your business on my pier". Staring Mystery down she makes a gesture that looks like an itch to take the blades from their bonds "practicing with my blades out here in the middle of a storm."

 Just then thunder growls and lightning crashes over head. Jumping I loose my balance immediately, the new girl, Mystery rushing forward to help me. In that instant I can see that Mystery is not very tall but makes up for it in her lean muscular body. She has me on my feet in seconds, the slicked wood suddenly dry under foot. 

 With no hesitation she jumps in with "do you like it on this planet" her hand still grasped to my forearm I answering honestly "not really, why? Who exactly are you?" she sighs to herself quietly, then to me she says "I'm a teacher, in the art of weaponry, and such..." a brief pause "I'm a human from earth looking for adventure and am taking my students on a planetary trip gathering the few of us willing to learn." Taking a deep breath she continues "I am here looking for a specific student."

 Mystery eyes me hopefully waiting calmly but that look is so full of exhaustion How old is she? what could she possibly be hinting at? Why me? "eh I don't know... it's pretty early to decide if I want to disappear with a stranger and do who knows what". She turns to face the shore, walking past me to the edge "I can understand your weariness to leave with a stranger, but my time is limited. My other students wait for me in the market, if you choose to come with me jump in and swim to shore, if you choose the other path push me into the water and I promise that you will not see me again". 

 She waits arms crossed, a wave swells and I reach over to make sure she's won't jump into the death seeking wave. I end up stumbling and sliding towards her on the once again water slick wood that teetered, one corner reaching dangerously higher towards the storm clouds above. Lightning cracks over head twice and I reach Mystery but I trip and push both of us into the humongous wave and we are swallowed whole as a streak of lightning made bright red gold spots dance in my vision blocking everything from view as we drowned.