The Rain (Book 1 - The Unprotected)

Chapter 27 - Des souvenirs flous bras sanglants et autorité assertion

"Mum are we there yet?" The little blonde girl asked from the back seat. She was bobbing up and down excitedly, gripping and pulling at her seat belt. Her eyes were hopeful and latched onto the woman in the passenger's seat of the car.

"No, sweetie, we are not." The woman giggled at her daughter's excitement and looked lovingly over to her husband. He smiled back at her and turned his attention back to the road.

"Bethany, aren't you excited?" The blonde girl asked, looking over to her older sister. Her hair was long for a five-year-olds. It cascaded over her shoulders and her piercing blue eyes were something that Bethany was always jealous of.

"No, it's just the park. We go there every day." Bethany groaned and rolled her eyes, looking out her window. She could hear her mother sigh from the front seat. School had finished and Carly had begged her parents to go to the park. Carly frowned at her sister's reply and looked down at her lap.

"You could try and be a little more happy, Bethie." Her mother said tiredly. She didn't like the way that Bethany treated Carly. Always mean to her just because she was older.

The car ride was silent for the next few minutes until Carly caught side of a sweet shop. She bounced up and down in her seat, begging her mother and father to take her in. Even Bethany wanted to go in, she just didn't admit it. Her father sighed playfully and pulled the car over. In a flash Carly, had unclipped her seatbelt and flew out the car with her mother chasing after her worriedly. Bethany made no move.

"Are you coming in?" Her father asked. His body was twisted around to face her. Bethany didn't look at him, she watched as Carly dashed inside the shop with their mother running desperately after her.

She shook her head and he sighed. He licked his lips and opened his mouth to say something but thought against it. He got out the car and followed after his wife and daughter, feeling Bethany's eyes on him the entire time.

The sun was bright as it shone through the window onto Bethany's face. She watched as lots of parents, school kids and other people bustled past her window. She caught glimpses of her parents and her sister when there was a gap in the shoal of people.

She fiddled with her fingers, debating on whether or not to go in. Thunder rumbled overhead and it woke her from her inner dispute. She leant to the side to see the cloudy grey swoop in and devour the clear, happy blue sky. The clouds were thick and heavy with rain. She never liked rain or thunder.

The people on the streets looked up in disappointment and pulled their hoods over their heads or opened their umbrellas but they continued walking, just much faster. Others decided it was a good idea to take shelter in a shop or under a canopy.

Bethany looked behind her through the window at the back of the car. She couldn't see much. The high school was up ahead, standing tall behind multiple houses and trees. Cars sped past her and people ran to escape the coming rain.

She turned back in her seat and looked out the window to see her mother and Carly taking shelter under the canopy of the shop. Carly's face had paled and her hair was thrashing around her face like vines. Carly hated the rain more than Bethany, it would keep her up at night. Carly had her arms wrapped around the legs of her mother, clutching on for dear life, fearing that the wind would carry her away.

Then, without warning the rain started and Bethany's small world was filled with screaming and blood. The people dropped like flies. Clothes flapped through the streets and bones clashed to the ground.

Her eyes were locked onto her mother's horrified face and just as she turned to hide, her arm was burning. Bethany screamed and lunged forward. Her hands hitting off the window as she screamed out for her mother. Everything faded and soon her sister was burning too. Her father crashed through the door and reached a hand out for his wife.