Race. [TMNT 2012]

044. Rain; Lucy

Song: Hero - Skillet

As Lilac and I make our way home, the experience at the park keep swirling around my head. I can't stop thinking Raphael. I want to do something, anything, just to get him back to normal.  He's my friend, and I don't like seeing any of my friends hurting.

   Unfortunately, Raphael won't allow me to comfort him.  He insists on pushing me away, like I'm the one who's hurting him.  I wish he would face me like he used to.  Not that he treated me much different than he does, now.  He's always blocked me out.  But at least he would still be able to look me in the eyes, instead of staring at the ground all the time.

   The worst part is that I can't even tell my own mother what happened. Her heart couldn't take the knowledge of huge turtles roaming around the city. And she definitely wouldn't like to know that I spoke to Casey, a creepy punk boy. It's her dream city, so I'm not about to ruin that with my strange friendships.  Maybe I'll tell her one day, but not right now.

   My imagination must've grown dramatically within the passed few minutes, because I see something like a turtle flying around the sky. I crane my neck to peer closer, confusion spinning my brain in unending circles. Did the turtles grow wings? That doesn't seem right, unless Donatello had some experiment go wrong.

   The figure fades just as fast as it appeared. I shake my head to clear it as Lilac nudges my leg. Reaching down to pet her, I decide I might have begun to lose my mind.

   "It was just my imagination," I tell Lilac, who lets out a little bark and wags her tail. It's as if she knows what I'm talking about, though deep down I know she doesn't. As much as I hate to admit it, she's just a dog. My best friend, but a dog.

   I give the white husky one last pat on the head. "Come on, Lilac," I say. "Let's get home before the storm starts."

   We don't even make it another foot when a raindrop falls from the sky. Surprised, I jump out of the way as it lands on the ground in front of me. Something about it catches my attention and makes me examine it closer.

   The raindrop isn't absorbing into the sidewalk. Instead, it lays there like a pebble. What makes it more curious is its tinted purple color. I glance around to see if it's reflecting the color of a sign or something, but it isn't. It's just a purple raindrop.

   Lilac paces beside me, whimpering lowly. She shoves her nose in my face to grabs my attention and I have to push her away.

   "Not now, girl," I tell her, still mesmerized by the rain.

   Completely confused, I rise back to my feet. Surveying the area around me, I see that more raindrops are sprinkling around me. They're all purple, some drops more so than others. None of them sink into the ground; they just slowly collect on the sidewalks and street. It's as if they can't fade away like regular rain.

   Lilac paws at my foot and whines some more. I shush her once more and turn my face towards the sky.

   The cloud are much worse than they were an hour ago. They have morphed into big globs of black Play-Doh, and they're leaking the magenta rain from them. I get a sick feeling in my stomach that the sky isn't usually this color, even in New York City.

   I glance at Lilac just in time to see a raindrop fall on her back. She lets out a howl of agony as the rain seeps into her fur, creating a large bald spot. Her legs wobble and I reach down just in time to hold her up.

   "Lilac?!" I gasp, panic flooding my body. I stare at the bald spot on her back, my heart pounding with fear. "Lilac, are you ok?!"

   Lilac whimpers weakly and her eyes starting to roll back into her head. She leans on me heavily as her legs give out underneath her.

   Deciding I have to get her home, I hook my arms around her and lift her off the ground. I grunt at how heavy she is, but I don't let that discourage me. Once she's secure in my arms, I bolt down the sidewalk dodging raindrops. A few nearly nail me, but I miraculously get inside my house before anything worse happens.

   I gently spread Lilac on the rug in the living room. "It'll be ok," I promise my best friend in a shaky voice, my gaze trailing over the bald spot. "You'll be just fine."

   Lilac just whines hoarsely in response, her eyelids becoming too heavy for her.

   Fighting back tears of anxiety, I jump up and rush off to get the first aid kit. Kneeling beside Lilac, I dump the entire container onto the floor and rummage through what's there.

   I spot disinfectant gel and quickly, but carefully, apply it to Lilac's wound. The dog starts whimpering in pain and flailing her legs. I jerk back immediately to protect myself from getting hit, using the opportunity to wipe the tears from my eyes.

   When Lilac settles down again, I go straight back to cleaning her wound. She starts howling in pain again, but I pin her legs down to keep her still.

   "Shh, Lilac," I whisper, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I'm trying to help you. You have to be still."

   The pain is too much for her. Lilac's struggles stop abruptly, and she relaxes unconsciously into the rug. The only thing that tells me she's still alive is the gentle rise and fall of her furry chest.

   I hastily brush my tears away once more and reach for some bandages. Even though Lilac is out of it, I am still cautious about patching up the wound. Eventually, the bald area is completely unseeable under the layers of white gauze and tape.

   Sniffling, I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial a number. It only rings once before my mom picks up.

   "Hello, sweetie." My mother sounds nervous, as if she is about to do something important. "I don't have time to chat right now. I'm about to go in for a job interview."

   I should be astonished that she got a job so fast, but I am too preoccupied by the sleeping dog in front of me.

   "Mom, it's an emergency," I say, sniffling once more. "Lilac... She's hurt. Something bad happened and now she's out cold."

   My mother must notice the desperation in my voice, because she suddenly seems concerned. "Oh, sweetie! Don't worry, I'll be home in five minutes. Hang on, alright?"

   "Ok," I whisper. Unable to talk about it anymore, I hang up.

   The tears start to fall for real. I choke out pitiful sounds as I curl into a ball beside Lilac, my eyes swelling up from the emotions. I rest my head near her furry belly and try to stop myself from shaking.

   I have so many questions running through my mind. What's wrong with the rain? What did it do to Lilac? Will she ever recover?  Is this situation going to take a turn for the worst?

   The last thought makes my body shiver more violently. I frantically try to dry my face, but I can't stop crying.

   I don't want to lose my best friend.