The Fabric of Reality

Chapter Eight - Storm

The chill of the night seeps through the lightweight fabric of my suit. A harsh gust of wind whips across my face, droplets of water stinging like needles against my skin. I grip the cold steel of a guard rail, my hands becoming losing feeling as they become numb. In the distance, a flash of lightning is followed by the low rumble of thunder.

From here on the rooftop, I have a view of the entire downtown sector. The flashing neon lights seem less impressive when observed from above. Their bright light does nothing to prevent the darkness of the starless night sky from closing in.

The streets are empty tonight. The usual bustling crowds have all remained inside, seeking shelter from the biting cold and freezing rain. However, I felt compelled to be here tonight.

Underneath the curtain of raindrops, I watch the streets. I wait motionlessly, perched like a gargoyle on the rooftop. Finally, my patience is rewarded. A flash of something metallic reflects the glowing neon of the lights down below, moving rapidly. I have to follow.

Taking a deep breath, I give myself a running start and propel myself over the guard rail. Like the raindrops around me, I plummet towards the ground.

-----

My muscles jerk and I find myself sitting in a booth in a small cafe. The lights are too bright, and I squint to make out my surroundings. Broken pieces of a conversation float around me.

"You know the weather's been acting crazy lately. Something's up." 

"I think you're the one that's been acting crazy lately. Droughts are a normal thing, but knowing you, of course you come up with some insane conspiracy theory -- Hey, Brooke's awake. Did you have a nice nap?"

As my eyes adjust to the light, I recognize Lauren sitting across from me, smiling as my eyes lock with hers. To my right sits Micah, who has been my friend since kindergarten. His sandy hair falls across his eyes, and I can tell by his posture he's very invested in the conversation.

"Brooke, help me out here. Don't you think that the drought is odd?" Micah says, turning to me. "I bet the government had something to do with it. They're diverting all of the water so they can--"

"Micah, as much as I would like to agree with you, the government can't control the weather. Lauren's right." I say, and Micah deflates slightly. "Sorry, bud. Maybe next time." I offer him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Lauren stands up and pulls her wallet out of her tan backpack. "I'm gonna go buy some muffins. My treat."

Micah instantly brightens. "Get me one of those raspberry ones, those are my favorite! Please?"

I can't help but laugh. Micah reminds me of a puppy, especially when he gets excited. And he's always excited.

As Lauren heads towards the front counter to buy our muffins, Micah turns to me, suddenly serious. "Hey, are you okay? You've been falling asleep all the time, and with no warning. Are you sure you're getting enough sleep at night?" His hazel eyes are tinged with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've just been a little more tired lately."

His frown deepens, and it's obvious he doesn't believe me. Nevertheless, he places a hand gently on my shoulder. "Just know that if something is going on, you can always talk to me about it."

I offer a small smile, and Lauren returns with a plate full of muffins. I eat silently, and watch Lauren laugh as Micah explains another of his conspiracy theories in between bites of a raspberry muffin. We spend the the rest of the afternoon in the booth, laughing and simply enjoying being together.

-----

*Five hours later*

The clouds came from nowhere. One minute, the skies were clear like they had been for weeks, yet somehow the storm clouds gathered in minutes. Like a swift and silent army, they blocked out the sun and sent crowds of people indoors, ready to wait out the storm.

My house is silent, save for the walls creaking with the increasing wind. Then, the rain begins to fall. Slowly at first, the rhythmic tapping of the raindrops upon the roof crescendos into a chaotic symphony. It's the perfect soundtrack for my thoughts as I try to decipher the dream I had earlier. A feeling in the pit of my stomach tells me that I would have to head downtown tonight.

I don't know why exactly I need to go, or who I'm looking for, but if I see myself there in a dream, I know I have to go. It's like I'm compelled by some mysterious force, and I have no choice but to obey.

I brush aside the curtains and see that an inch of rain has fallen already, and the rain shows no sign of stopping. I sigh, because no matter how much I would like to stay in tonight without a hot cup of tea and watch the rain, I know I will have to spend my night freezing on a downtown rooftop waiting for some stranger.

Complaining about it won't help anything, so instead I grab my gear and suit up.

---

Note to self: Make the suit waterproof. As I stand slowly losing all feeling in my limbs, freezing rainwater seeps through the thin fabric. Even my cape is dripping a steady beat on the concrete roof.

I lean over the railing and scan the area. The only movement is the falling of the raindrops. I smile to myself; Micah is going to have a field day with this storm. a crack of thunder brings me back into reality, and I shiver involuntarily.

A flicker of light snaps my gaze to my right. Underneath the neon lights is the metallic flash that I remember from my dream. It's moving swiftly away from me, and I know I have to act fast before I miss this chance.

Just like I experienced in my dream, I run at the guard rail and launch myself over into the open air. For an instant, it appears as if I am suspended in midair, hovering among the raindrops. The moment is short-lived, and I plunge towards the concrete ground.

Knowing there are only a few seconds standing between me and certain death, I concentrate and focus my energy. I've only done this a few times before, so I only hope that this wasn't a mistake. I direct all of my energy towards my feet.

I clench my eyes shut as the ground approaches, and I only feel brave enough to peek after many seconds pass. I let out a sigh of relief. I have stopped falling.

Instead, I am levitating only a few inches above the ground, bobbing up and down slightly. I release my focus and drop the short way to find myself on solid ground.

There's no time to lose. I break into a run.

-----

Hey look I'm back from the dead

Sorry for not updating but to make up for it this chapter is over 1000 words so it's a little treat

So I think I'll have a lot more time to write now so there shouldn't be any more times like this but idk I guess we'll see what the future brings

Thanks for sticking with me and reading this far (Also, if there's any errors, pls let me know)

Until next time,

-B