The Son of a Soldier

Chapter Two: Rainy Days

Two Years Prior

"Peter! No pushing!" NIfa squealed with fright as Peter shoved her under one of the drain pipes, streaming water onto her head. "Ugh! I'm going to kill you!"

I pressed up against the alley wall, Nifa barreling past with a war cry. Peter screamed as she tackled him, falling into a puddle. "There," Nifa sprung back up to her feet, "now we're even."

"That's nowhere near even." Peter flopped around in the water as he struggled to get on his feet. He eventually just laid down and accepted his fate. "Oh well, I'll just tell Dad I fell in a puddle." he rolled onto his stomach and kick out his legs. "It's not a total lie."

"You just don't want to admit that I beat you." Nifa smiled. "Beaten by a girl!"

"You're barely a girl. Normal girls aren't nearly as violent." I pried myself from the wall and stepped out into the rain.

The day was overcast, and the ubiquitous patter of rain on the roofs and streets of Mitas sent the weary citizens of Wall Rose into their homes, yet set the children running as fast as they could outside. My yellow rain slicker's hood was down, and I shivered yet reveled in the feeling of the sharp droplets on my blond head. Nifa stomped in a puddle in front of Peter, sending a crashing wave of water over him.

He glared menacingly up at her. "OK, I get it! Enough's enough." he swatted at her boots, and she hopped backwards to avoid him. "Just let me soak in peace."

"PETER JOHANNES MEIER." shrieked a voice, startling us. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Peter stopped kicking his legs and went pale. "Oh walls no." Stomping out onto the front stoop of the house to our left was none other than Mrs. Meier, and baby Kurt, Hiding behind her skirt.

"What in the name of rose are you DOING? Get up THIS INSTANT."

"Mihael, we should go," Nifa hissed into my ear, sneaking up behind me, "this is probably gonna get ugly."

Peter scrambled to his feet, water pouring from him as much as rain. "S-sorry mom-"

"Get inside. NOW." Mrs. Meier hissed, her black hair was damp with run off from the roof above, and her brown eyes brimming with fury. Peter's face went red, and he turned to Nifa and I for a split moment before ducking his head down and hustled to the front door. To the jaws of death.

"Y-yeah, before she notices us." I stammered, Nifa and I turned and began to sprint as fast as we could away. The last thing we heard as we turned the corner onto south street was the sound of baby Kurt crying and the slamming of the door.

We slowed to a crawl once we crossed over the bridge leading to main street, and stood panting by the foot.

"That, poor baby," Nifa gasped between breaths, "He's probably witnessing a murder right now."

I tried to even out my breaths, and pulled my hood back over my head. "Honestly Peter deserves it. He did choose to come outside without a coat on."

Nifa readjusted her hat and tucked her braids into her coat, scowling. "Be nice, he's not going to be allowed to leave the house for a month."

"He knew what he was getting into, everyone knows the extreme fury of Mrs. Meier." I looked down the street and saw the corner that connected to main street, watching as a couple of teenagers ran to join an amassing crowd along the side of the road. "Hey, what's going on over there?"

Nifa perked her head up and looked to where I was pointing, a grin spreading over her face. "I have no idea." she turned and grabbed my hand, deviously smiling at me. "but let's go find out."