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I hurriedly shrugged my jacket from my shoulders as the rain began to come down faster and used it as a makeshift umbrella over the top of my head. The sudden lack of clothing around my arms caused goosebumps to prickle my skin and I shivered as a gust of wind washed over me.
I was still a good ten blocks from the train station, and in this weather it might as well have been one hundred blocks away. Even though it was only 8 o'clock the sun was no longer visible, which wasn’t normal for a southern summer. Dark clouds blotted out any light from filtering through, causing the temperature to drop at least twenty degrees.
There was no one outside except for me, the dumb ass who thought she could make it to the train station before the storm hit. I had only seen one car pass by and that had to have been a good ten minutes ago. The trees that lined the normally busy streets were swaying roughly in the strong wind, leaves blowing from the limbs and scattering across the wet concrete.
I began to pick up my pace, suddenly feeling extremely vulnerable in my surroundings. Living in “tornado alley” meant that I was used to this type of weather, but being out in it without anything to protect me was a bit unsettling. During the summer this area always suffered from tornadoes, and as young school children we all learned really quickly the conditions to harbor one; tonight was perfect for it.
A large crack of thunder made me stumble back a bit, the loud sound reverberating all around me. For a moment I stood still, debating on whether or not to take cover in one of the shops that lined either side of the road or just hurry to the storm shelter at the train station. I began walking again, my eyes searching for any place that was still open.
Porter’s Books
My eyes scanned the times on the front of the door, which stated they would still be open for another hour. I anxiously let myself inside, nearly tripping over the lip of the door in the process. I steadied myself inside the entrance, shaking my hair and wet jacket out.
“Excuse me, but could you try to not get the floor wet,” my eyes slowly shifted up to meet the boy sitting behind the cash register, his dark blonde curly hair pulled up into a bun at the back of his head. He wore a button up shirt with a sweater over top and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. “And for god’s sake shut the door.”
I frowned a bit, staring at him before I finally had enough of his rude glare and shut the storm away. This book shop didn’t seem like a store, but more of a personal library collection. It didn’t look like a very big place at first glance, as everything was so dimly lit that it was hard to see anything. The carpet was a deep red and the walls a darker shade of red, which didn’t allow what little light there was to travel very well.
I debated on whether or not I should take my shoes off at the door, because I was worried he’d yell at me some more. I ended up slipping off my shoes, and cautiously walking towards the shelves of books. “Did you really take off your shoes?” He looked over the top of his book to give my entire body a one over. He looked disapproving, but I decided to ignore him.
I spotted the big sign that said Fantasy and quickly made my way over to it, but a bit disappointed that it was still close to the rude cashier. “I don’t think your section is that way,” he hollered out to me just as I left his sight. “Magazines are on the other end of the shop.”
I angrily chewed on my bottom lip, trying to hold in a nasty response. Who does he think he is? I thought nastily as my eyes grazed over book titles. I like to read, I thought stubbornly. Again, I let the comment slide and sat down on the floor to peruse the books on the lowest shelf.
