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" she'llbealright, justnottonight "
4th of May 2018
I was only nine when the rain came. And I remember every detail. It started out as a normal day. The sun was shining. No clouds at all. I hated school, but that day I had to go as my mum was working and didn't have time to look after me like she usually did. I was an outcast at school. No friends, no siblings, no one. Which is why when I had to go, I said I was sick so I could just go home. I snuck into the bathrooms with my father's phone, that I had stolen from the kitchen table, and dialled my mum's number. I placed the phone on the edge of the sink and opened the door a crack to make sure no one was in the hallway. Totally empty. Letting out a sigh of relief, I shut the door slowly. "Please pick up, please please please." I muttered, holding the phone to my ear. I took another quick look outside. Dark clouds had suddenly taken over the clear, blue sky that was there only seconds ago. Then, the soft patter of rain. I heard several cracks and then my mother's pleasant voice. "Hello?" "H-hi mum." I greeted. "Nora, Nora, where are you?" Her voice now strangely laced with panic and worry. "I'm in the bathrooms at school-" I was cut off. She swore under her breath. "I'm going to come and pick you up now." I felt confused. I hadn't even told her I was 'sick' yet. "W-why?" "Look, there's something wrong with the rain and-." The connection cut off. "Mum? Are you there?" No answer. "Mum? What's up with the rain?" Still no answer. I balanced the phone on the edge of the sink again and took another look at what was happening behind the door. Somebody or something flung themselves against the glass of a window just outside the bathrooms, before falling back and spasming in the heavy rain. I picked up the phone "Mum? Are you coming to pick me up?" Another few cracks and then her voice: "I'm sorry sweetie, the people at work aren't letting me leave, just stay calm, stay inside when it rains and I love you." Then she hung up. What does she mean they won't let her leave? Stay inside when it rains? Thousands of questions were bouncing around in my head. I clicked off the phone and ran out of the bathroom. I walked slowly towards the window. The sight that greeted me was horrifying. The body of the person that ran at the window was the first one I saw. Covered in a bile-like liquid and still spasming as I had seen it doing before. But it wasn't just him, there were hundreds of people doing exactly the same thing. Spasming and then throwing up bile. I backed away in terror. My mother was right. There was something wrong with the rain. Definitely.
