The Storm (Ch 1)

Rain pelted the glass. The drops stung the panes and raced down to the sill. The porch was no protection. Puddles pooled at the curb's edge. Mud swirled into the pure liquid, contaminating it. Other than the final few that clung to the branches overhead, leaves clogged the drain as the muddy water tried to escape to the aquifers beneath the pavement. The wind whipped heaven's tears down the street. He sat by the window, safe and dry. He tried to see through the gray. He sat patiently and waited. Soon his love would return. It was that time. He would appear around the corner. He would cross the street and come down the block. He would catch that first glimpse and his heart would skip a beat. It happened every day. He couldn't avoid it. He couldn't, no matter how much he tried to prepare himself for it. He loved him. When he climbed the stairs to the front door, his heart would race. He'd let him in, kiss him. That was about as much as he could handle. He truly loved him. He was his everything.

He tried to hurry, but he didn't make it. He tried to run, but his legs wouldn't carry his fast enough. He saw the flashing orange hand. His umbrella was stowed securely beneath the driver's seat of his car. It offered him no protection now. He stepped into the crosswalk. He held his bag overhead. It was a futile effort, but he continued nonetheless. There was not a moment's notice. There was no avoiding it.

From across the street, he watched. Every movement crawled by as a sloth going uphill. He wanted to do something, he wanted to warn him. But there was no stopping it. There was no way to save him. He lunged from his spot by the window, tripped over the leg of the coffee table and limped to the front door. He swung it open and yelled a warning to him. The sound of the rain colliding with metal, glass, and pavement drowned out his call. He didn't even look up. He never turned to the side. He never altered his course. There were no brakes. The driver didn't slow. The driver didn't stop. He fell to his knees as he rolled up the hood of the grey sedan. He screamed and looked to the sky. There was no reply to his why. He heard the impact. He felt the pain. He was helpless as his lifeless form met the pavement. The sedan disappeared into the storm. He was shattered. She was broken.

He drug himself to the edge of the porch. The sky flashed white light in agitation. Rain soaked his clothes. His t-shirt clung to his skin. His face was stained with emotion. The rain mixed with his salty tears and ran down his cheeks and dripped from his chin. He ran his hands over his head as the collecting rain sprayed up and away. His mouth still hung open in agony. Thunder rolled through the clouds and spit rain out in a greater fury.

He grabbed the banister and used it to slowly pull himself to his feet. His love lay in the street. Cars came to a stop and formed lines away from her body in four directions. He clumsily made his way down the front steps and towards her. Bystanders on the street stood still without movement. They stared, umbrellas, briefcases, and newspapers overhead, anything to shield them from the downpour.

The lights changed from green to yellow to red and back to green again, but there no vehicle moved. Brake lights illuminated the block. He traipsed to her side and crumbled once more. Blood stained her jacket and shirt. The gash in her forehead was washed by the rain. The red discharge diluted and faded away in puddles and runoff. He tried to pull her to him. He tugged at her lifeless body, falling back to the ground from his knees. Her legs lay stiff, but he threw himself around her torso, embracing her tightly. Pedestrians, and motorists who had exited their cars, looked on unable to see his tears, but more than able to feel his grief.

The increasing lines of traffic simulated arrows pointing their attention toward the center of the intersection. He lay on the pavement with his arms wrapped around her. He ignored all that surrounded him. He saw only her. He felt only her. He had loved only her.

Sirens screamed toward them. It was too late for that. Much too late for that. Faces, smiles flashed through his mind. He held her tighter, kissed her. He held his lips against hers. He didn't want to pull away. His body trembled. The cold November rain was unmatched by the frigid feeling of loss and solitude that exuded from within. His mouth traced the bone of her left cheek and hovered in the wispy hair around her ear. He whispered softly to her in a delayed and broken fashion.

"My love...my love. Is this how it ends? I...I had thought...this journey had just begun."

His nose nuzzled beneath the lobe of her ear.

"You...you...I can't...this...this isn't part of our plan. I...I'll never let you go. Never...we can't...we can't be apart. You will always...always be mine...always be here...always be here."

His right hand covered his heart as he lowered her back to the ground. He lay next to her. His arm across her body, his face still buried in the nape of her neck.

"Sir. Sir. Step back please."

He felt the tug on his arm. The medics had arrived. They rolled him to the side.

"Sir please step back."

He tried to stand but easily gave up. He crawled to the side, giving them room to work. He knew it was in vain, but he didn't interfere. He tried to compose himself but he only fell more and more apart. He sat, huddled on his knees with his face in his hands as if they would hold him together. His resolve was dissolved by the rain. It stung his flesh as lightning flashed once again. He looked up to the sky and let the rains washed across his face. He stared upwards terrified of what the clouds above him held.

"Go on. Go on. Rain. Rain on me. Hail. Bring the winds. Light up the sky."

Thunder interrupted him as it clapped through the city, rattling windows, sending children to hide, and causing dogs to bark. It was a low and growling rumble. It did not break his gaze. The angry sky looked back at him. It had offered its reply. There was no movement in that city block. Only the rain fell. Only the wind blew. All else stood still.