The Rain

[AsakuraHao2004]

A plip.
A circular discoloration on the sidewalk.
A palm held out and a look towards the sky.
Confirmation.
Rain.

The sidewalk was filled that day, as it usually was. People coming and going to work, people coming or going to the store, or to visit a friend. Families out for a stoll, or just someone out for a day on the town. With so many people out today, no one had expected it to rain. There was no forecast for precipitation that day. In fact, it was supposed to be sunny all week.

However, most people didnt let this little drizzle bother them. The sun was still visible and it seemed the rain was about to stop just as quickly as it came. Although a few people sped up, most continued about their day as they were.

The rain didnt let up though. The sun quickly dissappeared behind a sky of dark clouds and the rain grew harder. Not many had umbrellas, save for the few who had brought them for the sun that day. Most people were now speeding towards their destination. Families went home, knowing that their day was ruined.

The rain refused to relent. It grew even harder. A man making a short walk ouside of his house to check his mail would be soaked by the time he came back in. The streets were thinning as people rushed to get to their destinations. Some sough refuge under overhangs of buldings and markets, while others found shelter within  conveinince stores or generous office buildings.

And yet the rain grew harder still. Many people were now running, although few remained on the streets. Now the rain was accompanied by horrendus thunder and lightning. The glass on buildings shook at their might. The wind had picked up, and those in the overhangs had to find another place to escape the rain, which grew ever harder.

Now, very few people were in the streets. Only the few with a longer trip than others, who were running at their full speed. Even cars on the streets were far and few between. The rain still managed to haunt those who had escaped it by pelting rooftops and cars, making its presence known. The rain was now coming down with enough force to sting bare skin, and the thunder more terrible than ever.

This storm was different than others. This was a storm that tore into the soul, struck fear into the heart, and brought with it an ominous cloud of disaster. Ambulance sirens could be heard in the distance, and news reports manifested images of death and destruction into a reality.

For many, it was hard to believe. All this had come out of a small drizzle they had laughed off earlier when holding their briefcases over their heads and jogging to work. This storm, they knew, would haunt their memories for many years to come.

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly. Birds were chirping, and the city was back to it's regular schedule of people flocking down the sidewalks.

"Strange weather we've been having, eh?" Said a man to the newstand dealer.

"Strange weather, indeed."

[White Dwarf]

As always with your writing, Great.

[Dragonium]

Brilliant.

[Drace]

What the first guy said. Before White.