Rain

NOWEL

Why is the eye god being so harsh on me? What have I done to deserve such treatment?

I stood before the enormous statue of the eye god as I said a prayer to him.

"Oh eye God, please give me the strength to resist my enemies and their venomous attacks. Please." I prayed and left the castle's sacred grounds to my room.

I entered my room to be surprised to find out that it was raining heavily outside. I smiled, oh how much I love it when it rains. This is the fifth month of the eye god. It's bound to rain almost every day. It's called Wet Month for a reason.

I sighed as I lay on my bed and purposely did not light the candles in my room. Tonight, the thick mass of gloom replicates the heaviness in my heart and it would be weird if I were surrounded by bright light and my eyes looked so dim, distant, and dead. My chest hurt as I recollect all those times I thought I was truly happy. I had a father to boast about my recent improvements in my sword training. And a beautiful woman to call a mother, who is more than ready to listen to sad stories of my pain.

Those times when Caroline would tell me tales and we would talk about Princes, dukes, and famous lords. Times when Iris and I would sneak into the village as commoners and have so much fun! I sighed again.

Three days. I recalled. How in the world do they expect me to find love in three days? Are they not being mean to me? Or am I overreacting?

I placed my head gently on my soft pillow and shivered a little at the distant sound of thunder. I needed more blankets as I felt the air around the room become chilly. I stared into space and buried myself deeper and deeper into the comforts of my happiest memories.

Then, I remembered a certain mystery with blue-red eyes and this enviable amount of hair. Oddly, my chest warmed at the thought of him and the throbbing pain ceased.

"I hope you're warm...wherever you are," I whispered sadly as I closed my eyes and welcomed sleep.

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MICHAEL

My eyes remained open all night and I watched as my teammates ran around to make themselves comfortable and warm in the little cave we were able to find and shield ourselves from the heavy downpour. I sat down in a corner and watched them do this and that.

Having a demon or being part demon means that I do not need to regulate my temperature because I am naturally cold. I can survive the rainy days and tiny sounds of thunder don't shake me as they did to my teammates.

Trapped in a small cave by an unforgiving storm. This reminds me of something; an old memory. Similar to this.

"Mommy, I'm scared." I cried out to my bleeding mother as we struggled to find refuge in the rain. She bent down to look at me. Her eyes are sore from all the punches she received from My stepdad. And her left arm is bleeding non-stop.

My mom freed me from the attic he locked me in for days without food and water.

"Being born a demon is your sin and you will die because of it!" I remembered him saying that in anger as he dragged me up that scary room and locked me in there. Isolated in complete darkness. No food and water to quicken my execution. I starved and cried out for...Mommy. I was so young and terrified. I saw no light in that darkness. I hated myself for being the reason behind all of this torture. I'll never forget it.

That night, My mom decided that we had had just enough of this. We escaped and fled into the forest. I wanted to breathe and see another different perspective on life...and she, My mom, the best thing a freak like me could ever have, wanted to survive.

I ran like never before with my tiny legs. It rained heavily that night. A night I can never forget.

"Why...Why are you scared, My child?" She asked with tears in her eyes. I remembered how glossy and vulnerable they were. "Where we are running to is not far anymore. Avalore is close by and there we would live happily ever after, My child."

We never did.

"There is nothing to fear. And we don't have to be afraid because Dad is not with us anymore. You'll finally live without him threatening to take your life." She said in an attempt to keep me going.

"Why are your eyes red and swollen, Mommy?" I asked innocently as a tear dropped from her eyes and onto her wet and bruised cheeks.

She smiled. "Rain. It's because of the rain." she lied and embraced me. Little did she know that at that moment she forgot that her child was very young but has a demon that can differentiate between good and evil. It showed me the truth and made me sense that whatever happened to her was evil and whoever did it was evil. Rain is a blessing from the sky and not a weapon of pain.

I looked up and glared hard at the heavy downpour outside the cave we were in. If not for the rain, there would be no cause for about thirty men to share a tiny cave with little or no resources. I sighed, I hate the rain.

I have always wondered who my father was. My real and biological father. The one who bore me. I always considered the topic very sensitive for my mother so I never once brought it up.

Is he a full demon or a human? Or another freak like me?

I would be happy to meet him regardless of whoever he is. I longed for him. Maybe things would be different if he was around. Maybe...I won't have to spend days locked up in the upper room surrounded by darkness and poor ventilation because of what I am. Maybe there won't be a cause to hide from the world and feel inferior.

But then, I felt it again. A death chill ran down my spine like sore sparks. I swallowed as our eyes met.

Slit-shaped silver eyes clouded with a deep red that was horrifying to gaze upon and observed me from a distance. His long red hair flourished in the rain and was not a disaster like mine.

It glared hard at me with pure hatred. It always did. My world stops the moment I see it physically or lurking in a corner of my dreams.

Even in the rain, it was not drenched. Like, it's not even there, but it is. Years of frequent contact have made me believe that I am not hallucinating or under the strong influence of illusion. After our brief glaring competition, It shook its head and walked away.

I didn't even try to run after it this time because I knew that I wouldn't be able to catch up with it. I've tried so many times in the past, what would make today's difference? It's pointless.

What are you? Is not the most pressing question that I have in me.

Why are you watching me? This is my biggest concern.