A Rare Year
Falcon gets up at the usual time and expects a shining sky but is met by a dull one. It starts speaking to him and showing its rage. The sky is a dark grey and is shouting profanities at the people below. It strikes deathly blows to the earth as torrential tears start to pour from it.
Falcon stares at the weather that he has only heard of in tales. His heart pounds as he looks on at the angry skies. The skies don’t calm as he rushes to dress in his school uniform. He has to attempt to run in this downpour and face the anger of the sky. His hands tremble and his heart pleads for mercy as it pounds erratically beneath its protection.
“Eddy,”Falcon mutters as he steps outside. The swirling water or Eddy has erupted and occurs intermittently throughout the years. Falcon walks as fast and as slow as possible to the train. He makes it to the train and mutters, “Only one day. I’m sure.”
The skies don’t dampen their cries of anger and their tears of sadness can’t be contained. The tears that fall as it inflicts harm on the earth with its flashes of light that last mere seconds.
Everyone arrives at the school doors with dripping clothes and muddy shoes. Quade and Galaxy are clean and dry. Everyone watches the angry skies as the day goes by.
As the day comes to its end, the skies cry out incessantly and howl as they crave the attention of man. It strikes the earth with more blows of electric shock as if bringing it back to life. The relentless sobbing continues as the students attempt to hide from its anger.
The students are drowning in the tears of the sky and barely escaping the hands of light reaching out to grab those escaping the flood. The rumbling gets louder and shakes the earth. A calm doesn’t ensue as expected. The howling intensifies and cries out to every listening ear that refuses to silence it.
Everyone is at their jobs or in the safety of their home when a loud announcement ensues.
“The Year of Rhododendron is not a tale. It has ensued and will last for the whole year of the 1010th Year.”
The next day arrives, as the storm rages on, without a care in the world. The sky is still screaming out furiously as its lengthy and ferocious reign begins. The frighteningly uncontrollable Eddy rages onwards.
Soaking children entering the train and school will be the norm for the rest of the year. Rhododendron doesn’t play around. The year is a rare year that holds adverse danger.
Everyone holds their hearts in their chest as they run to the train, bus and school. When they, finally, arrive at the school then they have to hold it even tighter as they try to hold their concentration despite the tempestuous storm raging outside.
When four hours pass by, the friends meet in the hallway of the school to have their lunch.
“The leaders have given us the courtesy of not eating in the rain,”Falcon says with a fake smile plastered on his face. Everyone chuckles. “So who has seen one of these before?”Legacy asks curiously as she eats a soggy sandwich. “It comes every nine years,”Galaxy says as she looks at her little sister, “the last one was when you were four and I was seven.” Legacy nods and continues to eat silently.
“The Rhododendron,”6 says quietly, “is scary every year.” Everyone nods. “It’s just never been this scary,”Icterine says with fear in her eyes as she dreads the thought of walking home while the wailing Edyy begs for her to listen to its woes. “True,”Galaxy says as Navy and Nicolette take their seats beside them. “Does anyone know why this phenomenon occurs and what is does for us?”Nicolette asks and the group goes silent. Everyone shakes their head in unison.
“One thing we do know,”Major says after a while, “is that our country loves hidden meanings.” Everyone looks to him and pleads for an explanation. “The Rhododendron symbolizes danger,”Major says and everyone starts to think deeply. “So the real question is,”Falcon says as he looks up, “what is dangerous or scary for the government?” “Zeroes,”Legacy says and everyone looks at her questioningly, “what?” “What do you mean?”Galaxy asks curiously as the girl tries to hide her face from the stares. “It’s their biggest fear,”Legacy says honestly, “I thought you guys would know why by now.”
Everyone goes silent as the loyal friend group of Legacy’s shows up to take her away from them.
“What does she know?”Navy asks questioningly. Everyone is thinking the same thing. “It’s a good question,”Falcon says honestly, “why are the Zeroes so dangerous that they separate them?” “And what does Rhododendron have to do with them?”Icterine adds as the bell chimes indignantly.
The bell is barely heard above the rumbling words of the Eddy.
Four hours later, Quade is walking alongside Galaxy quietly. He then says, “Your friends are more intelligent than the country gives them credit.” Galaxy turns to looks at him, “Are you saying they’re right? That they are close?” Quade nods sadly, “That’s what I fear.”
An explosive boom ensues as they sit down beside their friend group. The glass windows hold out against the anger of the sky.
Icy rocks start pummeling the roof of the building. Screams ensue as some attempt to walk into the storm.
“Hail,”Major says with wide eyes. Fear replaces everyone’s vision. “That wasn’t there last year,”Galaxy says with a tremble in her voice, “and that means.” “We are stuck,”Falcon continues as he sees the fear in everyone’s eyes.
“I’ve never seen hail,”Icterine says sincerely, “I thought it would be prettier.” “It definitely not pretty,”6 says with annoyance as they huddle on the falls after school hours. The skies crackle and spark at his words. Everyone jumps at the booming sounds of the skies.
“It’s like it’s speaking to us,”Falcon says with awe in his eyes. Everyone nods. “I wish we knew what it was saying,”6 says sarcastically and a flash of lightening hits the ground infront of them. “It’s telling you to shut up,”Icterine says sharply as fear fills her everytime.
Torrents of water falls exponentially and starts flooding the school floors. Everyone is evacuated to the higher floors as they storm takes its biggest blows on the island.
Hours pass and the sky calms. Everyone is escorted to the ground floor. The line stops as soon as the floor is in view.
“What’s wrong?”some murmur. “Why have we stopped?”others say. Galaxy pushes forward and finds a flooded floor awaiting them. “If you don’t know how to swim,”someone shouts, “then stay behind.”
Some go into the muddy water and start swimming. The crackling sound ensues once more and the skies fill with heavy rainfall.
Hundreds of students are trapped in the building. Those who have left are probably already on the train headed home.
“Guys,”Galaxy says quietly, “I know we can all swim but we shouldn’t go into muddy water.” “You’re right,”Falcon says sincerely, “some don’t make it out.” 6 sighs and says, “I don’t care if I don’t make it out. I don’t care if I drown in my own home. I’m going home to my mother.” He pushes past them and dives into the muddy waters.
Those who can’t seem to leave the school, have taken shelter on the highest floor.
By the next day, the heavy rains have slowed but the howling, whistling and wailing winds continue their reign of terror as the students make their way out of the school and into the streets of silence.
The sky remains turbulent and grey with sadness, but the outcry of the wind has ceased and so has the tears of sorrow. The sun doesn’t shine but everything else abates over a few days. Over those days, the students continue their dangerous treks to school and back. Everyone goes to work and the Argaron have been awarded overtime duties due to the destructive nature of the Eddy.
The calm lasts not even a day, the storm returns to its aggressive nature and wreaks havoc on the island once more.
The questions asked still remain firmly placed in their minds even though they don’t have the chance to affirm their beliefs.
As the storm rages on, teachers are ordered to increase the workload and decrease the break time so as to defuse worries.
After four hours of school, the friends meet up outside in the field as a light drizzle ensues. A light crackle sounds as they place themselves on the grassy field floors.
“Well,”Galaxy says with annoyance, “I have never had to wonder how I am to fit all this homework into a small timeframe before.” “Me neither,”Falcon says as he stares at the list dejectedly, “anyone thought over the questions we asked?” Everyone shakes their heads. “As you can see,”Icterine says as she holds up his paper and hers, “we are as busy as you.”
“There’s no time to think about this Eddy,”6 says honestly, “they are trying to keep us busy.” “If only that is all it is,”Icterine says dejectedly. “It’s not just some Eddy that we get for a few days, 6,”Galaxy says seriously, “it’s the Rhododendron. It’s completely different.” “And that is why they don’t want us to have the time to talk about it,”Nicolette says as she and Navy sit down by them.
A sharp sounds erupts nearby as a flash of light hits the ground. It becomes the race against the Rhododendron. Everyone makes it to the school safely except for one teacher.
“She was fifty,”Icterine mutters and everyone looks at her. “She just reached the minimum of her life expectancy,”6 says as they watch her body being dragged as the bell starts to ring. Major glares at them. “Those numbers never play,”Nicolette says honestly. “Major,”Navy says as he looks at him for confirmation of his understanding, “you can’t run away from the death those numbers bring.”
Major nods and walks towards his class as he tries to rid his mind of the thoughts they keep pressuring him to believe. He just doesn’t want to hear it and speak of it. He wants to live his life without ever thinking of it. The problem is that no one will ever understand his thoughts and feelings.
His heart pounds as the day ends. His mind rages on like the never ending storm. His mind is fighting against himself and bringing harm to himself. He opens the school doors and is met by the illusion of sunlight. The spark of electricity makes its way to the ground at record speed and leaves just as quickly. The rumbling gives the warning and then the strike ensues.
He enters his assigned bus and watches his siblings as they sit down in their seats. Icterine is beside him while 6 is nowhere to be seen. Icterine holds a beaming smile on her face as she avoids looking at him.
The bus travels at its speed and reaches the train that takes them home. He approaches it and sits in any spots he finds. With his hand on his cheek and his face towards the window trailing with rain, he thinks about Rhododendron and Zeroes. If only Zeroes were a fantasy like Rhododendron once was.
If only Rhododendron meant anything but danger. If only there was any other connection between the two than the one they have been assigned. If only his father was here to tell him what it is he doesn’t know about this storm.
One day, long ago, his father sat down with him at a table and spoke to him about Rhododendron. He was seven-years-old and unbelieving when his father revealed everything he knew about the poisonous plant. His father told him, one spring day, that Rhododendron is born on a spring day much like the storm and it lasts eight months. The storm lasts eight months and so does the flower.
He remembers his father laughing about the fact that the flower can be killed but the storm can never be killed. He mentioned the way the island would rid themselves of these flowers so as to avoid the impending storm that came every nine years.
The Dray train comes to a stop and everyone starts leaving. Begrudgingly, he does the same.
Major walks as his siblings run ahead. He thinks that if anyone knew the connection that it would be him or his father. Why should he expose himself by telling everyone the link that might end up in more harm than good?