Rain

Rain

“Three weeks, and we sure need it. I don’t remember it ever being this dry,” said Mr. Hodges. The setting sun shone underneath the approaching clouds, giving them a golden hue. Mr. Hodges’s face, normally a pale white, was now becoming golden, all the small crevices filling up with light. His pale blue eyes looked bright in the dusk light. Jacob saw the ground in his face, cracked with age, dirty, and awaiting the coming storm with hope.

Indeed, it had been three weeks since the last rain, and that was a shower that had lasted five minutes. The ground was dry before Jacob Hodges and his grandfather could get outside. The fields were dying; stalks of grain stood white, bleached by the sun, gardens plants died before they could push themselves out of the ground, and, with the plants, the small town of Blanche was fading away.

But the rain was coming, reflected Jacob. Everyone around had been talking about it. It brought life to the small town. You would think the circus was in town, the way everyone would gamble about from door to door, spreading the news. In fact, the Hodges had had three visitors: Mr. Greenwood, an amiable elderly gentleman who taught music at the church; Mrs. Brinton, normally a severe, grouchy lady; and finally, a Miss Jessica Normand, a young woman of Jacob’s age, who had yet to leave.

If Jacob’s mother had minded any of the visitors, she didn’t show it. Each one received more pie than they were able to shove down. Mrs. Hodges had baked several pies in anticipation of the good news. At the moment, she was enjoying a piece with Jessica, chatting away about the happenings in town. Jacob listened closely, particularly when he heard Jessica laugh at news that Farmer Harold had lost a cow only to find it standing inside his house, enjoying the cool shade.

Off in the distance, a clap of thunder could be heard. The wind was picking up, tossing the sand against the dry wood of the porch. The approaching storm seemed to scowl at the small town in its rejoicing. The clouds formed a strait front against it and rolled inwards. From inside, Jacob could hear footsteps as his mother and Jessica came outside.

“It’s picking up now, isn’t it?” Asked his mother.

“Yup,” said Mr. Hodges.

“It’s not entirely comforting looking, is it?”

“No.”

Meanwhile, Jacob was talking to Jessica. He loved to watch her dark hair blow in the wind.

“So, how’s your father?” Jacob asked.

“He’s doing alright. His arm is healing now. I keep telling him that if he had been a little less lucky, he wouldn’t have an arm to heal. He groans a lot, though; it’s very painful. If he hadn’t been cutting wood alone, that may not have happened.”

“Yeah, I suppose. Do you need any help at your house? Because I’ve got plenty of free time.”

“No, I don’t think we’ll need any until harvest, that is, if it comes at all. I hope this rain’ll do the trick.”

Meanwhile, it had begun to rain lightly, and soon it began coming down in sheets, forcing them off the porch and into the house. It beat against the windows and the wind howled. There was a nervous tension among them. Nobody spoke, but listened to the storm as it began to get worse.

“Now, now, don’t get too violent,” whispered old Mr. Hodges. Jessica and Jacob exchanged nervous looks: if the storm became too bad, it could wash away the crops. The thought was going through everyone’s mind. The storm that was to save them might have finished them off. The wind got louder. Outside, Jacob saw the trees whipping about in protest. Dry, dead leaves blew off their limbs and littered the ground.

When the screen door slammed shut, everyone jumped. It was Jacob’s father, returned from the neighboring farm.

“What are you doing up here?” He asked, bewildered. He looked like a Wildman with wide eyes and unkempt hair. “Don’t you know to get down in the basement?” As if to emphasize his point, a tree limb flew into a window, smashing through it. Without a word, Jacob grabbed Jessica’s hand and led her down to the basement along with the rest of the family.

“Jacob, I’m scared,” she said.

“It’s going to be all right,” he said, not knowing how to calm her more.

They reached the basement, and someone turned on the light. It was quieter, there being only two small windows. Above them, the house creaked on its foundations. There was nothing to it but to wait the storm out. Jacob’s hand remained firmly in Jessica’s. Jacob’s mother pulled out some blankets, and they all wrapped up. After an hour, fear left Jessica and she fell asleep on Jacob’s shoulder. He soon followed.

Word count: 813