Raindrops

By Ariana Beck

The rain was coming down hard. My clothes were clinging to my damp skin. My long brown hair was drenched and sticking to my face.

I was wet, cold, and tired, but I had to keep moving, or they would catch me. I was terrified for my life, so I kept running through the raindrops that were coming down rapidly.

Mud grabbed hold of my boots and started to weigh me down. But I could not stop. Not until I found some safe place where I could hide.

The rain was so thick I could barely see. I kept running until I nearly collided with a solid, wooden wall. I had to stop so quickly that I fell backwards. I looked up, realizing I had run into an abandoned cabin.

Maybe I can hide out here, I thought.

I jumped up and ran for the door. I pulled it open and flung myself inside. The place was dry. It would be warm if I could start a fire, but that would be too risky.

Suddenly, I heard a click behind me. Another door had closed.

Filled with terror, I whipped around. But instead of being faced with an enemy, a handsome young man stood before me.  

He was drenched from head to toe, and his auburn hair clung to his face. Before running away, I paused and looked into his beautiful brown eyes for just a second. He looked just as scared as I was, and it seemed neither one of us could move.

“Night Watchers?” he asked in a gentle voice.

I nodded. I guess we were both being chased by the same people. I watched his figure relax. I still didn’t move, but he walked over to a chair and collapsed.

My knees were shaking, and I couldn’t stand much longer. Cautiously, I sat on the wooden chair opposite him.

“Baston,” he said. “What’s your name?”

“Annavira,” I said shyly.

He smiled kindly. We sat there talking for a while. We were both headed north, away from the Night Watchers.

“What if we go together? You know, for extra protection,” I asked, hoping he’d say yes. He seemed like a kind and strong man, and I wouldn’t mind having someone like that with me while on the run. The Night Watchers were ruthless and hardly anyone managed to escape their grasp.

“Sounds perfect,” he said with a smile on his face.

I smiled and looked out the window. The sunlight shown through the clear glass. No more raindrops.

“Let’s get going before the Night Watchers find us,” Baston said.

I nodded and rose to my feet. We walked through the fields, leaving the cabin behind us. With Baston by my side, I no longer felt scared. However, I couldn’t help but wonder what lay before us, and what was going to happen next.