Rain

R                    A                    I                    N

The rain poured down onto my windshield as hard as ever. I turned my windshield wipers on as high as they could, but the water drops never moved away. My headlights and brights were on, yet I still could not see an thing. I don’t know how, but I’ve stayed on the curvy road for the past hour since the last drop of light dispersed without a problem. I knew I just had to get away from it all… this force must be the reason I was doing fine.

Not one single car was on the same road as I. Travelling through the black rock mountains could not have been scarier. I could not see a thing.

My daughter was sitting in her car seat just behind me. She was only 5 months old, but her mother… her mother.

She started to cry. “Oh, baby, baby, please don’t cry.” She didn’t seem to respond. “I know what to do.”

I felt around the middle console until I grabbed the Carrie Underwood CD that I took from the house. Listening to her was the only thing that would calm my daughter down. I shoved it into the CD player and it started to play. She stopped crying and I started to sing along quietly as I weaved through the mountains.

“Some Hearts” started to play. Why couldn’t I feel like this? My heart was not lucky at all… I had to fall in love with and conceive a child with a woman who…

Ugh.

I was almost down the mountain. I felt it… the interstate was right there. The engine from my car stopped; no noise came from the hood in front of me. As the car slowed down, I pulled over to the side of the road, safe and away from any upcoming cars. I placed the car in park. I slammed my hands on the steering wheel and cursed. My daughter started to whimper a little, but I managed to calm her down by apologizing and shushing. She fell back asleep immediately after.

I stepped out of the car and shut the door. I looked up at the black sky as rain poured down onto my face and body. Within a matter of seconds, my hair was soaked and my raincoat completely slick.

“You know I can’t do this!” I shouted. “Why did You let my car break down, huh? Was it not enough that I had to leave my wife to protect my baby?”

I grew louder, “I have done so much for that little girl, and You’re going to punish me by not letting me even get down the mountain. I’ve done nothing wrong! You are wrong, sir! You make my car start, right now!” I thought I was crying, but I couldn’t really tell with all the rain water on my face.

I didn’t really have the strength to yell anymore, “I am tired. If You do not have my car running by morning, I will never forgive You. My daughter needs a safe place to grow up, let me get her there.”

I looked down and stared at the ground for a second, but I couldn’t see it. I got back into my car, took off my coat, and grabbed the blanket in the passenger seat. I took my daughter out of her car seat and put it in the driver’s seat. I climbed to the back of the car and laid down next to her.

I brushed the bruises on her neck: five fingers. I cried myself to sleep.

I did not dream that night. I woke up at the crack of dawn and replaced my daughter in the car seat. I didn’t even think to see if my car would start. I knew it would… it had to.

I sat myself down in the driver’s seat. My fingers trembled as I put the key into the ignition. I turned it, the engine rumbled, and it settled. I smiled, looked up and said, “Thank you.”

My daughter and I continued down the mountain, sun shining.




Word Count: 683



This story is paired with:

Invalid Item  [] # by A Guest Visitor