Chapter 4 - Rain

I don’t know how long I’ve been walking now, but I’m snapped out of my miserable trance when I feel a drop of rain splash upon my head, the droplets slowly trickling down my face and returning to the ground. I would have been thankful for a refreshing downpour if this rain wasn’t full of ash and radiation, creating a burning sensation upon my skin as I dash to find a place to shelter.

I used to find joy in days like these, where the sun hid between the clouds and a gentle rain shower left behind a pleasant scent of petrichor, and the puddles were oh-so tempting to jump in. Childhood memories like these are all I have left to comfort myself, watching as the world I live in now transforms into a nightmare I’m forced to survive in.

It feels like my flesh is disintegrating. I run towards a crumbling concrete structure, which isn’t exactly a safe place to hide, as drops of nuclear rain occasionally drip down from the cracks and holes in its miserable structure and scorch my skin, the uncomfortable sensation making me recoil in pain.

I cover as much skin up as I can with the torn clothes and fabric scraps I have left, and watch the rain continue its downpour. Looking off into the distance a bit further, I spot what seems to be a fallen aircraft.

My stomach rumbles, a grave reminder that although I can live on an empty stomach now, I won’t be able to for much longer. Maybe there’s food left inside the plane? It looks mostly untouched, although quite damaged from the fall. If I run out in the rain, though, I’ll just worsen the wounds and burns on my skin…

Until then, I’ll huddle up amongst the rubble and quietly watch the rainfall for hours to come.