The rain poured down in sheets, rushing down the gutters of the houses I passed and eventually gurgling into the tunnels below me. I paused for a moment to glare enviously at the lighted windows, wishing I were on the other side of the glass instead of out here, in the cold and black and wet. But I resigned myself to my fate and turned away as a clock sounded in the distance.

Dong!

     Soaked strands of hair slapped me in the face. Muddy water sloshed up my legs and I lifted my feet higher in frustration.

Dong!

     Water continued to splash my calves anyway. Rivulets trailed down my neck and I remembered my backpack.

Dong!

     ! My papers were probably already soaked.

Dong!

     And my calculator too. I imagined the water seeping into the cracks and frying the circuitry while I walked.

Dong!

     My strides increased in speed at the thought. Calculators were expensive.

Dong!

     I cursed the rain.

Dong!

     The rain ignored me.

Dong!

     I cursed my luck.

Dong!

     I cursed myself.

Dong!

     But especially—

Dong!

     —I cursed my lab partner.

     The final strike resounded through the rain, intterrupting my thoughts, and I paused to count the number of Dong!s that had passed.

     Eleven, I thought, I'm later than usual. Would my mother be angry? Today is really not my day.

     I grimaced as I turned another corner—and smacked into someone. My head snapped back from the impact and I stumbled slightly sideways. Recovering quickly, I immediately bowed and apologised.

     "No, no," the figure insisted, "it should be me apologising. I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." He bowed as well. The boy—or perhaps young man, I couldn't tell—I had collided with seemed unhurt; he was tall and his chest had taken the hit. It was rather my nose which was complaining bitterly and I massaged it gingerly to make sure it was still intact. I nodded at him, my hand still covering my nose.

     "Well, uh..." I bowed again, more awkwardly this time and edged around him. I was eager to get out of the rain and into my pyjamas. Once he was out of sight, I hurried my steps towards home.

 

     It wasn't until later that night, while hanging my own clothes, that I realised, despite his lack of umbrella, the stranger had been perfectly dry under the pouring rain.

 

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AUTHORS NOTE: I'm currently working on the second chapter, which I'll try to make a bit longer. This was more just a teaser. I'll try to keep it supenseful, so I'd love to hear your theories!