Chapter 1 – Rain Showers, Death Devours
Basso is just a small town with nothing special about its history or its people except for the few people that go out of it that become celebrities or well-known people in business. Marcel is none of these things. Right now, he’s just come home after another month-long musical tour and is eating breakfast at the town’s diner.
“Hey, Marcel.”
“Hey, Fitz. It’s good to see you again.”
“How’s the famous musician doing? Did you pick up any girls or rather, have you left any?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. No, I haven’t.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’re still waiting for Louise, aren’t you?”
“What? I-”
“I think I remember you saying, ‘Oh Louise the sun doesn’t rise, and the stars don’t shine without you!’”
“That was a while ago!”
“Yeah, yeah. Well, you’re going to get the chance to see her again. She’s supposed to be coming back home too.”
“She is?! I mean, she is?”
“She’s back from her tour like you are, but she’s actually achieved a nice level of fame. I’m sure you’ve been paying attention. She’s even performed on Broadway, and the best place that you’ve performed is what, a popular bar or two?”
“I’ve performed at theaters and expensive restaurants too!”
“Oh, I’m sure you have. Didn’t Louise and you say you were going to be a duo traveling the country together?”
“We couldn’t be in sync with one another. She had her style of music and I had mine. We went our separate ways from there.”
“You two broke up because of that?”
“It was that and our dreams. I wanted to go medium while she wanted to go big. I wish I could tell her how sorry I am and that we should practice for a few more times so we could get more in sync.”
“You have your opportunity now. Here she comes.”
Marcel chokes up on his food as he looks out the diner window to see Louise coming in. Everyone she passes says hi to her. Once she’s in the dinner, the waiter sits her not too from Marcel since most people in the town know their relationship. Marcel shyly looks at her while Fitz silently but eagerly awaits his next action.
“Thanks for the breakfast, but I have to go home to rest,” Marcel says to Fitz, “I came straight here from my tour.”
As Marcel is talking, it starts to pour rain.
Fitz smiles and says, “I think that’s God saying you should stay and talk to you know who.”
Louise has already noticed Marcel and tries not to look at him while listening in to their conversation.
“Louise, won’t you tell me how New York was? Louise?”
“Oh, it was wonderful.”
“Don’t just say ‘it was wonderful’. Tell me more!”
Marcel thinks about what to do while staring at the pouring rain.
“The rain isn’t going to tell you what to do.”
“I know that! I’ll just wing it.”
“You say that about everything. I’m still wondering how you managed to get through school with better grades than me with that strategy.”
“I’m still wondering too.”
Marcel gets up and walks to Louise with his hand going along the side of the chairs and tables as if his nervousness is weighing him down. The crowd around Louise gives Marcel room so she can see him.
“Louise…it’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you too.”
The two awkwardly stare at each other before a neighbor in the crowd bumps Marcel to signal to him to sit down. He sits as the crowd scatters to give the two their space.
“…How did your tour go?” Marcel asks.
“It went well. I appeared in a couple of newspapers and did a few interviews. How about you?”
“It was okay. Nothing special or new.”
“Maybe you should think about doing more if you wanted something special or new.”
“I’ve thought about that, but I don’t think it’s for me.”
“Why not?”
“We’ve had this conversation before. You know why.”
“You can reach so many more people with your wonderful music. Think about all of the people you can help.”
“What about the people who can’t go to some expensive theater or a place like Broadway? Those people are forgotten about and only hear your music through the radio. Tell me, do you meet with your fans?”
“Some of them. Why?”
“Because people like being talked to by the people they admire. It makes this personal connection that makes people like you more and makes you look more relatable so you can inspire them to achieve their dreams.”
“I’m not just a pretty face who sings for people’s entertainment.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I inspire people just like you do. You have to hear the stories of my fans.”
“I read about them and hear them on the radio.”
“Then you know about the reach that my kind of fame can have. Because of that, I inspire and entertain more people than you can.”
“You still leave out a bunch of people.”
“You’re always going to leave out people. Not everyone’s going to like you.”
“I like you.”
Marcel holds his face then puts his fingers around his mouth as he didn’t expect to blurt that out. Louise is surprised as well and smiles and blushes in response. The people in the diner eagerly await Louise’s response while whispering among themselves.
Marcel notices this and says, “We should talk more privately. Ah!”
Fitz takes a picture of Marcel and Louise together.
“I needed to take a picture of the two famous singers together,” Fitz says, “It helps the business grow. You two should stay longer. You’re bringing in more people.”
“I’m with him. It’s just raining, and we haven’t talked to each other for a while.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Is something the matter? Do you need help with something?”
“N-no.”
“Alright?”
Everyone in the diner looks at the couple as if they’re deeply worried. Marcel notices this and looks away as he chalks this up to Fitz and everyone making faces to make them stay. Once they step into the rain, the people in the diner erupt in cheer.
“What are they so happy about?” Louise asks.
“I don’t know. Maybe there’s happy we’re talking to each other again?”
“That’s possible.”
Marcel leads Louise to his car and tries getting it to run, but it doesn’t start.
“Come on, already. Don’t die on me now,” Marcel says to the car.
“It’s about time this car died. How long have you had it again?”
“Since nineteen-sixty.”
“There’s a reason why people trade in their cars every five years, but you’ve had this thing for ten years.”
“Hey, it’s not a thing. It’s a work of art. I also don’t remember you disliking this car when I first picked you up in it.”
“It’s not the same as it was before.”
“Uck. I’m going to have someone fix it. We can walk back to my place from here. It isn’t too far?”
“Are you really expecting me to walk in this rain?”
“Yes, princess, I am. I have an umbrella so you shouldn’t worry too much.”
When the umbrella is wet by the rain, it falls apart.
“What the? Good thing I got a spare.”
The second umbrella also falls apart.
“Everything you have seems to be falling apart. I wonder if that hat on your head will flatten too.”
“You can mock-well you can’t mock my car, but you can’t mock the hat. It was my dad’s. Let’s just make a run for it. I hope it isn’t too much for you, princess.”
“It isn’t too much trouble, jester.”
The two run through the pouring rain as fog starts to envelop the town.
“I don’t think it’s ever rained like this in Barro,” Louise notes.
“Yeah, it’s strange. It even seems like this is a normal occurrence with all of the stationery umbrellas around with the red lights above them.”
“Let’s rest under one for a little. I’m soaked.”
“Fine.”
“It’s a shame that this outfit got so wet. It’s expensive too.”
“I’m still wondering why my umbrellas broke. The one I had for a while sure, but there was nothing wrong with it. The other one I never used.”
“Maybe it’s because they were as cheap as your taste.”
“Says the woman who’s wearing an expensive outfit made of cheap materials. You see this outfit? I could wear it until the day I die, and it’ll still look the same.”
“Oh be quiet.”
“Hey, are you okay? Your skin looks whiter than it did before.”
“You’re right. This is weird. It’s not chilly in the least bit and I don’t feel cold. You’re the same.”
“Oh, you’re right. Let me see your arms.”
As the two hold arms, they get a similar feeling a person would get when they come home to a warm house after being in the freezing cold.
“That was weird. What was that feeling for?”
“Look, our arms have more color in them now.”
“What’s going on here?”
The two then notice that they’re holding each other as they get warmer. They then let go and start to feel chilly.
“How much further is your place?”
“It shouldn’t be too far from here. Let’s make the final run.”
“Right.”
They make the final run to Marcel’s house and make it to the front door. Something catches Marcel’s eye, which makes him walk away from his house.
“Do you see that?” he asks, “It looks like there isn’t any road out there.”
“You’re right, but we should head inside first. I can’t stand this rain anymore.”
“Alright. I’d make a joke, but it’s bothering me too.”
“Good idea.”
When they get in Marcel’s house, they put their hands near the fireplace but feel no warmth. Marcel then holds hands with Louise again. She jolts back a little in response.
“What are you-”
“I uh. Wanted to see if holding hands would work again and it looks like it does.”
“Why does it though? I don’t understand this.”
“Maybe it’s true love warming us up. Haha.”
“Oh, so you actually love me now, do you?”
“Don’t be so cold. You’re literally making us colder.”
“I am. This is strange.”
Marcel sees a shadowy figure outside who is moving around the edge of the town.
“There’s someone outside near the road. It looks like he’s seeing what we were seeing and he’s testing it out.”
“Do I really need to go back outside?”
“Yes, it’s better than being cold in the rain.”
“Okay, so I’m walking heater then.”
“Just come on.”
Marcel and Louise hold hands while walking outside so they can stay warm.
“I don’t even feel the rain when we’re walking like this,” Marcel notes.
“You’re right, but I’m not that surprised.”
“What about now?”
“Okay, I’m surprised.”
When the two reach the road where the figure is, they see that there isn’t any road or land around the edge of the town. The figure is revealed to be a man who is trying to see if what he’s seeing is true.
“Be careful!” Marcel says to the man.
“This can’t be real. It has to be fake or an illusion. Watch.”
“Don’t move!”
The man walks forward and screams as he falls into the endless abyss. He seems to melt and turn into water the further down he goes.
“Help! Someone save me!” a voice says in the distance.
Louise and Marcel run toward the source of the voice to see a person melting into water. Their body becomes like a puddle with an invisible force forming them into an egg shape. The two are speechless by what they’re seeing. Marcel tries to reach out to the melting person, but an inhuman scream is heard in the distance.
The melting person then says, “It’s too late for me. I shouldn’t have been the person I was in life. God forgive me!”
“Isn’t there any way we can help you?” Louise asks.
“It’s too late for me when I’m like this. Go underneath one of the umbrellas before the demons come!”
“What demons?”
The same inhuman scream is heard, but this time it sounds closer.
“Here it comes! Hurry!”
Marcel and Louise run underneath the umbrella in the streets as they see a large lanky figure running on all fours in the distance. Once it’s visible, they see a white demon with long arms and legs with green eyes and a green liquid dripping from its mouth that has two sharp teeth and a long green tongue. The smile on its face is as chilling as the rain as it approaches the two. It circles the umbrella and even reaches in a couple times to scare the two while laughing. The rain around them has intensified since the demon’s arrival and the whole town is drenched in a flash flood. After a couple minutes, the melting person has fully formed into a blue, watery egg that hatches into another white demon within twenty-seconds though this one takes a couple of seconds before it gets its green eyes.
The two demons then prance and tease the two as they try to get them to separate. Tempting whispers can be heard from the mouths of the demons that tell them of their past sins and temptations. Despite their incessant whispering, the two get closer to one another, which mutes the voices of the demons. After a few more agonizing minutes, the rain slows then stops as the sun’s light bursts through the clouds. The demons and water evaporate into mist as the clouds disappear and the sun is back in the sky. Everything looks normal now as if nothing happened.
“Did that really happen?” Louise asks.
Marcel blinks his eyes a couple of times before saying, “Yeah…or at least I think it did.”
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