A Run in the Rain

“It’s just rain” mom said to Jimmy. She watched him as he stood at the closed screen door staring at the van, parked on the street, less than twenty yards away.

Jimmy heard his mom but didn’t answer. His back pack was behind the closed doors of the black van. In his back pack was his most treasured possession, his iPad.

Why didn’t I grab it when we got home? It wasn’t raining then. He thought morosely.

“The driver side door is unlooked” his mom said joining him at the door.

“What?” he asked a little confused and wary not wanting to take an eye off the falling rain.

“The driver side door is open. You can just dash out there, go around the van, open the door, and get your pack.” She said placing a soft hand on his thin young shoulder.

“But the rain” he said as if that explained everything.

“It’s not like you’re going to melt” he mom said with a chuckle, “And it’s June Jimmy you’re not going to catch a cold either, man up and go get your pack.”

Fifteen feet, I can get in the van in less than 30 seconds. He thought laying his hand on the screen door’s handle.

Knowing if he delayed any longer he’s run upstairs instead and watch TV Jimmy threw the door open and launched himself through the portal. Breathing hard and with his arms pumping he flew off the porch and onto the lawn.

The first fat drops of water smacked his bare arms, leg’s, and face.

This isn’t so bad. He thought barreling toward the van.

Then it started to feel weird.

At first Jimmy was confused, then he was scared. Eat drop of water produced a sensation of pain like when him mom put rubbing alcohol on scrapes and cuts.

“OUCH!” Jimmy yelled in pain and fear as a drop his the tip of his nose and he saw smoke rise through the damp air in front of his face/

What the hell is going on? He thought pouring on as much speed as he could.

Desperate to reach the safety of the van Jimmy tried his best to ignore the rapid series of pain eruptions on his skin. His heart nearly stopped when he glanced at his arms and legs and saw rivulets of blood streaming down them.

Each step became an agony as his progress began to slow.

“Mommy!” he yelled but the rain had entered his mouth and had begun dissolving his tongue. It come out muffled and mushy.

Rounding the back of the van Jimmy stumbled and fell to the ground. Hidden from the view of the house but too far from the door to enter the van. He attempted to crawl to the driver’s door using his finger tips to pull himself across the wet asphalt.

With each agonizing pull more of his finger tips were sloughed off.

As his burning eyes began to cloud and turn red Jimmy passed out.

Back In the House

“He’s still out there” Jimmy’s mom said to her husband.

Jimmy’s dad sighed then paused the football game.

“I’ll go get him” he said getting up and walking to the door.

“Remind him it’s just rain and he won’t melt” Jimmy’s mom said kissing her husband on the cheek and opening the door for him.

The End