This is a short story I wrote a few years ago. It's rough and needs to be revised but I thought I'd just go ahead and post it. I'll work on revising it at a later date.The dark clouds blocked out the evening sun. A cool breeze swayed the limbs on the giant elm on the Ashton property. Johnny sat on the edge of his trampoline and watched as the clouds rolled in. “He’s coming again” thought Johnny. He dropped off the trampoline and ran inside.
“Daddy, it’s going to rain again!”
“Yeah bud it probably is.”
“Daddy, the monster lives in the rain!”
“Johnny monsters are make believe.”
“No they’re not. I saw him last night in the rain. And he’s coming back. He is!”
“Well if you saw him why didn’t he come and get us?”
“Maybe he’s just waiting.”
“It’s time for bed. Go brush your teeth and get ready. I’ll tuck you in.”
Johnny ran off to get ready for bed as his dad returned to his news program. The boom of thunder seemed to shake the house. The lightning followed, causing the T.V. to flicker. Anchor man Zel Johnson gave the latest headlines, “Family of five still missing after last night's thunderstorm. The family was discovered missing after a planned birthday party, for the youngest of three, brought several guests to the home only to find no hosts. Both cars were still in the driveway, and the door was unlocked. The police were called after several guests showed up, and found no trace of anyone inside."
Johnny finished brushing his teeth, came out to the living room and grabbed his dad’s hand. His dad’s hand wrapped around his gave temporary peace. Johnny looked around as they headed back to his room.
“Here we are big boy. Time to get back in bed.”
Tap, tap, tap…the rain began to hit the bedroom window.
“It’s raining!” Johnny screamed.
“Yes, looks like you were right.”
His dad opened the curtain, “Look bud, no monsters, just rain.”
The roar of thunder shook the house, and lightning lit up the night sky.
“Johnny, I’m going to bed now. And I want you to stay in bed. In the morning when you wake up we’ll get ready for our fishing trip.”
“Daddy, I wish mommy was here.”
“She has to work, but she’ll be home in the morning. Now go to sleep. Good night.”
“Good night daddy.”
Johnny’s dad walked out and went back into the living room. He plopped down on his chair to finish up his news program. Same old boring stuff. He stared at the screen, and listened to the drab anchor man. A special news report was scrolling across the bottom of the T.V.
….Severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 11:00 p.m. The following counties…
Click. The T.V. blinked out, as did the rest of the power in the house.
“Ah great, the power’s out. Guess I’ll call Alice before I turn in.”
He went to the kitchen grabbed some matches and lit a candle. He picked up his phone.
“Ah man, phone’s out too.”
He picked up his cell phone on the kitchen counter and dialed his wife’s office.
The other end of the line picked up, “Hello, nurses station.” the voice said.
“Could, I speak with Alice please?”
“Please hold.”
The phone went silent. He looked around the house. The candle flickered, casting eerie shadows into the living room.
“Rain monsters, he needs to stop watching them…”
“Hello this is Alice.”
“Hey babe. I’m going to bed. You staying busy?”
“Mark, when are we not busy? I tell you it’s one baby after another. Must be something in the water.”
“Yeah, well anyway. Johnny’s crying about the rain monster again, and we’re without power.”
“It’s all them monster movies you let him watch.”
“Oh come on. The Wolfman, and Frankenstein. Those are classics. He loves ‘em.”
“Yeah, so much that he’s created his own monster.”
“Well when the rain monster comes a knockin’, I’ll just let him in so he can dry off. Because if you think about it, aren’t these poor monsters just misunderstood?”
“Okay, I know you miss me, but I need to get back to work. Love ya, now bye.”
“Bye, see you in the morning.”
Mark picked up the candle and walked to the laundry room.
“Where did she put all my flashlights? Maybe in here.”
He opened a cabinet above the washer. Detergent, bleach, some extra light bulbs, and placed behind the fabric softner—his flashlight. He blew out the candle and turned on the flashlight. Walking back into the kitchen he decided to check on Johnny once more. The thunder clapped again and lightning lit up the living room. He peeked into Johnny’s room and flashed the light towards the ground. He could just make out Johnny. Fast asleep.
Oh no, the windows on the truck were still down. Mark left Johnny’s room and rushed into the kitchen. He grabbed his keys and went out the front door. The rain pelted him in the face as he walked down the sidewalk to his truck. He jumped in the truck turned on the power and rolled up the windows. He clicked on the cab light, and surveyed his soaked truck. The seats were soaked on both the driver and passenger sides. The floorboards were no longer dusty, but covered in mud.
“Great. Oh well, she’ll dry up.”
He flicked off the cab light and stepped out onto the driveway. Lightning streaked across the sky. Mark walked back to the front door. Lightning flashed again. What was that? He thought he saw something over by the large elm on the corner of his property. He stopped and stared over by the tree. The sky lit up again. There...someone standing by the tree. Just standing, not moving. The rain poured down his face. He stepped up the steps to the front door, without taking his eyes off the tree. The sky lit up again. It was closer, still standing, just standing.
Mark opened the door and locked it behind him. He ran to his room and went to the closet. He aimed his flashlight at the shelf above his clothes. He grabbed a black case from the shelf and took it to his bed. He opened the case and grabbed his .45. He slammed in a magazine, and popped the slide back.
“I don’t know who that was, but they’re not going to like my little buddy here…Ah, Johnny!”
He grabbed his flashlight, and put it up to his gun. He eased out of his room, scanning the living room with gun and light in hand. He flashed the front door, expecting someone to kick it in. He walked to Johnny’s room and lowered the gun. He walked up to his bed and knelt down. Johnny's little chest heaved up and down as he slept. His face was so peaceful. Mark stood up and split open the curtains and checked the lock on the window.
He walked back to the living room, flashlight and gun scanning the room for anything out of place.
“Maybe, I was seeing things. I’m scaring myself now.”
“He continued to scan the room. He pointed the light at the front door again, waiting for the mystery man to barge in. He scanned back over towards the kitchen.
Mark’s mouth dropped open, he could feel a lump hit his throat. He tried to swallow. Why was the front door unlocked? He backed up a step. Heh, poor misunderstood monster was going to eat a .45 if he showed his ugly face.
He flashed the light towards the carpet. Wet footsteps trailed off into the kitchen.
Something—no someone—was in the house. Mark stepped forward again and walked into the living room. He locked the front door then scanned around. Nothing. Crouched down like some special undercover agent he made his way to the kitchen counter. He laid the flashlight down pointing towards the laundry room at the back of the kitchen. He dialed 911. His phone beeped, flashed low battery, then went out.
“Oh come on, not now.”
He turned on the phone. It beeped, flashed low battery, then went out again.
He picked up his flashlight, and went back into undercover agent mode again. He walked back to the laundry room. He stepped into the room. Empty. He checked the door to the garage. Locked. Next he checked the slider in the kitchen. Locked. Room by room. The den, empty. Spare bedroom, empty. His own room, empty. He sat down on his bed, clenching his teeth. It just doesn’t make sense. Am I crazy? Could always just lock up Johnny’s room and sleep in there with him. Could drive to the hospital and visit Alice. Then what, sleep in the waiting room? Go to the police station, and have them come out, so they could do the same check and find nothing?
“Guess, I’m sleeping with Johnny tonight.”
He stood up from the bed in time to see the figure standing in the corner of his room. The lightning flashed through the curtains. Something…not someone was standing there looking at him. He jumped on his bed and rolled to the other side. He aimed his gun and light, and pulled the trigger. Safety. Ah man. The figure walked into his light. Just a dark mass, absorbing the light.
The dark arms stretched towards him, “Come with me.”
“No..no, get away.”
He clicked off the safety and fired..and fired. Impossible. Johnny. Have to get to Johnny. Mark made a dash for his bedroom door. The intruder met him at the door, grabbed his shoulder and began to shake him.
“No..” he screamed. Round after round he fired to no avail.
“No..no,no. Ahhhh!”
“Mark! Get up and come with me.”
Alice was standing over him, hand on his shoulder.
“Mark, come with me to bed. It slowed up at the hospital so they let me come home early.”
“The power, it’s on.”
“Yeah, of course. You fell asleep here watching T.V.”
“But…nevermind.”
Alice helped Mark up from his chair, and they went into the bedroom. Mark could hear the rain continuing to come down. The thunder clapped and the lightning lit up the sky once more. Mark laid down in bed relieved. Alice changed from her uniform and joined him in bed.
“Mark what were you dreaming about? You were screaming.”
“The boogey man was getting me, or should I say the rain monster.”
“Well big boy, I’ll protect you now. Go to sleep.”
“Goodnight babe.”
They dozed off as the lightning lit up the night sky. The flashes of light bounced off the silent figure, as it stood by the tree. Just standing, standing, but ever closer with each flash of light.
