R.E.solve (Rain Experience Book 2)

by Thomas W. Everson

  I try to focus my attention, but I’m redirected when something changes within. The darkness, the shadowy collection of despairing souls is changed. I cannot discern how much, or in what way, but it’s different. It feels lighter, I think. In Denis’s last moments, I can feel the sadness within him; the despair he has for not being loved back; the despair of not living up to his father’s expectations. All being drawn into me, into that endless black.

  Had we not interfered in the past, would he have turned out different if he had won Emma over as a child?

  Tortured by the thought that perhaps I was inadvertently the cause of his development into this person, tears stream down my face and I cannot control them. Quickly turning into a breathless sob, the darkness overwhelms me and I can’t control my body as it convulses. I try to open my eyes, to let the light in, but my eyelids won’t respond. Into darkness I tumble. Eve tries to snap me out of it, but to no avail.

  It’s creeping through my skin. I can feel it. It’s going to break loose.

  Once more I am at the mercy of this entity I know so little about. It consumes my body and I become lost in the dark as I had previously.

  I can hear Eve yell at Emma and Driesen in the living world, but I can’t understand what she is saying. Emma continues to cry out to me but they become more and more distant.

  Finally there is silence and I am left alone to wallow in misery with those lost in despair. Time is endless here within the darkness. Lying there, or perhaps floating on my back, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by everything.

  This is my fault. If I had died this wouldn’t have happened.

  Why did Ami and Agatha have to save me? I should have just left when I was healed and they wouldn’t have been subjected to these dangers. What reason did I really have to impose myself on their life?

  Where do I go from here? How can I save them? How can I save myself?

  Voices call out to me. I ignore them for a while, but they are insistent, becoming louder. Plugging my ears does no good because their voices are resonating against my soul. They cry out about their despairs and I know now, no matter how many of them I try to help, my effort to save the women by letting the darkness in was futile. I will never fix them all. Chase and Denis are here within the despairing collective. With Denis’s death, I’m unsure how much of the despair within the city has been alleviated.

  If I succeeded, I would likely be unaware because it would have never happened. Time would be changed already.

  What good is it to help, then? How will I ever feel like I am making a difference in this plight?

  How do I make the despair go away?

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  It’s quiet and finally, the light appears again. I hear Emma whispering. Not wanting to face reality just yet I try to stay here where I know I won’t be able to hurt anyone else, but I fail. I am dragged along unwillingly into the light.

  “I knew you’d save me again.”

  The light grows brighter despite my not moving in its direction.

  “Rain, you have to be okay,” she chokes through soft sobbing. “You’re like the brother I didn’t get to have. Please don’t die…”

  Reaching the light, I feel myself return to the conscious world. I keep my eyes shut. By the sounds I hear, and where I lie, I can tell I’m not in the grass of Denis’s yard. I’m not outside. Light creeps in through my eyelids and curiosity compels me to open them. I’m in the living room on the couch. Emma is sobbing against my chest. I’m home again. I’m safe.

  Driesen or Eve must have carried me.

  “Rain, please be okay…”

  “H-how…long…?” I try to talk but find my throat swollen and dry.

  With a surprised look, Emma jerks her head up. But instead of a happy greeting she yells at me.

  “Were you awake this whole time?” She hits me in the chest and I groan in pain. Realizing she’s hurt me further she begins crying again. “I’m so sorry!”

  Ami appears in my peripheral vision and offers me a glass of water. Emma tilts my head and Ami presses the glass to my lips. I sip it slowly and carefully. After my throat is wet I clear it by coughing. It’s painful, but necessary to talk.

  “How long have I been out?” My voice comes out hoarsely.

  “A week. You spent a few days at the hospital and it was…” She chokes up a little. “It was touch and go until Evalyn came. You seemed to get better after that.”

  That’s weird. I wonder why.

  “Ami, I’m sorry…” I apologize.

  She sits next to me on the couch, smiling weakly and I can see tears welling up in her eyes also. Fighting it, she wipes her eyes before letting the tears fall down her cheeks, but she sniffles.

  “I don’t mind taking care of you. But you need to be more careful. If you die, how are you supposed to keep your promise?” She puts her hand on my leg, still smiling.

  Seeing Ami’s intimacy toward me, Emma swats at her and clings to my chest. I have to pry her arm and grunt to let her know she’s hurting me. Even breathing hurts. My ribs are damaged, possibly fractured. However, I’m alive. The thought that I was near death on a number of occasions hits me and I’m not sure if it’s worth it to continue being the hero.

  “How bad do I look?” I ask Ami, smiling a bit and my mouth feels a bit crooked.

  “Pretty bad.” She frowns. “Your face is swollen and you have bruises all over.”

  “You didn’t strip me and peek at me again did you?” I joke with her which attracts Emma’s attention.

  “You’ve seen him naked?!” Emma sits straight up, glaring at Ami.

  “I didn’t look!” Ami exclaims. “Mother had to, but I made sure my eyes were closed!”

  “Aggy’s okay, because she’s the mother around here and she has to do motherly things, but he’s off limits to you and poorly dressed homeless woman you took in!” Emma is furious.

  I laugh despite it hurting to do so. Emma’s overzealous attitude to protect me from Ami and Eve is near comical. Feeling phlegm building, I sip on the water and clear my throat again.

  Likely having heard the commotion, Eve makes her way in from the kitchen, holding the door open for Driesen who has to duck and squeeze through. Agatha trails behind and they move to just beyond the small table. They stare at me, concerned.

  Do they fear the power within me like I do? Their proximity says no, but their true feelings could be hidden.

  “Good to see yous alive and awake,” Driesen says. “The city has been buzzin’ about yous.”

  “Oh? And what are they saying?”

  “That because yous did away with Denis and Chase the city can be rebuilt,” he responds. “Everyone gets a chance ta starts over regardless of what may have been done.”

  I look away. Though they were terrible people, remorse sets in for having to take their lives.

  “I wish it hadn’t come to that. I didn’t want to kill them, but it was either me or them.” I look at Agatha. “And I still have a promise to fulfill.”

  “Don’t worry about it Rain,” Eve chimes in. “Seems like they had it coming.”

  I look at her angrily and bite my tongue, knowing full well those two were on the same level of power corruption when she was in her own time. She’s taken aback. Everyone sees the displeasure in my eyes and they look at Eve as well. She looks away and it seems she understands what I’m thinking without saying a word.

  It could have just as easily been her if we’d have landed in her time after the time in the void, or after I quenched a blade in the blood of the slavers. Who does she think she is to pass judgment on them? Entitled, self-absorbed, Eve.

  “People have been gatherin’ here in the park for the past couple days, just hoverin’ around the house and holdin’ a vigil for you,” Driesen mentions looking back at me.

  “What do they want?” I ask.

  “I think they’re lookin’ for yous. Without Denis to hold ‘em down they needs a leader.”

  I sh
ake my head. “If I could stay, I’m certainly not the right person. You didn’t fall to Denis’s corruption though. You fought against him. I think that makes you a good choice.”

  “I think so too,” Emma chimes in cheerfully.

  “Just because I stood up ta Denis doesn’t mean I know anythin’ ‘bout leadin’.” He shrugs.

  “It’s your choice, but I think if anyone is going to do it, you should be at the front of the rebirth of Chas.” My voice cracks under the rawness. “I can endorse you to the people if you’d like.”

  “I’ll think ‘bout it,” Driesen nods and heads for the living room door. Before he steps out he turns back. “I’ll check in on yous again later.”

  “I need help up,” I state. Ami and Emma bring me to a sitting position, and then standing.

  Finding my body weak I rely on them to hold most of my weight, and I point down the hallway. With their assistance we make our way to the bathroom. I push the door open and let go of Emma while Ami leads me in. I release Ami and shoo her out with my hand while Emma stands outside the frame expectantly. Ami closes the door and I tend to my business. I wash up and see myself in the mirror. I’m as they said, worse for wear.

  Would it have been better for them in the long run if I’d died this time? They would have been sad for a time, but they would have moved on. I don’t know if they’d see less trouble or not, but I’m sure they would worry less.

  Self-loathing does me no good and I break my self-pity before it goes too far. I exit the bathroom to find Ami and Emma still there, waiting for me. They assist me back to the couch and I sit with my back pressed against the cushions rather than lay down again. They sit on either side of me while Eve sits on the table cross-legged.

  “You really do get hurt too often Rain,” Ami says. “We need to keep you away from dangerous situations.”

  “Hmm. Well, you’ll just have to stay home all the time.” I smile at her.

  “Fine by me, but you eat a lot and our garden can’t support you,” she jests.

  “If he hadn’t come to save me, I’d have been forced to marry Denis,” Emma says with a disgusted expression.

  “I suppose that wouldn’t have been very good,” Ami responds then pats my leg smiling. “What would you do without me Rain?”

  “Die,” I joke.

  “True. At least you weren’t stabbed this time,” she grins.

  “Or shot. I mean Kohan only pretended to shoot me but it was still pretty intense.”

  “What?!” Emma and Eve both exclaim.

  “You got stabbed? When?” Emma asks anxiously and clasps onto my arm.

  “Kohan told me he thought you were dead until we saw you again! I knew it! That rat!” Eve yells.

  “Yeah,” I lift my shirt to show Emma the scar running down my abdomen. She gasps and Eve becomes more agitated.

  “I’ll kill him!” Eve barks.

  “He’s dead. He was in my time, before I met Ami or Agatha. He’s the reason I can’t remember who I was before they found me.”

  “If we hadn’t saved him he wouldn’t be here today, and bad things would have happened to us for sure.” Ami rests her head on my shoulder and I see Emma and Eve glare.

  “At least things should be calm now Denis isn’t around. I might be able to finish some projects. Like the stable, and a compost bin,” I state, leaning my head against the back of the couch and looking at the ceiling. “I just need some wood.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll get you some.” Emma says cheerfully. “I can help too.”

  “And me,” Eve says.

  I nod and return my head to its resting position and just relax, trying to forget about the pain.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The days pass and I begin to recover. I watch out the window and find the crowd of Chas’s citizens growing ever larger. They act in groups and seem to take shifts. It has become a bit ridiculous. I watch Emma bringing wood by the cartload, she has a hard time getting through due to the group being so thick. It feels like it is about time to send them on their way.

  While their good wishes are appreciated, they can’t be around here when the house goes to shift through time again.

  Limping my way outside from the living room, I step down into the grass. Though I am in a disheveled state, I hear them murmur in an excited manner. It soon becomes a roar of cheering. They become silent when I raise my hand. Something about this is familiar. I chalk it up to being a king in my past. Having no speech prepared, I improvise.

  “People of this once fine city, with Denis dead you can let your despairs dissolve and return to a normal life. It will take time, but you will be able to repair this city to its former glory. You will need a leader for the city,” I pause for a moment as they talk amongst themselves. “You should hold an election to determine who should be your leader. I nominate a man named Driesen as a candidate.”

  “You were the one who stopped Denis, you should lead us!” A random voice calls from the crowd.

  “I cannot, and Driesen was a vital part of ending Denis’s reign. I am only passing through.”

  “It’s true!” Emma calls out. “I know Driesen and he would be an excellent leader!”

  The voices from within the group begin to overtake one another, asking questions and giving me no time for me to respond.

  “Does Driesen have abilities like you?”

  “Can you show us?”

  “Who are you?”

  The voices begin yelling from the crowd. It turns into a frenzy of questions I can’t, or won’t answer. When I raise my hand again to silence them they do so and I’m able to speak.

  “I am unable to appease you in your questions and requests. Just think of me as a drifter who was in the right place at the right time to help. That’s all. Please, I must ask you to disperse from around the house and return to your lives.”

  Without engaging them further, I turn to go back inside, waving for Emma to follow. Closing the door, I stand in the window for a minute before drawing the curtains shut. Emma stands by, smiling, and it’s apparent in her face she wants to talk.

  “You know the last time this house was here, not many people noticed it. When it disappears again, it will be noticed,” she says.

  “It can’t be helped, I suppose.” Shrugging, I make my way to the kitchen where Agatha is baking fresh bread. “Maybe we can convince the city to keep our secret."

  The sweet smell of fresh baked bread fills my nostrils when I enter. Agatha hands me an already cut and buttered slice. As I devour it, the savory butter mixes with the sweet honey taste of the hot bread.

  “That was delicious.”

  “Thank you Rain. It’s nice having a full stock of things again. Last month was difficult.” Agatha smiles at Emma.

  “I’m glad I could provide you guys with supplies. There will be more coming. I know you guys need to keep stocked,” Emma says cheerfully.

  I place my hand on her shoulder and look her in the eyes. “Emma, we appreciate it, but I hope you’re not giving us everything. You still need things to sell.”

  “No way. I still have plenty. I just want to help you out as much as I can.” She smiles.

  I quirk my eyebrows at her, unsure if I believe her, but I’m in no state to be walking to her shop to make sure she’s telling the truth. Ami and Eve enter from the yard carrying a couple baskets of clothes freshly washed and dried.

  “I haven’t been able to wash my underwear since these people gathered! I hope your little speech makes them to go away Rain!” Ami proclaims.

  “I’m used to being watched and waited on, but they’re becoming a bit creepy. Always staring at the house,” Eve chimes in.

  With my arms extended to help Ami by taking her basket, she quickly turns away from me, swatting my hands. I put my hands on my hips and sigh loudly. They’re not going to let me do anything around here for a while. Going a bit stir crazy already, I itch for something to do, even if it would cause me pain.

 
“You know you aren’t up to physical work yet Rain,” she scolds.

  “I need to do something,” I whine.

  “You can model clothes for me,” Ami says. “I’m going to trade them for more cloth with Anselmo.”

  “He’s still around?” I ask.

  “Oh yeah,” Emma says. “He stuck it out. His broad range of clothing lines helped make ends meet.”

  “I’ll go with you again. It’ll be like last time,” I offer to Ami.

  “Last time?” Emma asks.

  “Yeah, Rain and I went out on a date.” She grins wildly, knowing it’s going to cause a ruckus. I flinch at the oncoming storm.

  “You went on a date?” Emma exclaims.

  “Yes we did. Rain had his first ice cream. He had his first brain freeze with me too.”

  “I don’t think so. It’s my turn!” Eve declares.

  “I forbid it!” Emma turns to me. “How am I supposed to keep you safe from these two if you won’t help yourself!?”

  “Whoa. Hold on there. Let’s not go making decisions for me now,” I tell them all sternly.

  “Too bad. Rain is my model and I’m taking him.” Ami becomes defensive.

  Agatha laughs. I sigh. Stuck in a no-win situation I decide to remove myself from the debate. Returning to the living room, I can still hear them squabbling over what I get to do.

  I get several sheets of paper and a pencil from the bookshelf against the wall, left for me by Ami out of her supplies. I sit on the floor, legs stretched out under the table, and begin planning the rebuilt stable. Thoughts of constructing a compost bin cross my mind also. The cushion of the couch is comfortable against my back and it takes me a few minutes to become motivated. Putting pencil to paper, I estimate the wood brought to us and sketch. If what I want to build works, I will have enough for a nice stable and a decent size compost bin.

  We will need some good fertilizer if we’re going to grow a garden large enough to support the four of us. The compost bin will be a good way to create that with the horse’s waste and unused food.