Day 45: The First Drops
The sky darkened quickly as the wind picked up, swirling dust and ash through the air, sending a chill down Eli's spine. The red glow that had lingered above them all day was beginning to shift, turning darker, angrier. The rain was coming faster than they had anticipated. They had to move.
"Run!" Cass shouted, her voice cutting through the roar of the wind. She was already leading the way toward the tunnels, Ben clutched tightly to her chest as they sprinted through the ruins.
Eli's legs burned as he pushed himself harder, the pack of supplies on his back weighing him down. Raya was at his side, her eyes sharp and focused, while Luke was just ahead, bow still in hand, scanning for any danger as they ran. The streets were eerily quiet now, the creatures that hadn't found shelter already gone, hiding in the deep shadows of the city.
The first raindrop hit Eli's arm like a spark of fire.
He gasped in shock, instinctively yanking his arm away as if it could somehow escape the pain. The acidic rain sizzled on his skin, leaving a small, red burn where it had touched him.
"It's starting!" Luke shouted from ahead, his voice filled with panic. "We're almost there—don't stop!"
The rain began to fall more heavily, each drop burning as it hit their exposed skin. Eli gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the searing pain on his arms and neck as they pushed forward. The air was thick with the scent of chemicals, the acrid rain filling the air with a sharp, metallic tang. It wasn't just rain—it was like poison, burning everything it touched.
Cass, her face grim, kept Ben shielded beneath her jacket, protecting him from the rain as best she could. Her arms were tight around him, her body a barrier between the boy and the deadly storm. Eli could see the strain in her movements, the pain she must have been feeling from the rain hitting her, but she didn't slow down.
"There!" Raya shouted, pointing ahead.
The entrance to the tunnels loomed before them—a gaping, dark hole in the ground, partially obscured by rubble and twisted metal. It wasn't far now, but the rain was falling harder, each drop feeling like a dagger of fire against Eli's skin. His legs screamed in protest, but he didn't stop. He couldn't.
With one final push, they reached the entrance to the tunnel, sliding down the loose dirt and debris into the dark safety of the underground. Eli collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath, his skin still burning from where the rain had touched him.
Cass was beside him, still cradling Ben, her arms shaking as she set the boy down carefully. She glanced at Eli, her face tight with pain but resolute. "We're safe now. For now."
Eli nodded, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The sound of the rain outside was deafening, like a thousand tiny explosions as it hit the ground, each drop burning through whatever it touched. The acidic stench of the rain filled the air even down here, but at least they were out of its reach.
As they gathered themselves in the tunnel, Eli noticed something that made his pulse quicken. They weren't alone.
At the far end of the tunnel, sitting huddled against the wall, were two figures—a man and a woman, both looking just as ragged and burned by the rain as they were. The man had a crude bandage wrapped around his arm, and the woman clutched a small, makeshift bag of supplies tightly to her chest. They were watching Eli's group warily, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and suspicion.
And, in another corner of the tunnel, there was a group of three more people—two men and a woman. They were huddled together, whispering quietly to each other, their faces pale in the dim light of the tunnel. The tension in the air was thick; all of them had clearly had the same idea, seeking shelter from the rain underground.
Cass stood slowly, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation. She kept a protective hand on Ben, who was clinging to her leg, wide-eyed but silent. Eli could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken question hanging between them all: Were they friend or foe?
The man from the group of two spoke first, his voice hoarse and cautious. "You found this place too, huh?"
Cass nodded, her expression unreadable. "We did. You?"
The man glanced at his companion, then back at Cass. "Been here for an hour or so. The rain started earlier than we expected. Figured it was better to take our chances down here than get caught out there."
Eli exchanged a glance with Luke, who was still holding his bow, though he hadn't nocked an arrow yet. They were all on edge, but no one had made a hostile move. Yet.
The woman in the group of three spoke next, her voice sharp but not aggressive. "Same with us. We're not looking for trouble. Just waiting out the rain."
Cass studied them for a long moment, her hand still resting protectively on Ben's shoulder. "Neither are we."
The tension eased slightly, but the air remained thick with caution. The tunnels were cramped, and while they offered protection from the rain, they also meant close quarters with strangers. Strangers who, in any other situation, could have been enemies.
Eli looked around the dimly lit space, taking in the small groups of people who had sought shelter here just as they had. There were no clear signs of violence—just exhaustion, fear, and a shared understanding that the world outside was far more dangerous than whatever mistrust existed between them down here.
"We'll stay on our side," the woman from the group of three added, her tone careful. "You stay on yours."
Cass nodded. "Agreed."
With that, the uneasy truce was set. The groups remained in their corners, keeping a wary distance from one another as the sound of the rain pounded outside, growing louder and more relentless with every passing second. Eli leaned against the cold, damp wall of the tunnel, feeling the burn from the rain on his skin slowly ease, though the memory of it lingered. His arms and neck stung from the acidic drops, but it was nothing compared to what would have happened if they'd been caught out there for any longer.
The rain outside would go on for hours, maybe even a full day, and they had no choice but to wait it out. As the sound of the storm filled the air, Eli's thoughts drifted back to the question they had all been silently asking since they arrived.
What comes after the rain?