Clementine

Thunder

I placed my mum's note down and approached the couch on our small - I mean - cozy living room. Tomorrow is my birthday and I want to get a few things ready for the trip to the lake. I want to bake my own birthday cake and assemble some epic snacks for me and my friends. I'm pretty sure someone will bring alcohol, it's amazing how nobody from our group brings any, but we've managed to get drunk for free in the past. Prince is already on the couch, waiting for his daily pampering. I slumber down, pushing my legs to my chest and resting my chin on them. The big fluffy cat shamelessly rubs his face on my legs. You know cats. Your whole existence is to please them and that's why I gladly comply and pet his head while looking outside: the bege curtains are halfway open in the big living room window and I can tell the weather has gotten worst in just a few minutes. It is darker and the clouds are heavier. The rain is pouring now. The wind is making the trees sway and leafs fall. And then a dreadful flash suddenly lights the room.

Oh no.

Chillax Clementine, it's all outside. The storm can't get in.

I try to rationalize it, but can't stop my heart rate from going totally nuts. I can't stop myself from clutching my legs even closer to my chest. It's just a flash and a loud sound, but the helplessness is just unbearable. The few seconds between the flash and the sound feel like an eternity. Every time a storm hits town I can't function properly. I feel so dumb, like a little kid. Sure, thunder can kill, but the odds are minimal here, inside our house. So why do I feel this way?

Another flash.

I'm scared of thunder. I'm so embarrassed that I never told anyone. I don't even know if mum ever noticed that I just hide whenever there's a storm like this.

BOOM

I can't take this.

I leave Prince on the couch and run to my room. I don't want to see or hear the thunder anymore. I grab my headphones and get under my covers. Blasting music to the max volume and making sure I'm well hidden under the covers. If the monsters can't see you, they can't harm you, right? RIGHT????

Ufff finally safe.

Wait. Am I congratulating myself for successfully running away from a light flash and a boom? For real? Oh noes. Today you'll fight this fear Tina!!

Dramatically, I push down the covers and rise up from the bed - you need your diva side when fighting your biggest fears, 'ya know? - and start stomping back to the living room. I wide eye look around. It's like I impersonated a crazy person so I could face the storm. I can feel the motivation and a rush of energy from my sudden brave-ish resolve and decide to do the stupidest thing you could do during a storm. Opening the front door, and not even bothering to put some shoes on, I ran to our front yard, getting soaked in a matter of seconds and immediately the cold water falling from the skies on my head wakes me up from my crazy impromptu.

Why the heck did I decided to come outside?

The wind is blowing my hair all around my face, I can't see straight and it gets all over my mouth. I'm soaked and the rush of adrenaline from my sudden outburst is overwhelming. I'm tired from a whole week of people sucking the energy out of me. I'm tired of having to take care of everything around the house. I'm tired of being nice and polite to everyone. ENOUGH!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

...

Silence. There's no more wind. I can't feel the rain on my shoulders either.

What the....?

I peek through one eye and see a window. No, not a window... It's transparent, but it's not glass. Opening both of my eyes and turning I see a dome. It's a thin transparent membrane and the rain is hitting on the outside. Here, inside this membrane, I'm safe. The storm can't get in.

I reach for it with my fingers, but the thing moves with me. I take one step back, and it moves back with me. I'm way too curious to even think about being scared of this thing. It's mesmerizing - doesn't look completely solid because with every drop of rain little ripples show up on the surface, making a beautiful pattern with hues of a very light orange. Almost as if it was the surface of a calm  and clear lake and you're watching the world from under its surface during a red sunset.

"CLEMENTINE!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? GO INSIDE IMMEDIATELY!!!"

Oh crap, mum is home early! I'm caught by surprise and snap out of it. Suddenly the thing is not there anymore, and the rain hits my face full force again. I ran back home and just stand there panting.

What the heck was that?

A very nosey cat is staring right back at me. He slowly approaches me and rubs his body on my leg, passing by and leaving through the front door. When I look back to watch him go, I notice a thin layer of the thing covering his body that doesn't let the rain wet him.

What the actual fuc-