Floating World

The sun dragged deep into the early afternoon. Clyde blocked it out of her vision with her hand. The wind rushed past her ratty skirt. Her friends watched her from the Sunny Plum Café.

“What is she doing now?” Pauline asked.

“Who knows?” Lewis asked.

“I don’t like her alone out there,” Polly said.

“She’s trying to contact God,” Muriel said. The other two looked on at her.

“Huh?” they asked. Pauline tried not to laugh.

“Her and God?” she asked. “Don’t make me laugh.”

“Then, how do you explain why she’s out there,” Muriel said. The rich lady looked away from the window.

“How should I know?” she asked. “I try to ignore her all of the time.” Clyde walked around still looking up. Annie and Tucker looked out the window as well.

“What is she doing?” Annie asked. The friends shrugged at her. Tucker shook his head to himself.

“She’s weird,” he said.

“Yep,” Lewis agreed.

“Who’s paying the bill?” Annie asked. The friends all looked among each other. Muriel and Lewis pointed Pauline. The old biddy groaned.

“Why is it always me?” she asked.

“You have the money,” Lewis said. Pauline frowned.

“Fine,” she grumbled. “I’m paying.” Annie frowned.

“Don’t forget!” she hissed. Then, she headed back into the kitchen. Clyde still stood outside, looking at the sky.

“I’m home!” Clover called. Liz sat up on the couch in the living room.

“Yay, food!” she cheered. Clover took off her shoes at the door.

“And hello to you to,” her sister said. She walked in to the kitchen. Clover set the groceries down on the counter.

“What are we having for dinner?” Liz called.

“Beef stew,” her sister answered. Her sister groaned.

“Is there a problem?” Clover asked as she was putting everything away.

“We had that last night!” Liz complained. Her sister turned around to her.

“I don’t here you coming up with anything yourself,” she said. “You don’t even set foot in the kitchen unless it’s to eat!”

“But I can’t cook,” her sister complained.

“You don’t even try,” Clover pointed out.

“Neither does Uncle Bill.”

“This is true.”

“So what about him?”

Clover sighed and shrugged. “You both need to learn how to cook sometime. I mean, what if something were to happen to me and you had to fend for yourselves.”

“Hm,” Liz said. Clover sighed again.

“It’s lucky that I like to cook,” she mumbled. Then, she began to plan out what to make for lunch and dinner.

Meanwhile, Clyde still stood outside looking at the sky. Her still looked on.

“How long is she going to be out there?” Tucker asked. The old biddies shook their heads. Tucker shrugged at that answer.

“Get back to work!” Annie shouted from the kitchen.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” her husband mumbled. He turned back to the kitchen. Clyde still stood outside.

Mrs. Brown put up more books on the bookshelf when someone kissed her on the side of the neck. She paused and her wrist trembled.

“Oh,” she moaned. Mr. Brice gently smelled her hair.

“You’re wearing that shampoo I love so much,” he whispered. Mrs. Brown giggled.

“I wear it for you,” she whispered back. The old librarian kissed her again on the neck. She felt weak in her knees.

“Not yet,” she whispered. The dirty old man looked at her.

“Why not?” he asked. Mrs. Brown opened her mouth to speak, but paused when she heard look giggles. The couple paused and saw three little girls watching them. Mr. Brice quickly let good of her waist. He and Mrs. Brown got right back to work.

“They didn’t see us,” he insisted. His mistress nodded.

Suddenly, it began to rain outside. Clyde ran back in grinning.

“I did it!” she yelled. “I did it! I did it! I did it!” The old biddies, Annie, and Tucker all gave her strange looks.

“Did what?” Pauline asked. Clyde grinned her messed-up teeth at her.

“I made it rain!” she said.

“How?” Tucker asked.

“I stared at the sky and made a hole!” she shouted. Everyone’s face just dropped.

“So that’s why she was out there,” Lewis mumbled.

“Seems that way,” Muriel said.

“You all still have to pay the tab!!!” Annie yelled.

“Yeah, yeah,” Pauline groaned. She sighed and lowered her head. Why do I get these?, she thought.

She is the Rain Maker

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