Outlaw Blues: Ombraphobia

Rain fell hard in the city streets. Puddles stood on the uncaring pavement. It was night, and few people walked the streets—almost it would be none, but one man strode down the deserted sidewalks, his head held down, and his white hair dripping about his face. He wore no coat to keep out the cold—not even normal shoes to keep out the icy water. His outfit was old fashioned to the modern eye. His faded blue breeches clung to his legs as he walked, his shoulders hunched within the soaking vest a shade darker than the pants.
The man’s steps were slow and ambling. There was no deliberation guiding his path. He merely walked because walking was better than standing.
Lightning flashed in the sky, and the man cringed, turning sad, haunted eyes heavenwards as thunder rumbles across the heavens. Tremors shook him, and he wrapped his arms around his waist and held tightly waiting for the fit to pass. Finally, he stood upright again and started to step forward only to stumble back a step.
A young girl stood before him with a closed umbrella held outstretched in her arms. Her smile would be better suited for a beautiful summer’s day rather than this cold rain, but it did not fade as she extended the umbrella to him again.
“Please, take it.”
Her voice was light and emphasized her youth. The man stared at her for a long moment, noting the rain running down her face and darkening her green jumper. Her eyes burned into his own, a trusting blue-violet, even though her wet brown bangs tried their best to hide them from the world. Finally, he shook his head.
“You should keep it. I don’t need it.”
“Yes you do!”
The little girl’s immediate contradiction caused the man to half-smile even as his eyes widen. She blushed slightly and then grinned sheepishly.
“My brother said you should have it.”
“Your brother?”
The little girl turned to point a finger in the direction of a nearby apartment, where the man could see an older boy waiting at the entrance. Even from this distance, the man could see the golden boy smile encouragingly at them. The white haired man turned back to the little girl.
“Why does your brother think that I should have an umbrella? Why don’t you keep it for when you need it?”
The girl was in the process of opening the umbrella, and she offered him the handle before she answered.
“Brother says you’re afraid of the rain, and he says that you wouldn’t come in if we offered.”
The man paused thoughtfully. He stared at the girl for a long moment as the rain poured down around them. Tilting his head to the side, he asked the girl.
“So if I went inside, you would keep your umbrella?”
Nodding, the girl smiled brightly.
“You wouldn’t need it then! You would be safe from the rain in our apartment.”
“And why does your brother think that I can be trusted? What if I’m a terrible serial killer who waits for people to ask me in out of the rain and then kills them?”
The little girl’s eyes widened in shock, and then to the man’s surprise, she laughed gaily.
“I guess you’ll just have to ask him that! I didn’t think to!”
Unable to help himself, the man felt a small smile twist up the side of his mouth. He nodded once before accepting the pretty pink umbrella from the girl.
“I will ask him that, I believe.”
//Among other things…//
He held down a hand to the girl, who took it, and dragged him across the empty streets waving towards her brother.
“Kenneth! He said he’d come inside with us!”
Smiling at the girl’s enthusiasm, the white haired man was pulled to the apartment door held open by the older brother. The golden-blonde boy gave him a small nod before turning to the little girl.
“Go on up, Kiaria. Get changed into some dry clothes and start some tea like I showed you.”
With a bright giggle, the young girl raced up the steps as the man closed the umbrella. He turned to study the boy’s green-blue eyes for a moment before handing him the pink umbrella. Holding the umbrella away from his body, the blonde youth turned a smile back on the man.
“You’ve got questions for me?”
The white haired man nodded, solemnly, as he stood dripping water in the little entryway of the apartment building.
“Why did you send your sister out to meet a total stranger in the rain?”
“Because I knew you wouldn’t trust me if I confronted you.”
“Why did you let her go out? It’s dangerous! I could have killed her if I was so inclined!”
“But you’re not.”
The man narrowed his eyes slightly at the boy.
“You didn’t know that.”
“Yes, I did. Come inside and get dried off before you get chilled.”
The boy turned and started up the steps of the apartment. When he realized the man wasn’t following him, he turned halfway up the first flight.
“Well? Are you coming?”
The white haired man glowered at the boy for a moment, unsure of whether to accept or not.
“Why do you trust me? Why do you invite a stranger into your home?”
The boy came back down the few stairs and stood toe to toe with the man. He looked up to meet the grey-violet eyes. Reaching a hand to hold near the man’s strangely tattooed right cheek, the boy chuckled softly.
“Tell me why should I fear someone who loves humanity so much. I trust you because you will not hurt my sister, and you will not hurt me. That is reason enough for me to trust you, I think.”
The man’s eyes slid down and away from the boy’s, unable to meet the strength of trust in them. The boy’s eyes drew together curiously, and the man closed his eyes fully.
“I’m not human.”
His voice was nearly a whisper and could barely be heard over the slashing rain outside. The boy dropped his hand to his side and nodded once.
“I know, but that’s… that’s okay.”
The compassion and understanding in the young voice made the man look at him again, and he offered a sad smile.
“I think I would like to visit with you and your sister for a while.”
“Good.”
The boy turned and headed up the stairs again, and this time the white haired man followed him.
“My name is Reuel.”
Smiling over his shoulder, the boy nodded up the flights.
“My sister’s name is Kiaria, and I’m Kenneth Maccrea. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Reuel smiled back at the boy as they reached the third floor landing. The little girl, Kiaria, hurried out into the hall and beamed up at her older brother. Her hair was still damp but drying swiftly, and she had changed into a pair of navy pajamas decorated with bright yellow stars and moons. She hugged his waist tightly.
“I made the tea, and I put fresh towels in the bathroom.”
She looked up, much like a puppy, begging for her brother’s approval. With a tender smile, he gave it in the form of a small pat on her head. He shooed her gently back into the apartment, toeing off his shoes in the little entryway beside the kitchens. Reuel followed his lead removing his sandals as well before following them into the kitchen.
“Would you like to dry off first? The bathroom is just down the hall, and there’s an old kimono you can use.”
Nodding thankfully to Kenneth, Reuel entered the bathroom and shed his clothes quickly. He emerged a moment later in the faded black kimono with a deep red rose pattern falling over the left shoulder and down the back. Following the quiet noises, the man returned to the kitchen to find the golden boy setting out tea and a small snack on the small kitchen table. Looking up, the boy smiled, motioning him to sit.
“I’ve already put Ki to bed. It’s later than she should be up with school tomorrow. It suits you very well.”
Reuel glanced down at the borrowed clothing as he sat down in the lighted room. He shrugged slightly and lifted the hot tea to his lips to savor the warm steam and the fresh smell.
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“You mean for forcing the issue and not letting you walk away?”
Startled, Reuel’s grey-violet eyes widened, then he laughed softly.
“Yes, for not letting me walk away. Thank you.”
“You can stay here for as long as you like. I prepared the couch for you to sleep on for tonight. If you want to stay longer, we can work things out tomorrow.”
Lowering the tea, the white haired man stared at the boy, calmly sipping his own tea.
“Thank you, but I don’t think I’ll stay too long.”
Nodding, Kenneth stood and set his tea glass in the sink to be washed in the morning. He headed for the door.
“The couch is in the living room. You can’t miss it. I have to be up early in the morning to get Kiaria and myself to school. We’ll try to be quiet. Please, get some sleep.”
“Kenneth—”
The boy hesitated at the door and looked back at Reuel curiously. Staring calmly into the green-blue eyes, Reuel cleared his thoughts.
//You can hear this can’t you?//
Blinking twice slowly, the blonde shook his head.
“I can hear the intent, but not the words, and even that is not very clear all the time.”
With a small, enigmatic smile, Kenneth turned and left the kitchen, leaving Reuel once more to his thoughts.
//This is not how these nights usually turn out.//
Outside he could hear the muffled rumble of thunder as the storm continued--nearly forgotten even in the slight noise of the apartment.
//Right now I should be curled up under a bridge or in a tree somewhere half in shock.//
He winced.
//But I don’t want those memories tonight. Think of Kenneth—Kiaria. They’re safe to think about.//
He finished his tea and set the glass into the sink beside the boy’s. Turning off the lights, he made his way into the living room. Finding the couch with the help of a flash of lightning, Reuel shivered as he sank down to the rumble of thunder. Rain lashed the windows as though it were trying to get inside, the warm apartment having ruined its game of tormenting Reuel.
//I’ll leave here tomorrow. They may be nice, but I don’t want to bother them longer than I have. Not that it was my decision in the first place, but honestly—”
He turned his grey-violet eyes from the rain outside and pulled the comforter over himself as he lay down.
//I’m glad they invited me in…//
Smiling slightly, he drifted off to sleep to another crashing roll of thunder.

***
End Chapter Ombraphobia
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