Rain

Rain

By Mark McGowan

The clouds above, began to weep.

Rain sat alone, at the foot of the mountain surrounded by red sandstone. He looked far above, he saw the intimidation of the sky. The peak sat just below, as the waning sun drifted down ever so slow.

He rose, he began to go. One step at a time, focused on the flow. The incline was quite steep, with altitude gained right away. He stopped and looked up, a boulder was already in his way. He started to panic, but then the boulder began to say - “Rain, it is about time you came. You are meant to go over, my rough boulder self. Climb. Rise” A tear fell from his eyes. The boulder had been waiting so long. With no doubt left inside, feeling strong, Rain went on. He climbed the boulder, it took a few tries. He found the proper footing, it was just his kind.

Atop the boulder, he had to pause. He took a breath in, and thanked the gods. He jumped down to the ground, and rolled nimbly on. Twigs and branches snapped underneath his midnight blue shoes. He craved company, yet he knew this part was meant for lone. That thought didn’t help the struggle of going on. Still, he picked the harder route of the two. Going easy, giving up, in the past was all he knew. But this time was different, yes he had said that before. Yet he vowed to go on until his body washed ashore.

The first babbling brook came into view. Breathing, heaving, he stood anew. At that moment, he realized he was not all alone. A guide or guides, followed him everywhere he went. He could feel them when he was all alone and began to vent. He told them everything he told no one, at times forgetting they were there. But undeniably, the sacred leaf fell into his palm, and they both stared.

Moving on, light on his feet. After that blessed experience, surely nothing could beat. But brave men have fallen at every steep. His mind, calmly, never let him reap the rewards of his works. He watched behind closed doors, as others scrambled for heaps. He craved a few things, but none of them were found here.

A character was found along the way. Dedicated she was to her own way. Rain admired her, deeply in soul. They did speak, but they mostly sat. A gift she gave him, he remembered that. It was a mushroom, freshly picked. For her, he wrote a sweet limerick.

With new energy, he pressed on. The darkness began to weigh him down, as though a ton. His past did not help this. It invited in the shadows as if made from their material. Darkness all around, it was so cold. It’s no wonder his soul always felt old. He carried around the sins of others, unknowingly so. Despite this, he had to fix his pain alone. He found an ice-cold stone, and tore off all his clothes. He entered the pool of water knowing it might be his last feeling in life. With nobody around, only the blackness of the night. A hundred times he drew his breath in, to let it out. With every breath he felt the death of his doubt. When the hundredth breath was released, he let out an absurd scream. A scream of life. He was gifted the ability to fight. He had survived the retched night.

With the sins washed, the sunlight came. Dawn was so beautiful, with sun speckled trees, a light breeze, and drops of honey falling. He grinned, for finally, this was not time for bawling. His path was lightened, it glowed a dark hue.

He passed a sign that read “this sight is only for the few”

He paused a moment, to take in its view. Smiling, he said to himself “Well it would appear, that is you”

The first waterfall called to say hello. He felt energy flow deep in his heart before he even saw the start of the cascade. He remembered all his dreams he once gave away. Before he let it fade, he thanked that memory for everything it gave.

He was more than halfway there now, his fate seeming to be set. There was every reason not to fret. His heart was still a bit of a mess. But his mind was clear, and that was enough. To press on through the rough…

Wooden steps implanted into the hillside of dirt. He ascended on all fours, like an animal he hunted. Hunting for his prey… “which way… which way…”

On the climb, his legs began to buckle. He had made it so far, the sweet release was in sight. Even at this stage of the journey he questioned his own might. But as mentioned before, he was never alone. The darkness within him, was about to be shown. It picked him up by his little human keester. The blood in his legs began to flow, he felt like a yogic archipelago. He strode with more motion than ever before, his hips flexing past his core. “How is this possible? What does this mean” but then he recalled every moment he thought was lost. Every hour he had been tossed and laid out on the dirty ground. Desperately looking all around, he had wasted so much time…

But this time came back to him, and he yelled “This is mine” … Joyously he screamed “these legs, this pain, this mind, everything I have had was meant to be mine. This… is meant to be my time”

He pranced and danced his way through the dark trees, with newfound meaning in his once crippled knees.

He reached the clearing, and stumbled. “Will the right one be mine?” … “Will she understand, my inside?”

A white light shone, as the peak was nearby. He heard the perfect voice whisper “Yes my dear”

With this mystical, elegant sound in his ear… he doubly moved his rear.

He reached the top, he dove onto the plateau.

Shattered bones melded, to and fro.

A darkened heart, a trickle of light.

The end to a long, and lonesome fight.

A heart of light, for the first time, made his soul right.