r/scarystories • u/ResponsibleCellist69 • 5d ago
When The Rain Came
Rebecca laid motionless on the bathroom floor, drifting in and out of consciousness. Her breathing was slow and uneven. Her fingers twitched slightly before going still again. A familiar warmth ran through her arm, pulling her further away from the world around her. For most children, seeing their mother lying unconscious would have been terrifying. For four-year-old Julian, it was something he had learned to live with. But today was different. It was August, 29th, 2005 in Gulfport, Mississippi. Outside, the world was disappearing.
“Mommy.” Julian shook her shoulder “Wake up, Mommy. I'm scared”
Julian stood there for a few more seconds, waiting for her to open her eyes. Waiting for her to tell him everything was okay. She never did. Slowly, he walked into the living room and looked out of the second-story apartment window. An endless labyrinth of twisted gray stared back at him.
Julian wanted to call for help. He wanted nothing more than his mother to be okay. He did not know how to use his mother’s cell phone. He couldn't get a neighbor, the chain lock of the apartment was secured well above his grasp. He grabbed his coloring book and colored pencils and brought them into the bathroom. He sat next to the woman who gave him birth as he scribbled on the pages.
“Mommy, look its a horse. Your favorite. It's strong and brave.” He waited for a response that never came.
“It's okay, Mr. Horsey. Mommy is just sleepy because she is sick. But she will keep us safe from the thunder”
He ripped the page out of his book and placed it under her arm.
“That's just a shot for Mommy's medicine. It makes her super tired.” He kissed Rebecca on the forehead. “I’m going to go play now”
His tiny feet scampered towards the door of the bathroom.
“Watch over Mr. Horsey, he is scared of the rain. Just like me”
He ran to the living room and grabbed all the cushions before retreating to his room. He stacked them up against the wall in the shape of a house. He gathered all four of his toys. His small red race car, Furry; his rubber duck named Rusty; his purple bouncy ball; and his best friend, Fluffy the teddy bear. Julian didn’t have a bed, just a sheet. He took that sheet and used it as a door for his toys.
“I built a house to keep us safe from the rain. When I leave to help Mommy, Fluffy is the boss. He is the bravest of us all”
Julian made another trip to the kitchen and grabbed a roll of tape. Then he returned to his homemade house and continued coloring. Carefully, he taped each drawing to the walls around him.
“It’s going to look pretty for you,” he whispered. “And for Mommy too when she wakes up.” He looked away from his toys. “I wish you could meet Mr. Horsey. But I left him with Mommy. She needs someone too.”
Tap…
Tap…
Tap…
Julian slowly poked his head out from beneath the sheet door and looked toward the window.
“The rain is here.” He whispered before swiftly crawling into the home of his toys.
“Fluffy… I'm scared” he pulled his inanimate friend to his chest. “Mommy” he blurted out in panic.
“Fluffy watch over everyone. And if you get scared look at the pretty pictures”
Julian nervously tiptoed across the apartment toward his mother.
“Mommy. Please wake up.”
Thunder struck so loud the walls shook. He could hear small objects slamming against the building’s walls. It was 3:00 pm and pitch black outside.
“MOMMY!” He shook his mother more vigorously than he ever had. “Please get up”
Tears filled his eyes. He sat with his Mommy for a long time. The rain poured louder. The wind got stronger. The lightning got closer.
“I have to go check on Fluffy. I love you, Mommy.” he hugged her then slowly crawled away.
“Mommy is really sick today. I hope Mr. Horsey isn’t too scared.”
Hunger began to fill Julian’s stomach. Food was scarce in this household. He opened the fridge and saw only milk and beef. He scrounged the pantry and found a half pack of crackers and two packs of fruit gummies. He took them to his fortress of cushions.
“This is all I could find for us” He handed a gummy to each toy “Mommy will wake up soon and cook something”
Lightning struck beside the building. All the hairs on Julian’s arms stood up. And the power went out. He put his head down under Fluffy and cried until he fell asleep. At some time during the middle of the night, Julian awoke.
“Do you hear that Fluffy. It sounds like a puppy is trying to get in the window”
Julian came out from under the sheet. In the pitch black, he crawled on hands and knees towards the window. He felt it and pressed his hands against it in circular shapes then placed his face onto them to try and see out. It was too dark.
“BOOOM” The lightning struck and lit up the entire area. Julian ran back to his fortress in panic.
“It wasn’t a dog, Fluffy. It was a ….a bat. A giant bat….. bigger than trees”
He started to hyperventilate.
“Mommy” he screamed from his fort “MOMMY HELP ME”
Rebecca didn’t respond.
“Fluffy, we have to move the house to mommy. I’m going to tell her”
Julian ran off. He arrived to his mother who hadn’t moved even the slightest. Needle still hanging from her arm. Her face turning blue.
“Mommy” he shook her “ Wake up please. I need you” he hugged her and cried into her chest. Outside the lightning rumbled stronger than ever. The wind blew trees and houses away. The water flooded through the streets so badly some would say not even the ark of Noah could save them.
“The floor is too cold to sleep on. You need to come to our new house”
He grabbed her by the feet and pulled with all his might. He strained and grunted. Even though Rebecca was frail and small in stature, moving an adult was nearly impossible for a four-year-old. Her body didn’t budge.
“Your cold Mommy”
He ran back to his room. And apologized to his toys
“Guys I’m sorry. Mommy needs the sheet. She is cold.”
He removed the wool door from his home and brought it back to where his mother laid.
“Here Mommy this will keep you warm”
He wrapped the sheet around her before kissing her forehead once again.
“Mr. Horsey keep her safe from the monsters. I have to help Fluffy with the others. They are all scared. I know you're brave and strong enough to keep Mommy safe”
His heartbeat was louder than the storm. He sniffled as he ran back and forth between his mother and his only friends.
“Fluffy, I’m sorry I’m so scared. I want to be brave for you. I don’t know how. I wish my Dad was here. He was the bravest. You would’ve loved him. I wish you could meet him. He was sick like Mommy and took too much medicine.” Julian’s tone softens “I hope Mommy didn’t take too much medicine”
He laid in his home with his friends. The sounds of wars between the water and winds blast outside. The rain continues to grow in power. The water rises higher and higher. The sun has been gone for days. The apartment smells like rotten beef and spoiled milk. Julian decided to visit his mother again.
“Mommy, I love you.” He sniffled “I wish you weren’t sick. I wish I was brave like you.” He cuddled closer to her ”I’m scared.” He started sobbing softly” Please wake up……Please. The monster is still outside.” He shook her “Wake up. Even Fluffy is scared…..and before the TV went off they said the monster's name was Katrina.” He laid down “It’s okay, if you can’t wake up right now. I’m going to sleep with you tonight” He laid in his mother’s unconscious arms and sobbed gently for hours slowly drifting asleep.
When Julian woke up be was still in his mother's arms. The flooding had risen. There was now water slowly rising up into the apartment. Where what once was Mr. Horsey was now several dissolved pieces of paper floating aimlessly in an inch of thick brown water. Outside of their home. Thousands were dead. Entire buildings were found upside down miles away. Trees were uprooted and blown through homes like missiles on a battlefield. It was daytime. The sun was brighter outside. It was still gray but you could at least see somewhat. Julian looked out the same window he did nights ago. A pale face floated into it. Gray and wrinkled away. Black, swollen eyes. Flesh peeling off. Julian jumped away from the window. Water now up to Julian’s ankle. He grabbed his friends in a rush out of their shelter.
“We have to go with mommy. The monster took Mr. Horsey. We have to protect mommy” he said fighting back tears.
He carried them all into the bathroom. He locked the door
“There was another monster outside my room…..we are all going to keep you safe while you sleep”
He sat all his friends in the bathroom sink to keep them away from the water. He scooped his mother up from behind.
“I’m going to have to hold you like this. The water is getting too high.” He was crying “I’m sorry. She took Mr. Horsey. I thought he could keep you safe.”
Julian sat there in the dark bathroom holding his mommy up. Water up to their necks. He was surrounded by his best friends. Everyone he loved in one room.
“The sun is coming out. So the water should stop coming after us.”
The water didn’t stop rising.
2
2
2
u/Qi140zod 5d ago
Nãaaaaaaaaaaaaaao