when it rains and rains [open]

[kit]

As the snows melted away and the signs of spring started to sprout, people might choose to head over to Capeside Park for a nice picnic or game of Frisbee. However, when the storm warning had been issued, everyone cancelled those plans and decided to stay indoors where it was safe. Well, almost everyone. Yes, a certain Miss Adler had decided that, what with the winds picking up, it would be a perfect time to test out her newest creation. The girl had recently found an old set of instructions for a kite that carried people off the ground and, of course, just had to build it. Apparently, the fact that these directions were found in a children’s story book didn’t bother her. So, she got some sticks, glue, and her mother’s old sundress and got to work. It took quite a bit of time, but she did manage to create something resembling a misshapen parachute crossed with a hot air balloon that was ready to test.

Now, of course, her mother knew nothing of this excursion. Thank God, because she would’ve had a fit, if she did. While she wasn’t normally the type to defy her mother (okay, maybe that’s not one hundred percent true), Kit wouldn’t have another chance to test her creation for months. Even then, those wimpy springtime breezes would hardly be able to keep it aloft, much less carry her into the clouds. So, Kit snuck out of her house, having quite a bit of fun pretending to be a spy escaping from the enemy’s headquarters. She had had a bit of trouble hopping over the back fence, but she would apologize for ruining the neighbor’s flowerbed another time. Far be it for someone to think that Kit was being thoughtless or unconcerned about her own safety, the girl had been sure to put on a raincoat to keep dry. She even remembered to wear her boots so that the mud wouldn’t ruin her socks. Anyhow, there wasn’t anything to worry about it. Ben Franklin did the same thing, and he lived.

So, there she stood, in the center of Capeside Park, assessing the situation. She went about it very scientifically, letting out the proper amount of string and holding the face at just the right angle to take off. Of course, as soon as the first strong wind blew toward her, the kite was ripped straight from her hands and sent hurtling off into the darkness. Kit, who had been caught terribly off-guard, was knocked right off her feet. As soon as she hit the ground, raindrops began to fall, and, before the girl could even get up, it became a downpour. Thunder and lightning weren’t too far behind.

Now, at this point, the girl seemed to have the first glimmer of recognition that perhaps her plan had not been among of the best laid. She scrambled to her feet and ran for cover. Unfortunately, everything was now dark, and it was impossible to see where she was going except for the occasionally flashes of lightning. Why hadn’t the town planners created some sort of storm shelter here? Because they couldn’t predict that some silly girl would try to test out a flying machine in the middle of a thunderstorm, that’s why.

Fortunately, Kit managed to come across a building and ran inside as fast as she could. Once inside, she was immediately comforted. It was Cold Rock. She fucking loved ice cream.

[angle]

If there was one thing that Annie loved more than anything else in the world, it was ice cream. For one, it was delicious, but not too sweet. Another, she didn’t look like a weirdo when she walked down the marina, licking it off her fingers like a tiny, contented cat; and cold rock was perfect for it. The people that came in there were usually the quirky crowd anyway- or high fliers who wanted to fit in with the quirky crowd, so she was generally left alone.

However, today, she had opted to eat inside as she always had during the winter; thus avoiding the rolling of the eyes that she always seemed to get when people noticed that she was eating ice cream in December. She missed the heady climate of Southern France sometimes, the unbearable humidity and lying under trees when it became too much. She was quite a long way from home.

“Strawberry cone please,” She said, unabashed.

“Sorry, what was that?” She got that sometimes. Her accent hadn’t faded enough for people to fully understand her without a double take; it was certainly her fault for not studying the language enough before she came. Annie blushed violently, and repeated the sentiment more slowly so it didn’t sound like a jumble of ‘stowberre coh please,’ The person behind the desk smiled at her, which was a nice surprise. Angeles smiled back, showing her teeth when she did. And that’s when the storm started up. The electricity in the shop flickered on and off, and the heavy rain outside turned into claps of thunder that made Annie shudder deep in her bones. She wished her brother were with her. She wished that she had brought her mom along. She hated being alone in thunderstorms.

“Better not go out in that,” The attendant advised her sensibly. Not that Annie would have had the balls to actually go out by herself; she nodded like he had given her jewels of wisdom and prevented her from risking her life. So she sat there, doing very little, twiddling her thumbs, both feet hunched up to the seat, waiting for the storm to finally end.