We Fall Like Rain

Barns to Battlefields

The barn was drafty and barely even a barn at that. Kalen thought it more of a hovel for a goat than a wooden structure.
There was hay on the floor, but that was it.

"It absolutely stinks." Niki stated, a hand to her nose.

"No kidding." Maggie returned with a smirk.

They sat in the hay, further from the rotting wooden door and waited for the basket of supplies Aldith would bring.

After an hour of waiting, a cold wind rattled through the barn as the old wooden door opened revealing Aldith with a basket, just like she had promised.

"Food and blankets. All I could sneak past my mother." She stated with a frown. "Should be enough here for you all."

"It's perfect, thank you." Lia said taking the basket from her and placing it in the middle of them all.

"So, what's a group of people doing wandering from town to village every sun up? In trouble are you?" Aldith questioned.

"Not exactly" Maggie answered, "we have... something to do... somewhere far North."

"Oh, I see. The war is... a terrible thing to get caught up in. Best stay ahead of it. Take it from someone who knows." Aldith wore a grim expression, one which Kalen was far too familiar with seeing upon Thalia's face.

"You've seen the front lines?" Niki asked as she handed Charlie a blanket and some bread.

"Seen 'em? I was raised on 'em, girl. Mother was a healer, you see? A few seasons ago now, but I'd sometimes have to help her when they got desperate. Eventually, we had to move, left the far south and travelled miles until we got here. Not far enough, if you ask me."

"Did your father fight?" Niki asked, gaining a nudge and a warning look from Maggie, to which she just shrugged.

"Yeah, he did. Got injured, so we left. He's fine now, working the blacksmiths sometimes. Makes swords for the feigns that pass through here every month or so."

"Oh, well I'm glad you're family made it out, others are not so fortunate." Maggie said with a sad smile.

Aldith nodded and got off her knees towards the door. "I'll be back by sunrise. Goodnight." And with that, she left.

The night went on and the storm eventually passed. Kalen laid on a blanket next to Lia and Charlie.

He found his eyes focused on the rickety ceiling. The wooden beams dripping small drops of rainwater that trickled through the roof onto the dusty floor.

He glanced to his right to see Charlie looking at that same exact wooden beam. He often wondered what went on inside her head. What had she seen that had made her so terrified?

"Hal? You alright?" He whispered, making her shift her gaze to him.

"Fine. Just can't sleep." She uttered back.

Her eyes were glass, cold and hollow. Kalen could almost see her torment, could look right through her as if she were a ghost or an open book he could read word for word.

"You know what my mum used to tell me when I couldn't sleep?"

"What?" She asked, half bothered.

"Go to the window and talk at the stars. Sounds weird, I know, but it helped."
He said, she frowned, turning onto her side to face him fully.

"But they're just giant clouds of gas floating in nothing. How can you have a conversation with them?"

"It's not about them answering back. It's about not letting it crush you."