Rain Before Dawn, Chapters 1-4 (all revised)

I took you guys advice and revised every chapter so far. Without further ado here is chapter 1-4

Rain Before Dawn

Chapter 1

Upon the ground freshly fallen dew is rubbing against the knee highs of a crying little girl. Her tears, streaming, are falling, fast, on the ankle-high grass. In her hand is a large white lily whose pollen is spraying as fast as her tears. She stops when she makes it to a medium sized tombstone. She kneels down and lays the lily on top of the dirt in front of the stone. Tears pour from her eyes and soften the ground on the grave. The girl puts her hands on the ground wishing to be closer than as close as she was.

Valerie grabs a can of Cola and pulls her hand out from the inside of the fridge. She shuts the fridge door as Melody walks in. Melody and Valerie have been friends since they were six so they know each other well.

“What did you do to your hair?” Valerie questions.

Melody’s wavy blonde hair whips out from the two pig tails that were in it.

“Nothing.” She says innocently.

She looks straight into Valeries’ angry green eyes. “Hey Val, you think you can pick up a movie at Blockbuster?”

She takes a wooden spoon out from the draw and does a kungfu pose; Valerie busts out laughing. “Maybe a Kungfu?”

Valerie stops laughing, sighs and nods. “I guess so but it’s going to rain soon and you know I don’t like to drive in the rain.”

“It will only take a few minutes.” Melody puffs out her lips, “Please?”

Valerie takes the keys off of the counter and stuffs them into her pocket. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

Melody jumps into the air. Valerie down the hall and past the room she’ll be staying in this night; she sighs and opens the door into the garage. The cold hard ground underneath her feet reminds her of a grave yard ground. She slips her feet into a pair of flip-flops. She takes out the keys unlocking the car doors. She stops when she hears Pink coming out of the house. She remembers how people would always ask if Melody and Valerie were twins but since Melody dyed her hair from dark brown to a blonde nobody asks that anymore. The leather seat feels cool and soft as she sits down upon it and clicks the button on the key; opening the garage door. She puts the key into the ignition.

The same little girl, but older now, is looking out of a fragile glass window that is fogged up from the intense precipitation outside. She walks over to the door, locks it and walks back to the window. She slides the lock over and pushes up. A clicking sound can be heard and a gust of cool, wet wind hits her small face. It is just enough space for her to climb out and step down the ladder on the side of the house. Her thin skirt clings to her legs as she gets off and sneaks past the big window leading into the living room. A bush from behind her rustles but she doesn’t notice or hear it. In front of her is an electric scooter so she rides it off down a street and onto another. Onto another street until she gets to a small cemetery. She parks the scooter and runs down the many rows of stones. One row in particular she stops at, walks down and touches one stone. This time she reads it aloud. ‘Amber Soto’ The rain pours harder as she stands in it crying. Mud splashes up on her legs, caking them.

Valerie starts the car and pulls out of the garage. Driving down the street she pops open the island and pulls out a C.D. She puts it into the C.D. player and cranks it.

When she gets out of Blockbuster it starts to pour so she runs to the car.

“Shit, shit, shit!” she yells as she opens the car door and gets inside.

She puts the key into the ignition; the car makes a sputtering noise.

“Fuck, it’s flooded.”

She pounds her hand against the wheel.

She tries it again, this time it purrs “Alright.”

Suddenly a big boom of thunder roars through the parking lot. “Ok time to get going.”

Traffic is terrible but being the kind hearted person she is, She cuts someone off and speeds up to the best of her ability. She pulls onto a small road to avoid any other traffic. Now the rain has fastened its pace so the car is starting to fog up. She presses her face up against the windshield so she can see. She stops at a red light and fumbles with the heater knobs. When she’s not looking the light turns green and a big truck from behind her honks it’s horn.

“Damn it.”

She floors the car, the speed she is doing is too fast for the wet road; the car starts to slip. She loses control and the car goes over a side ditch. It smashes into a tree and sends Valeries’ head into the dashboard. Blood drips down on her face. Before she passes out she hears the sound of rain pounding at the crushed metal.

“Oh my head.” Are those the last words ever escaping from her lips?

Chapter 2

In heaven an argument is just ending between God and a very stubborn angel.

“Please spare Eve, God. She means a lot to me and my whole world.” the angel plies.

“I will do what is right and no angel is going to tell me what to do.” God‘s normally cheery smile is now an angered frown. “Now please leave, Caleb.”

Even Caleb can see that God is holding something from him. He looks deep into the forgiving eyes of God. “Just promise me she’ll be ok, Eve is dearly needed on Amum.”

God looks at Calebs’ feeble attempt to change his mind. He shakes his head, “Please leave.”

Caleb’s face goes dull. He turns from God, somewhat ashamed, and leaves.

The girl, who is now a lot older than before, is sitting on a stone in the middle of the night. She studies her surroundings, almost as if she is waiting for something or someone. She looks at her watch then back at the dark of the night. A women, around the age of twenty, walks up behind the girl and taps her on the shoulder. The girl turns and sees the women has a mellow yellow glow around the outline of her. She is filled with a calming feeling and smiles. In her mind she thinks about the last time she ever smiled, never. When her eyes get adjusted she sees the women has dark green eyes and light blonde hair. “Mom?” the word almost pops out of her mouth. The women looks around worried, “I don’t have long, but promise me you’ll never give up.” The girl nods slowly, confused. “Good.” The women disappears as fast as she came.

Valerie wakes startled. She sits up straight in the bed she’s in. Her head fills with pain but she still looks around. She’s in a pale yellow room. On the right side of her is a chair and a little window. And on her left is a small table with a glass of water on it.

She thinks for a second, “This place looks awfully dreary.”

Suddenly it hits her, “Oh my god I’m in a hospital!” she screams.

Melody comes rushing in. “Are you ok?”

Valerie looks at her, “Mel, what happened to me? Why am I here?”

Melody looks Valerie straight in her forest green eyes. “Val, you were in a car crash. Luckily someone saw the whole thing and called an ambulance. The doctors said you lost some blood but you would be ok.”

Mortified, Valerie stares at Melody; she dare not blink.

“I know you don’t like hospitals, Val, but it’s for the best.”

Valerie snaps out of her daze, “Mel, you know that they just stuff a person in a room and leave them there to rot.”

Melody stares her friend in the eyes “I swear Val I’d never let them do anything that would harm you.”

Valerie stops to take it all in “Is my mom here?” she asks.

“She’ll be here shortly.”

Valerie grips her head for now the throbbing is getting worse, Melody looks worriedly.

“Are you ok?”

“Not really.”

“The doctor said if you felt any slight pain you should take this.” She shows a medicine cup with a green capsule in it and takes a cup of water off of the stand next to Valerie. “Here, take it.”

Valerie swigs down the water and pill. Her face scrunches up.

Melody giggles at the look on her face. She takes the cups from Valerie’s hands and places them on the stand.

“So, how long am I going to be here for?” Valerie asks.

“I don’t know for sure, but I think just today and tomorrow.”

Valerie’s mom walks in, “Ok Melody, Valerie needs to get more sleep if she wants to leave tomorrow.”

Melody strolls out of the door. Valerie’s mom sits on the corner of her bed.

“I brought soup, in case you’re hungry.” Valerie looks at the bowl of tomato soup, her favorite, and smiles at her mom.

She takes the soup and gobbles it down. She hands it to her mom and falls asleep quickly. Her mom kisses Valerie’s forehead and walks away.

Valerie is running in a field, she isn’t being chased yet she runs faster. She stops when she gets to a forest, a very scary looking forest. An unfriendly vine pops out of the forest and tries to grab a hold of Valerie’s arm. She catches it and pulls it off. Suddenly she turns toward where she was running from. Someone in a long black robe is running up to her. She lets out a loud, painful and agonizing screech. The person snickers and grabs Valerie. “No one can hear you, my dear.” She screams louder as they pull off their hood on their head. Before she can get a look of their face……

She sits up, hot and sweaty.

Chapter 3

Relief washes over her face as she sees through the darkness that she’s still in her hospital room. The dream scared her so she looks around the room to make sure she’s really there. She sees a chair, a T.V., door leading to the hallway, she stops when she sees the little window near her is open slightly.

“Huh? Was that window open when I went to sleep?” she pulls the covers off herself and gets out of bed, slowly.

Suddenly the window shuts and a big gust of wind whirls in the small room. She shakes her head, in an ’I give up’ manner, and walks back to her bed, not knowing eyes are watching her the whole way. She lifts the blanket up, about to crawl in, when she feels like someone is behind her. She turns to see no one, so she slithers on the mattress and nods off into a deep sleep. Off in the corner of her room deep in the shadows two glowing red eyes stare at her the rest of the night long.

Soft humming from beside her wakes Valerie from her intense slumber. She opens her eyes to see a man in a long white robe sitting in the chair next to her bed. He is humming a gentle tune while staring out the window next to him. He stops when he sees Valerie is watching him.

“My dear, I see you are awake now.” his voice is light and gentle, like a summers breeze.

“Who are you?” she asks politely.

“The names Caleb.”

“Oh well, I believe you have the wrong person, I don’t know any Calebs’.” she says in the most nicest voice possible.

“Oh I do have the right person.”, she gives him a puzzled look, “If you still do not believe me, your name is Valerie is it not?”

She studies his look of certainty “Yes, I guess you do have the right person. May I ask what you’re here for? Are you a doctor or a therapist, what?”

He chuckles at this, “My dear, sweet Valerie. You will find out very soon why I am here. As for now, you mustn’t ask questions.”

Still puzzled by this mysterious man, she feels a calmness wrap around her as she gazes into his emerald green eyes. Something about him makes her feel as though she has met him before.

He whispers. “I can not explain this but I must go. You will find out when I get back. Do not worry I’ll be back soon.”

Still confused she whispers, “I can wait to find out.”

He disappears like a mirage slowly fading out of sight. She gasps and rubs her eyes.

“I’m seeing things on top of the terrible throbbing in my head?” she looks at the food and puts it on the table next to her. “I’ll save it for later.”

“Now I feel bad, I can‘t remember how I know Caleb.” She sighs and turns the T.V. on with the little remote in her bed rail. “Maybe I’ll remember later.”

As it gets later in the day the sun shinning in her room retracts and it gets darker and darker in the small pale yellow room. Soon like every other Sunday, there is nothing good on the T.V. and since she doesn’t want to sit in complete silence, she watches the news. Valerie snickers when she sees the newscaster is a obese man in a impossibly small coat.

“Hey look a fat man in a little coat!” she bursts out laughing referring to the song.

He adjusts his toupee on his head and clears his throat.

“This is the six o’ clock news at six. I’m Harry Blasdell and this is my co-host, Lisa Diaz,” a small Spanish woman sitting next the big man nods her head, making it look like she’s a bobble head doll, “Our top story today, priceless jewels stolen from the richest woman in the country. And later in the program, gas prices to rise again? A fire in the forest of Fijis? All this and more after this messages.”

A hair care commercial comes on but Valerie doesn’t care, she’s intrigued about the story regarding the jewels.

She hears a soft knock on her door, “It’s Matt, can I come in?”

She walks over to the door and opens it.

A tall skinny boy about the age of 16 walks in. She shuts the door and sits on her bed. He sits in a chair. She looks over at him and he looks back at her. His eyes are dull and almost lifeless.

“How you feeling, ’sis?” his voice in monotone.

Not noticing Valerie answers, “I’ll live.” .

He giggles, a thing that Matt is not known to do. Valerie gives him a weird look. He gets up from his seat and nervously fumbles with his fingers.

“Um…I have to go. Sorry I couldn’t stay any longer but I have something to do.” he rushes out the door.

Valerie looks confused at this “It’s Sunday, he never has anything to do on Sundays’. Something’s up I know it.” she thinks.

In a minute, she hears another knock on her door.

“Who is it?”

A voice unfamiliar to her says, “Dr. Collins. May I come in?”

“Yes.” she turns the T.V. off for a minute.

Chapter 4

A short plumb man wearing a white overcoat walks in. By now it is almost nightfall and with it, it is dark in her room.

“Ms. Soto may I steal a minute of your time?”

“Yeah I guess so.”

She pulls the covers off of herself and sits on the bed. Nervously she puts some wavy brown hair behind her ears and sits up straight, although it hurts her back not to mention her head.

“May I be the first one to say, Ms. Soto, that you are a very lucky girl. In all the other accident victims I have treated none have come out of a wreck, like that, almost unharmed.”

“Yeah well, I’m not like other people.” she jokes uneasily.

“Are you ready to leave?”

Valerie looks down at her hospital gown and looks back up at Dr. Collins.

“Oh course after you change into some clothes.”

She nods, “Yes then.”

He leaves. Valerie lets out a big sigh of relief and wipes some sweat off of her forehead. As she does that something catches her eye, a stack of purple on the end of her bed.

“Did Dr. Collins leave that?” she thinks and picks it up.

Unfolding it she sees it’s a short dark purple cut-off dress

“It’s something to wear I guess.”

She walks into the little cubical sized bathroom in her room.

“Strange,” she says while looking at the tag, “it’s my size.”

Taking off her gown she slips into the dress. She realizes now that it is a tight fit. Satisfied she stalks out and waits in her chair. Her mom walks in just as she sits down.

“Ready? Where did you get that?” she says looking at the dress weirdly.

Valerie gets up. “The doctor gave it to me.” Her mom nods and takes out a slip.

“We have to stop on our way home, the doctor gave me a prescription I need to get for you.”

Valerie marches out the door. Her mom gives a once around the room and shuts the door, leaving the room empty or so she thinks.

The cherry red BMW drives down the long winding dirt path. Valerie looks out the window; ever since she was little she can remember her adventures in the forest around her house. Valerie smiles remembering how the ’jungle’ was full of tigers and evil bugs. But her smile fades when she sees a pair of glowing red eyes as the car passes by. After the two minute drive down the path they put up to a clearing with a house right in the middle. The house has a small cottage look with its light blue walls and cloud white shutters. The only thing that stops the cottage theme is the fact the house is huge.

“Home sweet home.” Valerie whispers excitedly and opens the passenger side door.

She jogs up to the door and rushes inside. The sweet scent of cinnamon wakes her nose up telling her she’s home, she’s home. She sprints up the stairs and into her room. The first thing she does is jump on her bed; she forgot how soft it was. She stares up at her ceiling and looks at a poster of Devon Stone; her teenage heartthrob. She sits up and looks around; everything is the way it was the day she left. Her lava lamp still is on top of her nail-polish covered desk. Her stickered computer is sitting next to her lava lamp. As for the rest of her room, the walls covered with posters, pictures and bumper stickers.

She sighs, “God it’s great to be home!”

She yawns; realizing how tired she really is. It seems as though with every blink she takes she gets more tired. Finally she takes her last blink before falling fast asleep on her blanket.

In a few minutes there is a knock upon her door, it’s her mom.

She pushes the door open when she doesn’t hear an answer.

“I have something-.”

She looks at Valerie passed out on her bed. All she can do is stare at her. She closes the door disappointedly. Although the door is shut her words aren’t.

“One day, Princess Eve, one day.”

Valerie tosses and turns in her sleep. Her face winced up like a prune.

The little girl, about age three, is sitting in her mothers’ lap. Her mother looks down upon her child, her deep emerald eye filled with glee. The girls’ father looks upon her too. Suddenly two huge wooden doors fling open reveling a hoard of tree looking creatures. A ear-piercing shriek sounds through the air……