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Rain made her job easier. She could sneak up on her targets more easily and it wiped away evidence. Behind the cover of a tree, she saw her target come into view. The downpour was violent, the drops thudding against the stone with such force that it drowned out all sound in the vicinity. She couldn’t hear the gate creaking as the man opened it, couldn’t hear his footsteps as he tried to rush into his home, and he couldn’t hear her slither behind him. With one quick motion her wires wrapped around his neck. She saw him struggle but she couldn’t hear him choking. There was nothing but the storm. His body began to fall, and she wouldn’t hear that either.
Or so she thought. A sickening crunch resounded when the corpse’s head hit the ground. It shook the world around and she gasped in shock. Sharon looked around. No body, no blood. She heard that familiar pitter-patter of rain, but it was muffled. She was heaving as if something was trying to escape her body. It wasn’t a mission, just a nightmare.
Her heart thundered in her chest. What had happened that day? She couldn’t recall what that man looked like. It was one of so many similar moments. She shook her head and looked at the clock. She had to go. She had no time to eat and more importantly she had no time to cook anything for Sara. There was at least enough time to pick up food before the flight landed.
In her haste she left without an umbrella. The dense droplets soaked her instantly. Her heart rate had slowed a little but now there was a gnawing feeling inside of her. An emptiness she couldn’t name. Somehow, she made her way to the diner and ordered. It was devoid of any patrons. Nobody would bother stepping out in this weather after all. She looked at the owner who had taken her order a moment ago. His build was like the man’s she had killed in her dream.
It was raining outside; it was empty in here. She could kill him now. It wouldn’t even take a minute. Had it always been so easy? Were there this many opportunities? She had her dagger. He wouldn’t realize. One, two steps and that would be it. Why was it such a simple thing? Her heart pounded again. Why couldn’t she shake the image out of her mind. She wasn’t a killer. She was a killer, but she wasn’t a killer now.
“Sharon?” A young woman’s voice broke her out of her stupor.
She blinked a few times. “Sorry?”
“I was asking if Dvance said something stupid to you.”
Yuuna worked here too. Lady Alisa’s friend. Did that man she killed had a daughter? Was she there that day? Why were her thoughts spiraling? She had to get the food and leave. “Not at all. Though, I must be on my way. I will be sure to tell Lady Alisa to visit soon.” She punctuated it with a practiced smile.
Fortunately, Yuuna hadn’t asked her anything else. Or had she? The rain was too loud. Regardless, Sharon had paid for the food and left. She hurried to the airport; the flight was due to arrive soon. The familiar beep of the automatic doors and the announcement of the arriving flight cut into the sound of pouring rain. She scanned the crowd walking out, not realizing she was tapping her foot as she failed to find Sara. Where? Where was she?
Her heart skipped a beat. She saw a glimmer of cerise. Sara must’ve seen her too judging by the enthusiastic waving.
“I thought I was going to surprise you for once.” Sara joked.
Hearing her put Sharon at ease. Finally, the rain was quiet and so was the pulsing within her chest.
“Woah, why are you drenched? You’re shivering! Here.” Sara hastily took off her overcoat and draped it over Sharon.
Shivering? Oh. it was cold. She hadn’t noticed. She had to respond. Normally. “I was just so excited to see you.” The same rehearsed smile.
Sara raised her eyebrow at that. “I bet, but you know you can’t lie to me, right?
Sharon couldn’t, she never could. So, she deflected. “I brought you lunch.” She could see the exasperation on Sara’s face.
Thankfully Sara had an umbrella and traveled light. Their short trip back was wordless. She quickly changed out of her wet clothes and dried off while Sara ate. The storm outside hadn’t stopped. The door slowly opened, and Sara walked in, taking a seat on the bed. She couldn’t revisit that conversation again.
“Hey.” Sara’s voice was so quiet and soft.
Before Sara could say anything else, Sharon kissed her. “I missed you.” She managed to utter before resuming.
It didn’t last long. Sara lifted her and flipped their positions on the bed, straddling Sharon. “I missed you too, but c’mon. You know you aren’t getting out of this that easily.” Sara wore a sad smile.
Sharon could hear the beads of water crashing against the window. Sara was waiting for her. The gnawing feeling crept in again. Could she kill Sara? No. She’d already tried once and failed. If anything, the gap between them had grown. Even if she tried in this moment, she couldn’t. It was a sick comfort.
Sharon looked away. “I had a nightmare.”
Sara dropped down to Sharon’s side, putting an arm around her. “What about?”
“I killed someone. It was raining and I killed them.” Sharon turned to Sara and buried her head under Sara’s chin. “I don’t even remember who it was or why I got the job. I did it so many times and it never bothered me. I don’t know why suddenly…” Sharon pulled Sara closer.
“I used to have those nightmares too. Still do once in a while.” Sara stroked her head.
“How did you make them stop?”
“Time.”
Sharon gave a mirthless chuckle. “That sounds unpleasant.”
“You learn to manage them. The first few times are always the hardest.”
Sharon gave a nod. Was it guilt alone? Was it something else? She’d understand eventually, she knew that. Sara was usually right in these situations. “I don’t like this rain very much.”
“It’ll stop eventually. If it doesn’t you can watch me shoot the clouds ‘til it does.”
Sara was right. Eventually the clouds would part. She pressed closer, focusing on Sara’s heartbeat. Sara was so warm, so gentle. Maybe the rain had already stopped.