They stayed under the shade, waiting impatiently. Helena clicked her tongue at intervals, her frustration bubbling over at the thought that it had to rain today of all days.
"Easy there, Helena," Leonard said in his calm, measured voice. "The rain will eventually stop, and we'll be able to leave."
Helena was about to retort angrily, but Allan beat her to it, replying to Leonard for the first time since the morning. "We all know the rain isn't stopping anytime soon, so don't give your friend false hope," he said, his gaze sweeping the old house rather than looking at Leonard.
"Well, she's not my sister," Leonard replied, his tone slightly firmer now, no longer as calm as when he spoke to Helena or Elaine. "She's my friend."
Allan turned his head to face him nonchalantly. "I don't care."
"So… are we going to wait here until it stops raining?" Elaine asked, shivering slightly as she looked around. The ground beneath their feet was already wet and muddy, the puddles forming quickly, while the constant pitter-patter of raindrops hitting the rusted iron zinc above made a relentless, uneven rhythm that grated at her nerves.
"Well, it's not like you're going to walk in the rain," Allan said, facing her completely, his voice calm yet slightly detached.
"we'd probably have to stay with someone here" his voice was very low as he turned hi head, as though already searching for where or who would be generous enough to accommodate them.
"What!" Helena exclaimed, making a small jump in the puddled mud, only to be met with Allan's disgusted look. His piercing gaze was enough to make her shut up and calm down almost immediately.
He averted his gaze, as though she had never spoken. Elaine felt the wet chill creeping into her clothes, clinging to her skin, making her uneasy.
"What I'm saying is… this place is not very nice," she explained, her voice calm despite the rain. "It's falling apart, and no one would want to stay here."
"No worry, it shouldn't be so bad. Maybe… miraculously, the rain might stop," she added, trying to lift the mood.
Though it was obvious the rain wouldn't stop anytime soon, Helena casually ignored her, leaning against the weathered wall, her expression unreadable. The dull gray sky pressed down on them, the steady drizzle painting the world in muted colors. Elaine shivered as a drop slid down her neck, realizing how damp and uncomfortable everything had become the smell of wet earth, the metallic tang of rain on the zinc above, and the soft, uneven thrum of raindrops all around making her feel almost trapped in the old ruin of a building.
"Can't we just ask someone for help, rather than waiting!?" Leonard yelled, as the heavy sound of the rain swallowed his voice.
Allan looked at him, before sighing lightly, as though he had asked a very dumb question.
"nobody here looks welcoming, going about from door to door would be useless".
******
Minutes had slowly turned to hours, the rain still falling relentlessly, the sky now looked midnight, the breeze blowing harshly, their clothes wet as the rain at intervals fell In their direction, the cold biting into theire skin but not Allan as he felt normal as always. Helena was already dozing off due to the cold, her head sagging on the cracked walls behind, her but the environment wasn't conducive for her to properly sleep. They were already tired from the waiting and the harsh weather when like a miracle, a voice popped up out of no where.
"what are all of you doing out here in this weather?" a man's voice sounded. They all turned around in unison, to see a ragged lean man looking in his late fifties, but one couldn't be sure as the bad condition the people here lived in could make one age faster, he wore dirty brown trousers his back slightly hunched, his grey an black hair scattered, hope ignited back in their eyes most especially Helena's.
"Good evening sir" Elaine greeted politely. "we were heading somewhere when it started raining" she explained in a simple way.
"And you all have nowhere to go?" he asked, eyeing their luggages.
Helena this time was the one who spoke next. "No Mr. We are stranded. We were coming back from sch–"
"Mr, do you mind helping us out" Allan said cutting Helena's words short. She turned to look at him, turning red with embarrassment.
They all watched, some silently praying as the man contemplated within him on whether to help or not. Relief flooded their eyes at his next words.
"Come with me" he said shortly.
"Thank you Mr". They all chorused, genuinely greatful.