A Lone Man in the Rain: A Night of Mystery and Fear

The rain fell hard and steady, a relentless drumming against the windows. The house was quiet, the night deep. She stood by the window, watching the storm. Raindrops streaked down the glass, turning the world outside into a blur.

Then she saw him.

A lone man walking through the downpour. She wouldn’t have noticed him if she hadn’t been gazing out aimlessly. The streetlight nearby flickered, casting a weak glow, and there he was, moving through it.

What was he doing out in such weather? It was dangerous.

He reached the edge of the light and disappeared into the darkness. She waited, heart pounding, for him to reappear at the next light.

The mystery of it all was thrilling, yet unnerving. Who would walk in this storm? He must have a reason.

The man reappeared, fighting against a gust of wind that sent a wave of rain crashing into him. The noise of the storm grew louder, then faded back to a steady roar. He vanished again.

She felt a surge of worry. Did he need help? What could drive someone to be out at this hour, in this weather? What if she was the only one who had seen him? She might be his only hope.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the scene. The man was clutching a bundle to his chest, his eyes wide with panic but his grip firm and protective.

He moved closer, and under the streetlight right outside her house, she saw a tiny hand reach out from the bundle. Her breath caught. A child?

He kept going, not slowing down as he approached the intersection. She watched in horror as a pair of headlights appeared, speeding through the rain.

The collision was sudden and brutal. Both the man and the car vanished from sight.

She screamed.

Running from her room, she collided with her mother, who was coming to check on her.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?”

“There was a man! Outside, in the rain! He got hit by a car!” Tears overwhelmed her, making it hard to speak. Her mother held her close, trying to calm her.

“Even after all these years, you still can’t forget how your daddy died?”

Her mother’s words hit her like a slap. Her father hadn’t crossed her mind. “No! I mean it, there was a man out there!”

“It’s okay, baby. It was a terrible experience for you, and it happened on a night just like this.”

Frustrated, she pushed her mother away and ran back to the window. The darkness outside was impenetrable. She pressed her cheek against the cold glass, straining to see.

“I swear... I really saw him.”

Her mother sighed and shook her head. “It’s just the rain, dear. A horrible, strange rain that brings back bad memories.”

Her mother left the room, the door clicking shut behind her. She kept staring out the window, searching for any sign.

But there was nothing. No man, no car, no evidence of the tragedy she was sure she’d witnessed.

Maybe it really was just the rain.