audioception.

***

Pitter-patter.

Pitter-patter.

Pitter-patter.

The other kids hate rain. When the rain starts to fall, they cover their heads using their hands and they all start to run away. But I don't run away. I stay at the place where I am standing and just listen to the sound the rain is making. I dance under the rain, alone, but it makes me happy compared to the games we played before the rain came.

My mother gets angry at me whenever I come home though. She told me that it was bad for me to get wet because of the rain. She said it will make me feel sick, but I think she's wrong. Whenever the rain showers me, I feel like I get stronger.

I am doing my homework when I hear the heavy footsteps coming from the living room.

The door bangs. The voice of my mother. The voice of my father, but way louder than mom's. Plates crashing. Mom's sobbing.

I hate those sounds. They scare me.

Just then, the rain starts to fall again. I stop from doing my homework and just stare out the window. The rain is so heavy that all the sounds from the outside of my room are gone. All I can hear is the sound the rain is making. It is like my mother's lullaby because it gives me a peaceful feeling. I listen to the sound, and it does not scare me--- it comforts me.

The next day, the rain is gone. All I can hear now are the kids' laughter. The sound of their laughter makes me smile, but then the laughter turn to shouts. Their brows furrow and their eyes are glaring. It scares me, really. I was waiting for the rain, but then it did not come. It was sunny all day.

When I come home, my father is already there in the house. There are shouts again. I come in and see that my mother is pointing a silver,shiny thing to father. I am scared.

I run fast to give my mother a hug.

At first, I can hear mother's gasps. Then father's voice, calling out for my name. Then I hear sobbing. Then I hear both of their voices calling out for my name.

The rain did come after all. It was quite different though, because it is painted with the color of red.

Also, the rain has no sound. When the red rain showers upon mother's dress, everything is silent. I cannot hear anything anymore. Everything is quiet.

I like this rain. It does not scare me. It makes me feel so peaceful that I decide to close my eyes and sleep under this red rain.