Little Drops in the Clouds

It never changed. A six-year-old boy stared up at the sky. Today, it looked like it was about to rain. It always looked like it was going to rain these days.

“Miike! Miike!”

Someone ran up and smacked him on the back. The boy whipped around. A girl with bright orange pigtails grinned at him. She had a couple of teeth missing. Miike stared at her blankly.

“Staring at the clouds again?” the girl asked. He didn’t say a word. Why didn’t she just leave him alone? What did she want with him? She always hung around him when no one else would. Miike still didn’t know what to make of her.

He noticed her staring deep into his eyes.

“Why are you always staring at the sky?” she asked in a whisper. Miike shook his head. He had always been an odd kid. Still, this girl hung around him. He couldn’t figure it out himself.

“Hm? What did you say?” she asked. The boy moved his lips softly. His voice barely came out in a whisper. Still, she was able to catch one word. The girl gave him a strange look.

“What are you saying?” she asked. Miike didn’t answer. The girl was about to say something when she felt something land on her cheek.

“Huh? Is it raining already?” The little girl looked up. This time, she heard his voice as clear as day.

“That’s not rain.”

The girl gave Miike gave him a puzzled look. “What is that supposed to mean?” The boy with bright blond hair pointed up to the sky. She looked up at the graying clouds rolling in. Another drop landed on the bridge of her nose.

“Oh…”

The boy stood next to her, shivering. The voices rolled around in his ear again. The static danced around in his ears. Despite this, one message broke throw the surface.

“Close the gate! End this now!”

Miike’s body went stiff before collapsing to the playground.