“Our house is going to flood,” my wife said, staring out at the water, struggling to believe what was happening.
The rain had started at 4 pm. My wife and I had been at the cinema watching a romantic comedy. About thirty minutes in, our babysitter texted us, “The water on your street is backing up. You need to come home!”
Sure enough, when we reached our place, the water was up to our driveway. The culverts hadn’t drained and a home across the street was already flooded.
“I’ve never seen this big of a storm,” my wife said, shielding her eyes.
Me neither. According to reports, an entire month’s rain had fallen on our city. The deluge was so thick you could barely see while driving.
It was a nightmare.
I left my wife at home with the kids and drove to the store to pick up sandbags. By the time I had returned, two more houses had flooded.
“We may need to evacuate!” A neighbor shouted, trudging past me in a yellow rain suit. He poked a rake into one of the culverts, hoping to free whatever was blocking it.
I finished shoring up my property and thought about our next-door neighbors. They were in their late seventies and had no one to look out for them.
I hurried back to my door and popped my head inside: “Hey babe! I’m going to check on Jim and Stacy!”
“Alright! Don’t be long.”
I waded down the sidewalk. The wind was stronger now and the rain fell in sheets. The cars that drove by sent knee-high waves up into our yard.
I hadn’t had time to change into galoshes or waterproof clothes, so my jeans and hoodie were soaked. I sloshed on, wondering, How much worse will it get?
Turns out a lot more.
I reached Jim and Stacy’s and after a few knocks, the door opened. Jim stood before me, grinning like a drunk teenager.
“Hey, Jim,” I said, trying to sound louder than the storm. “I wanted to check on you two. Are you alright?”
“Yes, Dave, Stacy and I have never been better.”
I glanced inside. His clothes were dry and the interior showed no signs of flooding. I turned back to the street, now fully submerged. “It’s raining pretty hard… Callie and I are worried. Do you need help packing or —?”
“Oh, no. Stacy and I couldn’t be happier.”
Happier?! My eyes locked onto his. “I don’t think you understand. If the culverts don’t drain soon, we’ll have to evacuate.”
“Stacy and I aren’t going anywhere. We’ve already talked with the Rain Whisperer. He says the waters will recede.”
“The… Rain Whisperer?”
“Stacy’s been with him for hours. When the storm first started, we were concerned. But she went out and talked with him and everything’s fine. You can go back and tell Callie to relax.”
I furrowed my brow, not believing this conversation. “Listen, I’m worried that you’re not taking this seriously. If you can just pack up something so my wife and I can get you out of here… The water’s deep but our truck should make it out.”
“You don’t understand. If the Rain Whisperer says the flood will stop, it will stop.”
I felt insane. But I had to find out what Jim was talking about. So I asked him point-blank, “Can I see the Rain Whisperer?”
“Yes.”
I followed him to the side gate, ventured in. When we reached the back porch, I was stunned to see Stacy wearing summer clothes and flip-flops.
“Nice to see you, Dave!” She embraced me. “Have you come to see the Rain Whisperer?”
“I guess so…”
“He’s just behind that shed. Go on and see for yourself.”
I swung my gaze and spotted a vine-covered fence. Next to it was a garden shed.
“Just head on back and he’s there.”
I shook my head in disbelief. The water was ankle-deep in some parts of the yard, so I hopped from one elevated spot to another.
When I reached the fence, I noticed a three-foot walkway existing between it and the shed. The path went in about five feet, then turned right, leading back behind the building.
That must be where the Rain Whisperer is. I clenched my fists and wandered in.
It wasn’t long before I reached the end of the pathway and turned the corner.
That’s when I saw him.
He was short, maybe five feet, and had worn skin and yellow nails. His hair was wet and his outfit resembled an old fisherman’s raincoat. He looked like a man who had been lost at sea for years.
“Have you come to see the Rain Whisperer?” he said, his voice as hard as gravel.
“Y… yes…” I responded, trying to sound brave. “I’m checking because Jim and Stacy said someone was back here.”
“I am back here. What is it that you need?”
I was so shocked by his presence. He seemed homeless, like someone who had struck a deal with my neighbors to live on their property. But there was something off about his voice. It seemed… otherworldly.
“Listen… I don’t know who you are or what’s going on, but there’s a flood happening right now and we may need to evacuate.”
“Nobody’s going to evacuate. The rain will subside. You can return home and tell Callie that everything is safe.”
Callie? The utterance of my wife’s name nearly dropped me. “How do you know her name?”
The man looked at the sky. “I know lots of things. Like how you cheated on your wife six years ago. She’s never forgiven you for it.”
I clutched my chest, feeling heavy. “The… what?”
“You’ve repented and done years of counseling, but she’ll never forgive you. In fact, you might as well end things now. She hates you.”
I balled my fists, enraged. This stranger, who seemed no more than a vagrant, had seen the darkest parts of my soul and exposed them like a voyeur.
I sank to my knees. Noticed a jagged boulder half-buried in mud. I pried it loose and stood, quickly hiding the rock behind my back.
“What makes a man cheat, anyways?” The Rain Whisperer mused. “I’ve watched you humans for generations. Your sins mystify me.”
When he lowered his gaze, I noticed… coldness. His eyes held an iciness I had never seen. He motioned to the hand that was still concealed behind my back. “You can bash me over the head with that. But it won’t make any difference. You’ll still be the monster that betrayed your family… your wife… and yourself…”
I leapt forward and slammed the rock against his scalp.
When I came back to the porch, Jim and Stacy were waiting for me.
“Did you see him?” Stacy asked. “Was he back there?!”
I thundered past them, silent, still clutching the boulder. Jim scanned my hand and the makeshift weapon.
“What is that?” he asked, panicking. “What did you do?!”
When I reached our house, I was delusional. I tried opening the door, but my fingers were slick with crimson. I shakily raised a fist and punched the doorbell.
DING-DONG.
My wife, Callie, answered. “Oh god…” she said, dragging me in. “You look terrible.”
I stood in the entryway, dripping water all over the towels she had placed on the floor.
“The kids are all packed and ready. I called my dad and asked if we can stay the night.”
I glanced around. Bags and towels were draped over furniture. Children’s toys littered the floor.
“David? Are you listening to me?”
The rock was still in my hand. I let it fall.
“David? What’s going on?”
“Callie…” I said, my face turning beet. “I need to ask you something… can you… ever forgive me…”
“David, I don’t see why this is relevant —“
“Please, just answer me…”
Rain thrummed on the roof. It sounded like footsteps shifting in frantic motions.
My wife looked at me with heartache in her eyes. “I want to… David…. but it hurts so much… I’m… I’m sorry…”
She backed away and I slumped my shoulders in defeat.
“Told you…” the Rain Whisperer’s voice echoed in my brain.
I jerked upright. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?!”
“The Rain Whisperer knows all… because the Rain Whisperer sees all.”
“It sounds like it’s coming from…” I sprinted to our son’s bedroom and shouldered open the door. My stomach flip-flopped as I saw…
… the Rain Whisperer… sitting in our rocking chair… cradling our one-year-old son… who was fast asleep.
“Oh my god… who are you?!” my wife screamed, shoving past me. “What are you doing in our house?!”
The man was still drenched and had a deep gash on his scalp. Fresh blood dribbled down onto his raincoat. “The rain will stop,” he hissed, rocking our son gently. “Don’t you worry.”
“Get out!” My wife leapt forward and grabbed our son. But as soon as she made contact, a violent scream exploded from her body. She hit the floor, spasming, as if hit by electricity.
The Rain Whisperer stepped over her. “I’ll be back behind the shed if you need me.”
I lunged at him. Felt a searing pain light my fingers. I fell back against the wall, clutching my wrist, as the Rain Whisperer passed me.
“This child has a strong sense of character. I will train him up in the way he should go.”
Without another word, he stepped into the hall and I heard the front door open.
I’m not sure how long my wife and I lay there, but when we got up, an ear-splitting scream erupted from outside.
“The rain! It’s stopped!” It sounded like Stacy.
I pulled myself up and followed Callie into the hall. Our daughter was crying in the other room. We left her there and dashed to the front door, determined to find our boy.
When we got outside, the street was free of water. The culverts and lack of rain had done the trick.
In the middle of the street, Stacy and Jim were dancing. The Rain Whisperer was with them, holding our son in his palms, like he was presenting a sacrifice to heaven.
“David… do something!” My wife screamed.
I turned and grabbed the rock I had dropped in our entryway.
It was still wet from rain.
The Rain Whisperer is gone. I bashed him over the head and made sure he stayed down.
Jim and Stacy have fled to another state. My family is safe… for the time being. But every now and then… when I hear the rain… I remember his voice… and my guilt…
… and I wonder if he’ll ever come back.
More: A flash flood hit our neighborhood. But there was something much worse in the rain. Here’s a good post from https://reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/1riiloh/a_flash_flood_hit_our_neighborhood_but_there_was/: “Our house is going to flood,” my wife said, staring out at the water, struggling to believe what was happening. The rain had started at 4 pm. My wife and I had been at the cinema watching a romantic comedy. About thirty minutes in, our babysitter texted us, “The water on your street is backing Continue here: A flash flood hit our neighborhood. But there was something much worse in the rain.