the rain

by sylvie anomie

the rain had been falling for thirty days, all over the earth. surely it had to stop some time. but it did not. panic began to grip the citizens of earth. at first the rain was denounced as a hoax, but it kept on falling, obliterating the lower lying regions of the planet. new cults sprang up, gathering millions of followers. old cults were resurrected, with even more followers. threats were made. accusations were hurled. riots broke out in most of the large cities. rivers overflowed, and valleys disappeared under the rising water. alain and johnny returned to the old hotel, high in the mountains, where they had stayed so many years before, and which contained so many memories. in those days johnny had been the most beautiful young man in the world. alain had been the fattest man in the western world, and one of the richest men in the world. how johnny had made alain suffer! now they were two old men, barely distinguishable from each other. alain in particular was surprised and mildly distressed that the chambermaids and bellhops and desk clerks did not seem to remember them. surely, alain remonstrated with marie, the head chambermaid, you must remember us, we were the children of apollo. you must remember the time i got lost, and a rescue party sent out after me? it caused quite an unholy commotion at the time. i am sorry, sir, marie replied, but we have had so many guests over the years - and in any case it was the butterflies who were the children of apollo. ah, then, so you remember the butterflies? of course, sir, i always remember the butterflies. alain and johnny spent long hours sitting in the lobby of the hotel, looking out at the rain, sipping their drinks - absinthe for alain, whiskey for johnny , and saying little. eventually the rain stopped. and the sun came out.