Write Her Story

False Promise of Rain
by Lori Safranek

Dark clouds gave false promises of rain as I trudged further across the empty lake. Fresh water should have been found yesterday. I had been puzzled when I reached the shore of the lake only to find dust and hard-packed dirt. My people would die without water.

I walked into the lakebed, seeking answers. I’d walked so long now, my head drooped, my eyes on the ground, seeking the tiniest drop of moisture.

The squawk of birds pulled my attention upward. A goddess floated in the air above, birds swirling around her. Her long black hair covered most of her body and a mask of white covered her face. I gasped and the inhalation of dust made me cough until I fell to my knees.

I gazed up at the goddess and could see the streaks of tears painted on her mask. I reached a hand up to her, wishing I could touch her hand and beg for water for my people. A bird lunged at me, pecking my hand and drawing blood. I jerked my hand away, crying out in pain.

The goddess reached out and swatted the bird aside. Thunder rolled through the sky and rain began to drip from above. The birds formed a cyclone with their black bodies, flying faster and faster until they spun into the clouds and disappeared. The goddess lifted her hands to the sky and the rain came faster and faster until I felt water lap around my waist.

I clumsily rose to my feet, the ground beneath me no longer hard and cracked. I gaped at the lake full of water then, gathering my wits, dunked down and drank deeply of the fresh rain. I arose to gut-wrenching pain, the Goddesses’ malicious laughter echoing in my ears

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Fiction © Copyright Lori Safranek
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com Artist: Mystic Art Design

More from Lori Safrenek:

Freaked Out: The Complete Freak Show Series

Freak Show is a collection of short stories based on the adventures of performers from Steiners Freak Show, a traveling circus side show. Steiner carefully selects his freaks so that they are genuinely blessed with real talents, none of his performers are fakes! From the lovely young Snake Charmer to the Tattooed Man whose tattoos fade away and relocate themselves on his body, every single one is the real thing! And Steiner’s family of freaks run into some frightening adventures that bring them near death! This isn’t some barker’s come on, folks, this is the real thing. Come to the freak show and see what happens after the sideshow closes!

Available on Amazon!

Stop by my other blogs for more Women in Horror Month content!
Sotet Angyal, The Dark Angel – Dark emotive flash fiction written by me.
The Road to Nowhere – Horror movie picks staring strong leading ladies.

And don’t forget to visit the Women in Horror Month official web site
for more great WiHM8 events and posts!