One Rainy Day

The rain drops were large and heavy, and already beginning to cause a minor flood in the front entrance of the museum. Several of the workers were trying to stop the flow of water reaching the display of dinosaur bone’s, using mops and a large amount of paper towels, while shouting instructions at each other.

Kate shivered as the cold wind seemed to blow right through her clothes. Gently, she blew onto the tips of her fingers and then stuffed both hands into her coat pockets, feeling the scrunched paper that had been the museum map brush against her skin.

“Time to go?’ she asked, without looking around,’ shall we brave the weather?”.

Her husband didn’t answer.

Kate turned and looked around but he was nowhere to be seen.

One of the workers shot past her, carrying a dripping mop and leaving a trail of water behind him.

“Excuse me’ Kate said,’ have you seen the man I was with?”.

The worker glanced at her but didn’t answer, instead disappearing into a nearby cupboard and pulling out another mop head and a large bucket.

Sighing, Kate hitched her handbag strap higher on her shoulder, and moved into the next area of displays.

The lights were turned low but she could still see the silhouettes of dozen’s of stuffed animals standing around.

“Mick?”, she whispered, her voice echoing through the empty room, and sounding more creepy to her than if she had used her normal voice.

“Mick?”, she said, louder this time, but there was no answer.

The plastic eyes of the long dead animals stared at her through the glass they were standing behind. Kate felt a cold shiver run down her spine. Quickly she ran as silently as she could through the display area.

There was no one in the dimly lit rocks and gems exhibit, but at least there were no eyes to stare .

Where was everyone?, Kate thought to herself, there were loads of people here before.

“Mick, where are you?”, she called out, no longer afraid that something else was there.

Rushing as quickly as she could, she didn’t notice the large puddle of water on the floor, or the steady drip-drip coming from the ceiling.

“What the…?” she started to say as the icy cold water dripped down her neck and disappeared under her coat, but she didn’t have time to finish her sentence as her foot slipped in the puddle.

Screaming, Kate felt herself fly backwards. She flung both arms out to try and save herself, knocking a case of volcanic rocks flying all over the floor with her handbag, but landed on her bum in the middle of the puddle.

“You’ve got to be kidding me”, she muttered to herself as the workers sprinted towards her, their wet shoes slipping and sliding on the floor, and the wet mops trailing behind them.

“Are you okay, ma’am?”, one of them asked as they reached her.

Nodding, Kate scrambled to her feet, ignoring the prof-erred hand.

“Of course’ she said, trying to smile and pull her handbag back onto her shoulder, while smoothing down her clothes,’ but have any of you seen my husband?”.

“Sorry ma’am, we’ve been slightly busy, have you tried the Ancient Egypt area?”, the worker said, as they scrambled around picking up the volcanic rocks.

“No, I’ll look there next, and sorry about knocking them all over”.

The workers shrugged and smiled, and tried not to notice as they saw the wet patch on the back of Kate’s skirt, as she climbed the staircase in front of her, taking her to the next exhibit.

Another visitor to the museum ran past her on his way down, his eyes seemingly surprised at seeing another person.

“Keep dry”, Kate said pleasantly. The man smiled and nodded. He opened his mouth about to say something but then changed his mind, continuing on with his run.

There was a bright orange glow coming from one of the rooms at the top of the staircase.

“Mick?’ Kate called as she looked in the room, ‘ Mick, where are you? It’s time to go!”.

Ancient works of art and sarcophagus's lined the walls and the centre was cluttered with other oddments, blocking the view of the back of the room where the glow was coming come.

Carefully Kate walked through , checking the floor for puddles, but didn’t notice as her coat sleeve caught on the edge of a wooden frame, until she heard a loud tearing sound.

“Seriously?’ she muttered to herself, as she inspected the sleeve of her coat and saw a long, jagged tear in the material,’ right, that does it, Mick, where are you?”.

Her shout echoed, making her jump slightly.

The orange glow seemed to be coming from the back of the room. As Kate walked towards it, she saw a tall person standing near it, staring at it.

She breathed a sigh of relief, feeling her body relax,” Oh, there you are’ she said,’ I’ve been looking for you everywhere”.

The person didn’t move, his body seemed to be frozen, staring at the display.

“Mick, are you okay?”, Kate asked, reaching out and touching his hand, hanging at his side.

His skin felt icy.

Gasping, she jumped backwards.

“Mick!”, she yelled.

He continued to stare at the display.

She glanced at it quickly.

A large jewel embedded in a gold wire frame glowed orange, but as she stared at it, the glow slowly disappeared, leaving them both in the dimly lit room.

Kate shivered, feeling colder than before.

“Mick, are you okay?”, she whispered, turning to look at him.

Slowly, he closed his eyes and exhaled, his body seemed to relax.

Hesitantly she reached out to touch his hand. It no longer felt icy.

“Mick?”, she asked again.

He turned to look at her and smiled.

“Oh, there you are’ he said,’ I’ve been looking for you everywhere”.

He glanced around the room.

“What are we doing here?”, he asked, his forehead creased in a frown.

Kate stared at him for a few minutes before sighing,” It doesn’t matter, but we should get going now. The rain should have eased a bit by now”.

“It’s been raining?”.

Still sighing, Kate led the way out the room and back down the staircase, not noticing that Mick’s eyes suddenly glowed orange.