Rain
Rain, Rain, Rain…!? I called out to my cat again, her name was Rain—fitting, perhaps too fitting for a night like this. She blinked at me lazily, her fur faintly glowing under the warm lamplight. The sky was furious outside, pouring its soul across rooftops, down the gutters, and onto the streets that once echoed our laughter. The monsoon had come early this year, like an unexpected guest crashing through a half-closed door. The winds sang with a strange urgency, and the raindrops drummed a rhythm only the heartbroken could hear. I picked Rain up and held her close. She purred quietly, her tiny body warm against the cold thoughts that crowded my mind. 10th of June. Her birthday. Two-fifty miles away. And yet, I could still hear her laugh in the hush between thunderclaps. The monsoon always brought us closer. I remember that first rain together — how she danced barefoot on the terrace, arms wide open, face lifted to the skies like she was daring the clouds to love her back. "You kn...