What the Rain Took 

On the ground, Noah waited for Ms. Rae to appear. He felt restrained like he had been on the table, unable to move, to see, to think, to feel anything but pain and fear. As his eyes focused, the pain faded from his body; the lights were far, far above him, only natural skylights and bright, industrial lights on the ceiling. 

With great force, he found the ability to move. His body was slow and he felt sluggish as he dragged his hand along the ground and slowly propped himself up to see what was around him. He could hear people but he could neither make out their words nor see them. A large set of stairs with a landing and another set of stairs was to his left, several doors and some kind of receptionist's desk were to his right, German written across them. 

Noah forced himself to stand, a strange taste in his mouth, and still felt as though he couldn't speak. He felt as though something were in his mouth and kept him from speaking; however, he pushed through the feeling and his anxiety and made his way to the receptionist's desk where there was no receptionist and all the words were in German. Useless to him, Noah sighed at the sight.  

A sharp and short bark brought Noah's attention to the stairwell, the red dog stood at the landing. It was upright and had no sign of being having ever been injured, it stared down at him with its eyes now welcoming and stoic. The dog shook its fur before it turned and began to head up the second set of stairs. He felt it was trying to lead him but Noah didn't move. 

Noah felt his hand, no bite marks existed and not a trace of blood was on him. He had no mud, no water, no pebbles, or dust, it was as if he had never fallen. The situation was too untrustworthy and strange; Hannil had said there were no buildings for miles yet he was suddenly inside of one. There was no explanation, no forest, no tents, no Celeste or Ines, no Hannil. 

Only certain of his uncertainty, Noah did the only thing he could think: run. 

He bolted in the opposite direction of the dog, through a set of doors and along white hallways and that had dozens of strange rooms that looked oddly familiar. He had no more than a second to look into each as he raced by them. He ran until he saw broad daylight and pushed through two more doors before he stepped onto a bright and busy sidewalk. Everything blurred together and Noah became weak in his knees, his head buzzed. He had to grab his head and hold it as he did in front of the tavern--like the tavern, he could make no sense of what he saw or felt. 

"Noah!" The most unwelcome of sounds came, a voice he dreaded hearing once again yet he looked for her. Mi Na was clear as could be only a few feet down the walkway; she wore jeans and a t-shirt, holding a cup of what Noah guessed to be coffee and she looked as surprised to see him as he was to see her. 

Fearing her more than the dog, Noah turned and pushed back through the doors into the building. He could hear Mi Na shout to others before she raced after him, her voice calling his name over and over. The dog remained on the steps and began to run when it saw that Noah was headed toward it. 

Noah chased the dog's tail as if it were a lifeline. It seemed the closer he got to the dog, the further Mi Na got. Yet she was right behind him through every twist and turn. The dog went in and out of rooms, through doors and into an emergency. As he had before, Noah chased it without thought. 

His chest was tight and his legs ached as he climbed the steps, his body felt stranger the further he chased the dog but Mi Na was more relentless in her cause. He couldn't stop moving until he saw the dog push open a door and worm its way through the crack; Noah felt Mi Na's hand brush over his shoulder when he pushed through the door. His body so heavy that he fell to the ground as soon as he reached the blue and white tile. 

"Damn it, Noah!" Mi Na shouted as the door swung shut behind him. 

Noah rolled on his side, fully expecting that Mi Na had caught him but all he saw of her was her angry eyes peering through the small window the door had. 

"Stop this, Noah!" She said as she struck the door. He heard her hiss from the pain. "Don't do this to yourself!" She exclaimed anyway. 

"You did this to me!" Noah managed to reply through his choked words and voice. It was hoarse and didn't sound like himself. He coughed violently, hoping to get whatever was inside his mouth, throat, and chest out. 

"Just open the door and come back!" Mi Na pleaded, "It doesn't have to be this hard! You don't have to do this over again!" 

Noah looked at her through the window before he glanced back to the area he hadn't yet: a 'T' shaped corridor that spread out long and far beyond him beyond a set of doors. He could still hear German on the mouths of many but he saw no one amongst the rooms. It smelled like his dorm, he thought as he stood up. 

"It will just start over!" Mi Na said before she hit the door again. 

Noah glanced back at her before he continued forward, uncertain what she was saying but certain she did not want him going down the hallway. Easily, he stepped away from her and pushed through one of the doors. He was surprised to find the red dog still waiting for him, it sat with its bushy tail beside it. It did not run, only stared up at him kindly before it got up and moved back toward the doors Noah had just left. Somehow, Noah knew not to chase it as he watched it slip through the doors and the doors swing to a close. 

As soon as it was gone, Noah felt the overwhelming presence that he had the night of the tavern on the sidewalk. He expected to see the tall, dark figure looming over him when he turned back to the hallway but it was bright and open. Light streamed in from the rooms' windows, artificial lights from above, everything was a soft beige, white, or blue. Noah's eyes didn't find the figure, but he did find another shade of blue radiating from dark locks down the hall. 

Slowly, Noah approached them. Hannil slept on a bench, facing a room with an open door. He looked more tired than Noah had ever imagined; he was dirtied and looked ruffled, a coat over him that was not his. Noah called out to him softly but Hannil only turned a bit in his sleep and Noah soon found his attention drawn to the room across from Hannil. 

Noah moved into the room with caution and found where he was: a hospital. The curtains were unmistakable, they were beige and had pale blue squares on them, the smell was suddenly recognizable and the noise of a heart monitor and several other machines came from within the curtain. There was a door to a bathroom, a couch inside of the room, a small television, and a chair. 

Noah coughed as he looked around the room, his chest felt tight once again. He was able to shake the feeling off after he looked back at Hannil and saw him still asleep. Wondering what he was doing, Noah quietly stuck his hand between the part of the curtain and moved one to the side. He nearly jumped when he saw someone inside. 

After he realized the patient was asleep, Noah peaked his head through once again and saw a patient that was reclined and in a hospital gown, they had long, dark hair and feminine features. Noah could hardly notice anything about their looks, a large and long tube was taped to their mouth and went to only one of the three machines they were hooked up to. Noah guessed them to be in their mid-thirties and in some kind of coma.

Noah stepped back out into the hallway and looked up and down, he could hear the noises of a hospital, smell a hospital, feel a hospital. He tightened his jaw, confused and uncertain before he looked back to the only other person he'd seen, the only other person he knew. 

"Hannil," Noah whispered once more, his voice still hoarse. He coughed lightly and shook his head at the feeling, his body ached from running, his lungs still tight. 

Hannil stirred a bit once again, Noah saw his eyebrows knit together. He had heavy bags beneath his eyes but Noah knew that he couldn't go to Mi Na. Hannil was the only person he could safely wake. Noah reached out and touched him over the brown coat that laid over him. He was warm, he smelled like Noah remembered, it settled him a bit as he gently shook Hannil's shoulder. 

After only a moment, Hannil's eyes shot open and he nearly rolled off of the bench with his startle. He seemed to want to roll onto his stomach but caught himself before he could fall, he pushed himself upward and rubbed his eyes. 

"I don't know how you got in," Hannil said tiredly, his voice crasser than Noah had ever heard it, "But I cannot help you. I am waiting on someone." 

Noah took a step back due to Hannil's tone. "Who?" He asked softly. 

Hannil stopped rubbing his eyes and looked over his hand to Noah, his face lit up and his eyes widened. 

"Noah!" He said as he scrambled to sit upward. "You're here! Noah!" 

"I'm here," Noah replied as he saw Hannil look strangely at his coat before he shoved it off and stood up. 

He wrapped his hands around Noah's face and neck, holding him almost too tightly as he looked at him. 

"You're here!" Hannil said once again, his eyes searching his being, his smile grew more and more the more he searched him. 

"What the hell is happening?" Noah squeaked out. 

Suddenly, Hannil's eyes became distant and thoughtful. His joy faded as if Noah had shattered it within a moment. He had looked like a starving man being presented a banquet yet it was only a painting when he got closer. His grip on Noah slipped a bit and he swallowed thickly, Hannil's eyes moved around and away, his smile tried to come back but it broke beneath his forced attempts. Under closer inspection, Noah could see that Hannil was growing a dark beard from lack of personal care. 

"Nothing," Hannil finally answered, "Nothing's gone on." He closed his eyes after his statement and Noah could see him internally scolding himself. 

After a moment, Hannil's eyes popped open with freight and he let go of Noah to search his pockets. He swore as he moved back to the bench and began to rifle through the coat until he found what he was looking for and Noah heard a small click! before Hannil sunk to his knees. Hannil clasped his hands together and put them to his forehead and almost looked to be in prayer. 

"No, no, no," Hannil muttered to himself, "Fucking A, no!" His voice cracked beneath his own pressure, Noah could hear the tears in his eyes from his voice alone. 

"Hannil?" Noah called out softly when Hannil was only quiet on the floor. 

Hannil's eyes were sorrowful when he looked back to Noah and soon looked into the room. He held the object he had found in one hand and Noah could see little more than that it was shiny and round as Hannil put his fist to his mouth and looked around once more, his eyes searching but not finding what he wanted. Hannil's breath caught in his throat and his face contorted as he tried not to sob. 

Hannil dropped his head and shook it. "Is there no mercy?" He muttered before his attention turned to the brown coat and he angrily pushed it to the floor. Noah stepped away from him again. Hannil's anger seemed isolated, but Noah didn't want to be close enough to grab. 

"Are you alright?" Noah asked when he fell silent once more.

Hannil looked to him for a long moment before he laughed in the saddest of ways. "Are you honestly worried about me right now?" 

"A little, yeah." 

His answer seemed to pain Hannil, his smile was thin and stretched, his tears moved down his face and he wiped them roughly with his left hand. 

"I've had," Hannil began and then stopped. He looked down the hall before he looked at the coat beside him on the ground. It looked as though the sight of it made him collapse more and more. 

"At least this makes sense," he said as he touched the coat. 

Noah looked up and down the hall, trying to make sense of anything that he was seeing. It fell quiet as Hannil slipped the coat on, it was big on him but not too big. He moved to the bench and sat down, defeated. 

"Mi Na," Noah said anxiously, "She's going to find us. She chased me all the--"

His voice stopped when Hannil held up his hand and laughed painfully, "She can't get in. Berg can't either. They can throw all the fits they want--the levee will hold for another few hours." 

"She--she's right there," Noah stammered and stopped when Hannil sighed heavily and put his face into his free hand. The object still in his right as he slumped his posture. 

"Noah," Hannil looked at him. The look in his eyes made Noah's panic vanish; pity was heavy in the blue-green eyes, yet he was hurt, saddened, no joy existed within them. It was such a deep sorrow that Noah could hardly imagine a single amount of joy to ever exist.  

"You've still got no idea what's going on, do you?" He asked. 

Noah hesitated before he shook his head. 

Hannil dropped his head once again and nodded, he rubbed his knee roughly as he looked down the hall. "I've had so, so long to think about this," he started before he stopped to scratch his forehead, "and I've got nothing to say." 

"About what?" Noah asked. 

"Only good thing to happen," Hannil said, a small smile coming to his lips but it didn't reach his eyes, "I was right." Before Noah could answer, Hannil continued:"I've thought of a thousand different scenarios, a thousand different ways. And me being...me!" He took in a sharp breath, "All I've done is create drama. To ruin every-fucking-thing by making it about nothing. To remove myself and hope there is a script waiting. That I can shout 'line!' and someone will tell me what to do." 

He looked at the object in his hand before he closed his hand once more and put the object in his pocket. "There is a script." He told Noah, "I just never fucking read it!" He looked beyond Noah to the room, "I should have never been here, Squeak...but at least I was right." 

Noah wanted to speak but Hannil sounded almost drunk by his ramblings. They were nonsensical yet they hurt Hannil deeply. He angered himself and he looked into the room with agony, his face contorted and his tears came once again. 

"It's just not fair!" Hannil said through closed teeth, "I wasn't even supposed to be here!" He closed his eyes tightly and shook his head, he calmed, "And now I'm being unfair to you." 

"Hannil," Noah called out softly after Hannil was quiet with his eyes closed. 

"It's a clock," Hannil said as he reached back into his pocket and showed Noah a pocket watch that had a gold face and black numbers and dials that were even more nonsensical than Hannil's ramblings. It had no lid and chain, Hannil held it easily between his thumb, middle, and forefinger. He put the watch back into his pocket and pinched the bridge of his nose, roughly felt along the arch of his nose and onto his brow before he moved his hand through his hair. 

Noah swallowed thickly; Hannil didn't smell like alcohol, he told himself, he didn't even really look drunk. Tired, Noah agreed with himself, but not drunk. 

"What are we doing here?" Noah whispered to him. 

"The girl," Hannil said as he stared into the room, "You know them?" 

Noah turned his attention back to the room. He looked back to Hannil as he got up and quietly followed Hannil into the room. Hannil forcefully pushed a curtain aside, uncaring if he disturbed anything or anyone. 

They were pretty but plain, soft and gentle-looking, dark-haired and had long eyelashes against pale skin. It was difficult for Noah to focus on anything but the tube that protruded from their mouth, the tape on their cheeks, the machines all around them.

"No," Noah shook his head. 

"Think harder," Hannil replied.  

"I don't know them!" Noah whispered, frustrated, "I don't even know you right now! What the fuck is going on?" 

Hannil looked down at him and looked guilty, his eyes moved back to them. "Look again," his voice was calmer, gentler, as if Noah meant something to Hannil and as if it was worth more than his anger. 

Noah took a small step closer to the bedside; his heart lurched in his throat, his mind blared for him to leave yet he couldn't run. He was stuck in place, afraid of the patient but unable to move. He couldn't move for a long moment until he pulled himself back, able to smell them and hear their voice despite that they didn't move or speak. 

He frowned deeply at the sight of them. His stomach churned as if he were looking at something that was simply wrong. He was so upset that he thought he might start to cry, he wanted to tear their long hair, to remove their feminine features, to tear their body apart and remove anything that told him anything about them. He could not look for long, he stepped away when the fog lifted and turned his head. 

"I don't," he began but cut himself off as his memory played over Leuthold, the hallway, the grey mist, the girl's bathroom. His attention slowly went back to the patient. "The-girl-with-no-eyes?" Noah asked breathlessly. 

"Mm," Hannil hummed in agreement. 

"Older--with eyes," Noah said now curiously looking at them. 

"Never lost them and--my understanding is--people age." 

They were undoubtedly the girl in the hallway, they were the girl that attacked him. Yet they seemed gentle, nice, not a drop of viciousness to them. Noah had to walk back through the curtain, his stomach churned as he watched them and some relief came after they disappeared behind the curtain. 

"What the hell is happening, Hannil?" Noah asked through his teeth as he watched the curtain. Hannil quietly shut the side he came through. 

"Why is...why are they here?" Noah asked. 

"Cassidy," Hannil said and Noah looked at him. 

"Her name is Cassidy," Hannil told him.

Noah was surprised by his calm nature but angered by his comments. 

"That's not right," Noah shook his head. 

"It is," Hannil replied as he stretched his neck before he sighed softly. "Took a while for anyone to figure out who she was. No identification, no proper papers, nothing. Just strange, misleading circumstances to lead Cassidy here today." 

Noah ground his teeth, "That's not...not their name." 

"Six days," Hannil said. 

"What?" 

"The last time I saw you was six days ago." 

Noah laughed before he quieted when Hannil only stared at him. 

"Please tell me what happened," Hannil said, his eyes growing heavy with tears, "To keep my sanity I must know." 

"I saw you this morning! Half an hour ago!" Noah replied angrily, "I got out of the tent to help that fucking dog!" Noah gestured toward the ground and hesitated at the memory; it felt faulty, as if it were merely a dream. "It--it bit me," His hand was uninjured when he showed it to Hannil, "Then it was here...and it led me to you!" 

Noah hesitated before he walked into the hallway, "That sounds crazy but it's nothing compared to what you've just shouted at me!" 

"The dog," Hannil said as he followed him, "What did it look like?" 

Noah stared at him, his tone was so serious it made Noah laughed.

"I'm clearly insane!" Noah said, "What does it matter what it looked like?!" 

"What did the dog look like?" He insisted. His eyes were wide and investigatory.  

"Red!" Noah replied, "Knee-high, big tail and ears, round eyes!" 

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