Rain.

My account of a stormy night in the Sonora Desert.

Arizona is not well known for rain, quite the opposite actually. We've all heard talk of the hot dry summers. The sun beating down on the backs of those brave enough to venture out in the middle of the day, when temperatures often reach 110 degrees. But what Arizona should be known for is the times it actually rains. The wonderful break in the heat, life-giving water falling from the sky, and the cooling effect it has, it’s all so remarkable. Rain is a beautiful thing around here. An inspiring thing.

 

I was off to bed. After closing all the tabs and windows that I had opened throughout the night, I closed my laptop and stowed it away. With a sigh I pulled a very drowsy kitten onto my lap, and was stroking her ears when I saw a flash of light in my peripherals. I stood up; lethargic feline nestled in my arms, and walked to the window. It wasn’t long until another flash appeared. A smile came to my face as realization set in. Storms were brewing, and I wasn’t about to miss an opportunity to watch them roll in.

 

When the thunder rumbled through, the cat’s ears perked a bit, and twisted toward the source of the sound. Her eyelids opened revealing the sparkling green iris she’s been sporting for weeks. I can’t be sure, but I’m guessing this would have been her first experience with thunder. She squirmed a bit, so I gently placed her between two pillows on the couch where she curled up and continued her slumber.

 

My eyes bolted around the room, looking for any pair of shoes I may have left lying around. My smile grew as the storm grew nearer, and my body filled with excitement. I love thunderstorms more than most people. The strength, the power, the cracks of lightning, all appealing to me. I’d found some shoes, hidden under the table, where I’d kicked them off after coming home. I pulled them over my bare feet. Right, then left. I sprung from the couch and headed for the door, continuing to smile.

 

I was greeted with a wall of slightly warmer air, which I was used to. But this air was different. Cooler yet more humid. It smelled of rain too, what some would call petrichor. It was calm and still. Without a breeze the damp warmth embraced me, hung on to my body like a small child to his mother’s leg, relentlessly clinging to me. I wouldn’t have complained either, as the smell stuck with me also. It had been a long time since I’ve smelled that smell, so sweet and earthy, reminiscent of the ‘worm hunting’ I’d done as a kid.

 

I walked toward the wall that separated the driveway from the alley that backed the neighboring liquor store, and the bar adjacent to that. Although it was night time, it wasn’t dark. It’s rarely ever dark in the city. The alley was illuminated with lights that hung from the roofs of those aforementioned businesses. I couldn’t let them bother me, although I would have preferred them to be turned off. Looking past the lights, I saw lightning intermittently flash beyond the wall of clouds. Between the bolts the sky was bland, a dark dusty orange cast by lights of the city. When the lightning illuminated the sky, details were revealed. The clouds that traveled closer to the ground were much faster, and with the flashes of light behind them they appeared much darker, as they were silhouetted.

 

I placed my feet on the wall, and used it to shimmy up the side of my car’s rear door. I planted myself on the edge of the top, my feet hung just below the bottom of the window. Leaning back on my arms, I looked into the sky hoping to see some great lightning.

 

The wind was picking up. A breeze had formed and it was refreshing. Still carrying the scent of rain, it was cool as it flowed around me and through my hair. This satisfactory state of cooling was apparently not enough for mother nature, as she decided to take it up a few more notches. Within a few minutes the wind was blowing hard enough to kick up dust and small rocks. A paper cup from a nearby fast food establishment skidded loudly down the road, bouncing and tumbling around. The wind was coming directly out of the clouds, as the storm’s way to make it’s impending presence known. The wind blew strong at this point. It whistled it’s one toned tune in my ears as the air rushed past me, blowing my hair into styles previously unexplored. This made my smile grow even wider.

 

Every so often, a bolt of lightning would bring itself out from behind the clouds, revealing its long purple tendrils as it streaks across the sky. The thick bright bolt seemed to be the foundation for many lesser bolts to branch from, one after the other the electricity forked across the sky, licking the heavens with its mighty charge. One bolt in particular stuck with me through the entire storm, it was quite a sight. 

 

I had turned my head for a quick second, causing me to miss a very bright flash. With a small defeated sigh I continued looking into the heart of the storm. Shortly after that I began to look around at the clouds. I looked behind me to see how far the higher clouds extended. I was about to turn my head around when a great flash of lightning struck not too far away. It had to have been about a mile away, if not closer. This bolt was very straight, no branching occurred with this strike. After the lightning receded a wonderfully bright green glow illuminated the lower hanging clouds then faded out more quickly than it had faded in. Though it was brief, this moment stuck with me. Something was struck, but what? Had it been a tower of some sort? Was it power lines? What about someone’s house? I’ll never be sure.

 

The lightning became more frequent. It also seemed to be bolder as more of the strikes occurred outside the clouds. Thunder would cause a constant rumble, only overshadowed by the overwhelming crack of a nearby strike. The power and beauty of each strike cemented the smile on my face, I couldn’t look away.

 

The rain took it’s time coming in, but when it decided it was time it didn't hold back. The wind continued to blow with such force I couldn't keep my eyes open, for fear they’d be pelted with dust. The first drop of rain fell. It was very soon followed by another, and another, and another until rain cascaded from the sky. I quickly got down from the car and moved to the porch, where I’d get less wet. The rain was cold. It was an unusual feeling to be cold. The rain continued and water poured from roofs all around me. It was loud, yet calming. I watched the rain roll down the street in waves. It moved almost as if it were alive. The rain continued for nearly 30 minutes while I stood there watching, feeling, listening.

 

By the end of it I was shivering. The rain chilled me, caused by bones to rattle. I wasn't deterred. The smile on my face wasn't affected, it held strong. I wandered back inside. My feet squished with each step. I could feel my toes beginning to wrinkle as the water penetrates them. I saw down on the couch with a sigh, kicked my shoes off and admired the sleeping kitten still nestled between the pillows where I placed her. I reached over and touched her head. She sniffed my hand slowly; her eyes were slits as they lazily opened a bit. Another sigh escaped my mouth as I recapped the events of the storm. I found that it’s hard to believe how much you miss something until you experience it once again.

Arizona is not well known for rain, but d****t, it should be.

Author's Note

I know some of the tenses dont match within the paragraphs, I will fix that in the future.

Reviews

[Savannah Bly]

I loved this write. I am from a rainy state and I love rain. This is a beautiful story breaking the stereotype while giving it that once in a blue moon lively experience. Very well done!!