Welcome to weather as a literary device. The sun beats, fog hangs, and rain …does a hell of a lot of different things that I can’t be bothered to list right now. Winds are always cold, otherwise there’s not much point noting them. Except for breezes. They can be lovely and warm. Mostly on summer days, sat in fields that are more than a little idyllic. Cold breezes are simply drafts. You should get one of those long cuddly toy things to sort that out. Or maybe a door moustache. Everyone knows that snow is cold. You don’t have to tell people that. Stating specific temperatures is also probably best avoided. Metaphor or simile is the way to go. “As cold as a dead badger’s cryogenically frozen gonads” is maybe a little too far. Also, snow is a bit boring. There are multiple types of cold weather; why not give sleet a try? Hail is also good, but comes with its own set of rules and reactions, due to being much more of a solid. It doesn’t tend to blanket as well as snow does. If you find yourself under a blanket of hail, you’re probably unconscious. A hail of blankets means you’re probably tripping. Sort your life out and get a damn job, hippy!
The orphaned children shivered at the side of the road; watching the wreck as it burned. They were far enough away that the heat of the flames didn’t warm them. Soft drizzle trickled down their backs. The wind was little more than a whisper, but the night was cold enough to be uncomfortable. They weren’t noticing that though. Tears on their cheeks echoed the raindrops. Their father was all they’d known; their mother having died following the youngest’s birth. The oldest had been far too young to remember any more than a general feeling of “motherness”. He was 10 now and his sister had just turned 9. She slipped her hand into his and he held it tight. Thoughts of manliness and protection flashed across his mind and he knew he wouldn’t be able to live up to them. He was no father figure. He was a bookish boy; more interested in dinosaurs than anything else. How would good marks and excellent attendance provide any sort of protection for his sister? They’d be adopted or fostered, wouldn’t they? He wouldn’t have to do this all alone, surely? He knew nothing of the system, barring what he’d seen on TV. It didn’t seem so bad.
I’m feeding the ducks. I’m sat on a bench in a park and I’m feeding the ducks. Well, I’m not sat on the bench right now as it’s a bit too far from the water, but I’ll be sat on it in a moment. I’ll sit there after I’ve finished feeding the ducks. It won’t be long as I’ve only got a couple of slices left. It’s not a sunny day. The sky’s filled with clouds. It hasn’t rained yet, but it’s been threatening to all day. “Nice weather for ducks” as people sometimes say. Though I wonder if it is? I mean, I’m sure they’re not bothered by a little water, even if it is falling from the sky, but the rain drives people inside. If there’s no one around, then there’s no one to provide them with bread. It won’t affect what I’m doing though. I’m here already, so I may as well finish this loaf off before I leave. And that won’t matter much to them, will it? I’ll have given them all my bread, whether it rains or not. It begins to rain and I keep my promise to myself and finish giving them the rest of the loaf. I wonder if the ducks know I’m leaving because I ran out of bread, or if they’re blaming the rain.
-Alice
“That’s one to tell the grandkids” she said. I wasn’t quite sure what she meant. I looked down at my wet foot. I shook it in some vain attempt to get rid of some of the water that had seeped into my sock and was currently making its home between my toes. She laughed softly. I shot her the kind of look that chastised her a little. She pulled a face and stuck her tongue out. “If you’re going to step in puddles, you should make sure they’re not a foot deep first!” I thought about pointing out that I hadn’t intended to step in the puddle. Or maybe I could’ve pointed out that I had no convenient way of testing the depth of every puddle on the pavement. I let both points slide and started off again down the street, my left foot squelching quietly. She took up her position beside me and grasped my hand once more, entwining her fingers with mine. “Don’t worry, we’re almost at mine.” she said, “You can take off your shoes and change your socks there. You did leave some socks there, didn’t you?” I nodded. I’d left multiple pairs. With my free hand, I signed that I loved her.
-Alice
I watched the water fall from nothing. Heard the sounds it made as each drop hit the ground. I unwrapped a mint and put it into my mouth as I watched. I ran it over my tongue and felt it hit my teeth. The strong flavour cooled my breath and it chilled my lips as I breathed. I sighed and my breath hit my eyes. It stung. I blinked away the pain and continued to watch the raindrops. It had only been going for an hour or so but the streets were already dismal and dull. It had been glorious sunshine earlier but now it was nothing but rain. I watched from the window. Wondering what had happened to the sun. Wondering why the skies now filled with water and why nothing seemed quite so beautiful now. I looked out and wondered if you’d been caught in the rain. I wondered if you were on your way here. If you were coming over to talk to me. But then, it’s probably not even raining where you are. I guess that’s the benefit of being underground. You never see the sky, so you never feel the rain.
-Alice
