Paper Skin

Paper & Rain

The pattering of the rain echoed through the streets, minor wind gusts misting the liquid onto my skin, bringing a shiver down my spine. I pulled the coat closer to my body, and  tucked my head into the fur lining of the fallen hood.

"Where are you Craig" I sang to myself, tilting my head to the street lights down the block, searching for a specific car to turn the corner. Imagining the heated seat of the passenger side and the quiet talk radio the brown haired male would always listen to. Generally something about politics or whatever gossip the channel had to offer, but either way, it keeps the silence between me and the driver. Another gust of wind caused goosebumps to rise on my arms, another shiver fell down my spine, and my teeth had begun to chatter. I took a small step back into the fence in attempts to block out the wind, knowing it wouldn't do all that much, but the attempt was made. 

'It said it was supposed to be snowing today.... the fuck is it doing raining?' I groaned squinting my eyes at the sky that was crowded with grey and white clouds. My eyes fluttered shut as I dropped my head, rubbing my eyes vigorously with a scowl. A sharp intake of breath caught the words forming my sentence when the sound of shuffling steps made themselves known. My eyes began searching the sidewalk for the sound, although the streets seeming bare of pedestrians, the sound seemed almost amplified in my ears. Soggy, ruffling paper began to replace the stumbling steps, heavy breathing had made some appearances in the orchestra of noises. I shifted my body to lean against the fence, still not able to find the person creating such noise, but I listened. I listened as the sound grew closer and closer, I could guess what was creating the sounds, and I can assume it doesn't want me to view them. So instead, I stared across the street, at a book store no less, reading the golden letters that were printed on the windows, and just barely ciphering the words on the displaying novels. The sound deafened, but that may be because I'm distracted, or maybe it turned the other way and found a different route. Which I could only wish for, until a hoarse intake of breath and a raspy voice made the hair on my neck stand tall.

"You shouldn't be out here..... You could catch a cold" It spoke, I flinched with a minor gasp as I darted my eyes to the being. She was an old lady, a dark blue knitted cloak draped over her shoulders with a cane resting under her hands. I took in some quiet deep breaths as I looked for a response, stuffing my hands in my pockets while lowering my head.

"I'm sure I'll be fine" The words left my mouth quickly, trying to dart my eyes from her beige coloured skin, along with attempting to lessen the chatter of my jaw. A hum left her throat as she lifted the corner of her mouth in a smile.

"You're cold, I can tell.... You should go inside before the rain gets worse" She warned, I gave a hesitant smile before skimming over the ink on her neck. Her soft gaze turned to a cold glare as a word formed in my head. War, was the only thing I could read before dropping my sight to the grey cement.

"Hasn't anyone told you not to snoop on someone's life?" She scorned, I bowed my head with a quick apology, focusing on a weed that sprouted from a crack in the sidewalk. The sound of a sigh left her mouth, a hand waving in front of my face to raise my eyes to meet hers.

Her smile was once again gentle, and her gaze soft, her posture relaxed despite the fact that the paper on her neck and face had torn. Some of the black ink had bled and some words were harder to read.

"You should go inside before you catch a cold" The lady spoke, her raspy voice oddly soothing among the pattering rain. I raised an eyebrow at the thought of her tearing paper skin.

"Why do you come out during the rain? Paper and rain don't exactly mix" I blurted out, immediately thinking of a better way to word that question. Although too late to rephrase, so I ended it with silence, patiently waiting on her response.