The Storm Arrives

By the time they returned to Kame House from West City, the weather had already begun to change. The air was noticeably more humid than it had been that morning. The clouds above the sea were thickening, their color gradually shifting from light gray to dark gray, as if a blanket were slowly spreading across the sky. The wind had picked up as well, rustling the leaves atop the coconut trees in an unbroken, denser whisper.

Krillin stood in the yard for a while and looked up at the direction of the clouds. "It'll probably rain tonight. The wind's pretty strong. It could be a downpour."

Lin Chen looked up as well. The clouds were pushing inland from the sea, and fine threads of rain had already begun blowing down at an angle along their edges, like a nearly invisible curtain. He entered the tool shed, took the black stone fragment down from the shelf, and after considering it, slipped it into his pocket. He did not move the other items—the stone slab, the scroll, the map. He only checked their positions to make sure there was no risk of them being blown about, then shut the shed door.

By evening, the wind had grown stronger. Master Roshi came out of the house, gathered several tools scattered around the yard beneath the eaves, then brought the martial arts uniforms in from the clothesline. The wind sent the hem of his clothes fluttering. He bent down to pick up a broom that had been blown over, leaned it against the wall, and went back inside.

Krillin went into the kitchen and began cooking. The wind lifted the pot lid slightly, and he reached out to hold down its edge, adjusting it into place. The wind outside howled without pause. Every so often, an even stronger gust passed through the gaps in the courtyard wall, producing a low moan, as though it had found its voice within the cracks.

Not long after night fell, the rain arrived. At first, scattered drops struck the roof tiles with intermittent taps, but they quickly became denser, turning into an endless rush of rain. The wind swept the rain diagonally across the windows, leaving crisscrossing trails of water on the glass. Water rapidly formed an unbroken stream beneath the eaves, flowing down along the grooves in the tiles and gathering into small rivulets at the base of the walls, where the soil absorbed it.

Lin Chen stood by the window in his room, watching the rain-blurred yard outside. Rain splashed against the ground, sending up fine sprays and constantly spreading ripples across the standing water in the yard. The pooled water reflected wavering light, as though the ground had become a thin film wrinkled by the wind. Air squeezed in through the window gaps, carrying dampness and a faint chill.

He heard Krillin call from downstairs. "A roof tile by the eaves is loose. Water's seeping through the gap." Lin Chen went downstairs, put on an old coat, and stepped out onto the porch. Rain struck his face, mixed with windblown droplets and the earthy smell of wet soil. A thin layer of water had gathered in the yard, reflecting shifting light beneath the lamps. He walked beneath the eaves and saw Krillin standing on a ladder, holding a loose roof tile with one hand as he tried to press it back into place. Rain slid down his shoulders in a thin line beneath the light, ran along the edges of his martial arts uniform, and struck the ladder rungs, bursting into smaller droplets.

Lin Chen held the ladder steady from below, feeling rain seep in through his cuffs. After Krillin pushed the tile back into place, he pressed along its edges to make sure it was secure before climbing down. More than half his clothes were soaked, and rain dripped from his hem, forming a small wet patch by his feet. "It should hold through the night." Standing beneath the porch, he wrung out his sleeves. Drops ran from his fingers and spread into dark patches on the ground.

When the two returned inside, Master Roshi was sitting beside the stove, tending the fire. The firelight fell over his face, making the lines of his wrinkles stand out more clearly. He held a pair of long iron tongs, adjusting the placement of the firewood inside the stove. The flames leaped at his touch, then steadied again and burned brighter. "Check the roof tomorrow morning. Patch up any leaks you find."

The wind continued to blow, and the rain never stopped. Lin Chen woke twice amid the sound of the night rain. The first time, he heard the window frame trembling faintly in the wind. The second time, he heard the steady sound of rainwater running down the roof tiles. He turned over and felt a faint warmth through the cloth from the stone fragment in his pocket, like a trace of warmth brought by the rain. He did not turn on the light. He merely pressed a hand against his pocket, then lay still again.

By dawn the next day, the rain had stopped, and the sky was beginning to clear. Water still dripped beneath the eaves, each drop striking the small puddles gathered by the walls with a crisp sound. The ground in the yard had been soaked through, and shallow water remained in the low spots, reflecting the clouds as they scattered.

Lin Chen put on his coat and walked into the yard. The air was much fresher, as if it had been washed clean by the rain. He went to the tool shed door. There was a streak of water beneath the gap, but it had not flooded inside. He pushed open the door and checked the room. The scroll and map on the shelves had not been dampened by the moisture, and there were no obvious wet marks on the stone slab. He touched the stone fragment in his pocket again. It was still warm, as if it had just been held.

Krillin came out of the house with a dry cloth in hand, wiping his hair. "The roof's fine. That tile didn't come loose again last night."

Master Roshi leaned half his body out of the kitchen window. "Breakfast is ready. Come eat first. We'll inspect the tool shed after." Sunlight was gradually breaking through the remaining clouds, casting increasingly distinct shadows across the ground.