Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story belongs to me. Parts of this story are based on my true events.
When the Rain Fell
Chapter Ten: When the Rain Fell
"One day," Kagome said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and took a break from pulling out drywall, "We will look back on this as some sort of grand adventure of when the rain fell."
Her back ached. In fact, she was tired and sweaty and cranky, but she tried not to show it. Everyone was tired and sweaty and cranky. And in mourning the loss of so much.
Stay positive, Kagome!
"And fell," added Souta as he helped his grandfather pull up carpet. They used box cutters to cut out small sections to make it more manageable pieces. The smell was awful. Masks and rubber gloves did not help the ick factor.
"And fell," Mama said softly as she paused from the heartbreaking task of throwing out ruined papers, including family photos.
She briefly let her fingers touch the soggy cover of a ruined photo album. Baby pictures, wedding pictures, family photos… just gone. Mama was pulling any she thought she could salvage… but there were so few. The hiccup in her mother's voice betrayed the sob she was holding back. Were there any pictures of her grandmother or father that even survived the flood?
"Yeah, well it stopped," Inuyasha said gruffly as he carried out another piece of furniture that had been ruined. The smell was NEVER coming out of that fabric. Perhaps putting the one with the enhanced sense of smell was not their best choice of the deciding party who chose what could stay and what had to go. Kagome sighed sadly as she looked around what was left of their home. Maybe he was the best choice after all… Kagome didn't need Hojo to tell her the dangers of mold.
The water that flooded the homes was filled with every drop of oil and grime that the roads were holding, and who knows what else. From the smell of it, whatever it was it was just plain foul.
Kagome watched as Inuyasha piled more and more onto the growing pile of debris that covered most of her yard. He might have seemed emotionless in his no holds barred disposing of things now rubbish… but Kagome knew better.
A walk into town last night let her know that they were not alone in their sorrow.
It was devastating seeing the piles of furniture and sheetrock, broken fences and toppled walls, piles of ripped up carpets and chopped up trees… everything felt so unreal. Gaunt, tired faces stared back at her. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as the weight of despair around her threatened to crush her. And the smell... the SMELL!
So far no one had electricity, though a few had some gas generators. Inuyasha had built a pit surrounded by rocks to create a place where they could cook food. One good thing about all their traveling is that they knew how to get along without electricity!
Inuyasha had helped a few of the older folks who were attempting to bring the rubble down to the street. Kagome knew he still went down there to help even when the rest of the family was taking a break or sleeping.
Oh, how she loved her dog demon!
She recalled the moment of horror when Inuyasha had brought her home days ago. The wellhouse was gone, part of the roof of the shrine had been caved in by a tree, and a dark line of slime around the house showed how high the water went. Her home…
The God Tree, however, still stood strong. Kagome took comfort in that.
"We can fix this," Inuyasha told her as he took her hand. He gave her a gentle look. "We will rebuild our home from the ground up if we have to. We will fill it with new memories and save what we can."
"The well…"
"We will build another," Inuyasha told her with confidence.
Kagome looked up at him, eyes filled with sorrow and guilt. "What if the magic doesn't work?"
"Then our home is here."
When he ran out of words, he simply rested his forehead against hers and let her cry.
Kagome teared up as she remembered his words and actions.
For days, months, maybe even years they likely continue to find more things that needed thrown away or replaced or fixed. It may hurt at first, but they still had each other.
Souta's bedroom had been the least damaged and the coolest temperature, so that is where they slept at night.
They would rebuild, a little at a time.
They would get through this.
One day, their home would be restored. One day they will travel back to the past to see their friends and continue their adventures. One day the streets and yards would be clean and neat again. One day life will feel "normal" again.
It may not be today or tomorrow, but One Day would come.
And Inuyasha would be with Kagome to watch that day.
ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo
ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOooooOOooOOoo
ooOOooOOooOOooOOooOOoo
Author's Note:
Sadly I was unable to fix my home (and lost SO many belongings), but I was lucky enough to have a friend let me and my animals stay there. While I do miss my house, I count myself lucky that my animals and I came out unharmed.
Thank you for everyone who finished the story. And thank you to everyone's well wishes.