It was the splatter of liquid on my face that woke me. Shitty-quality beer, with a taste of loam. Awareness returned as it puddled beneath me, where the tree roots grew against my back. Feet on the ... [+]
Sylvia Heike is a writer from Finland. Her short fiction has appeared in Nature Futures, PodCastle, and Flash Fiction Online. Follow her on X @sylviaheike or find out more at www.sylviaheike.com. "Raindrops" is in Short Circuit #15, Short Édition's quarterly review
A door slam later, Hannah stood in the rain, her back to Isabel's house.
The rain felt heavier than it was, large plump droplets bouncing off the ground. They cooled her hot cheeks and dappled her jeans with dark spots while she fumed inside. If only the raindrops could wash away the last ten minutes of her life.
Beside her on the porch, the owl statue sighed its usual farewell. Hannah didn't respond. She ran toward the gate and didn't look back.
Hannah had fought with her best friend Isabel. The ugliest argument of their friendship—if they were even friends anymore. Ever since t