Rain and lightning flashes
Gempa found it hard to sleep.
It was already midnight, but Gempa couldn't help himself a safe and sound sleep like Taufan. The weather forecast said there'd be a thunderstorm today, and to prove that prediction, the thunder was loud enough to keep him awake until it stopped. It seemed that the rain wasn't gonna end so soon.
Then he realized something was missing. Odd, he thought. Gempa got out of his bed, making sure not to wake his brothers up, he should check up on something, and walking carefully so he doesn't accidentally make a sound.
The lightning struck loudly, at that moment, Gempa noticed. Halilintar wasn't sleeping, his bed was empty.
"Where could he go?" Gempa wondered, he decided to find the eldest. Of course, he'd be worried sick if Halilintar went out at midnight, there was a thunderstorm, it was too dangerous. Trying not to make a single sound, Gempa went downstairs, hoping that his dear brother was there this time. The latter sure is not someone who made other people worried about him. He doesn't have the heart to do so, does he?
There was dim light coming from down there, maybe Gempa was right. He went straight there, stepped into the kitchen. What a relief, "There you are", as Gempa recognized that familiar ruby eyes, he said, "Strange, you often go to sleep pretty soon, but why you are here, at this time?"
"Just enjoying the scene. I couldn't sleep."
Thunders were heard, definitely not a nice scene, however, the eldest seemed to enjoy that. He sat there, chin rested on his hand, silently watching the view on the other side of the windows.
Then there was a pause, "Mind if I join you?" The latter nodded, so Gempa took a seat next to him. Raining was never one of Gempa's favourite weather, lashing rain and fierce winds had battered some parts of their country these days. It was dangerous for them to go out there, the rain kept pouring down, they even had flashes of lightning, which wasn't a good sign for anyone but the element of lightning itself. A sombre sky illuminated by lightning announced the beginning of a fatal event. Lightning starts to flash, thunder booms, then rain falls in torrents, all of them broke the silence of the night.
"They weren't wrong when saying that lightning has its beauty." The eldest said, "We just see lightning in a few seconds, but its beauty lasts forever."
"Are you complimenting yourself?" The one with honey eyes chuckled. He didn't deny that statement any other way. Thunderstorms might be scary, which could cause mass destruction and terrify many people, but it was true that flashed appearance did make an impression on people who watch it.
"Maybe," Halilintar said nonchalantly, but Gempa still saw a small smile on his face.
"So that's why you like rain huh?"
"I do like rain, but it'd be better if it had lightning. Thinking of the blinding flashes and rumbling booms of a thunderstorm makes me feel calm."
"Hearing your yell and tantrum toward the troublemakers is also a kind of entertainment."
"Shut up. Having those idiots was such a pain."
Well, that's Halilintar he knows, always gets annoyed easily when they tease him. "C'mon, I know you care for them." The third brother chuckled again while watching Hallilintar huffed. The clock had struck 1 a.m, and Gempa couldn't help but yawned. He'd better go to sleep. With that thought, the boy stood up, patted the other's shoulder.
"It's good to know that you are fine, but we still have a mission to do tomorrow. You should head to bed soon."
"I'll follow you later," he mumbled, "Good night, Gempa."
Seeing the eldest smiled warmly, Gempa went his way to their shared bedroom, "Good night, brother."
---
Drip... drop...
"Hey."
Black clouds were covering the whole sky, and the rain wouldn't stop pouring down. The one got called paid no attention to the person who was calling him. Gempa sat alone in the kitchen, watching the grey and sombre sky, lifeless as his eyes.
Solar positioned himself beside his brother, asking himself what get Gempa so interested in watching the rain. Maybe he knew the reason, even so, he couldn't help his brother get out of this utterly awful state.
"It has been three months. You have to get over it," he spoke in a low voice, "Gempa, we need you." The situation was too desperate, they need their leader. The original trio had been shattered, none of them responded to him, to his brothers. Taufan locked himself in his room all day, Gempa sat there and refused to talk to anyone.
Solar understood that they had lost a part of their team, their family.
"You should've said that to Taufan."
How irony, "He won't listen, that's why i'm here."
Gempa kept ignoring what the other said. His eyes were unmoved, his hands were trembling. he found it hard to even turn his head back. "Do you remember what happened when he laid down in my arms?" Gempa asked, he still wouldn't face Solar. He didn't dare.
So the best way to talk to Gempa was slowly answering his question? "There was a heavy rain."
"Just like today."
It had been three months. The third child still remembered everything about him, those memories were clear, it hurt him so goddamn much every time he tried to find a trace of his dear brother, their eldest. It sent a chill down his spine.
"Thinking of the blinding flashes and rumbling booms of a thunderstorm makes me feel calm." He said.
The sound of rain echoed the whole space, but there was none of the roared thunder. Nothing to ease Gempa's pain, as if...
"It reminds me that he was no longer here."
The image of dying Halilintar appeared in the latter's mind. As the rain kept falling and the wind began to pick up, Halilintar's injury was getting worse every second. Their dear brother slept peacefully in his arms, drowned in blood, unknowing their pain, regret, and tears.
Solar focused on what his brother said, though his voice was muffled because of the heavy rain. The youngest knew Gempa had some hesitation before saying, "It was raining heavily, but... too bad. There was no lightning flashed that day."
A part of their family had gone forever.
[End]
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