Memories

   I glared anxiously at the overcast sky, dark and gloomy, the gale of wind howling like a banshee. My heart was filled with worries and some sort of fright which I could not explain. It might be the rain, I sighed. Not wanting to be drenched in the heavy downpour, I dashed towards an old shack across the road. Seconds after arriving at the humble shelter, the entire sky was momentarily illuminated by the flash of lightning. Soon, rain came crashing down in torrents. The wind howled furiously and the old shack trembled and creaked, its roof shaking violently due to the nature's fury.
   I held on bravely, barely able to save myself from becoming completely drenched. As I stood there, watching the raindrops bouncing as thousands of silver rod, steams of muddy water flowed endlessly on the road. In a distance, trees swayed and danced to the tune of the wind. My mind began to wander to far away places, to a time long ago where life was simple yet blissful. I looked around the old shack. Many years before, it used to be a little candy store, where children of all ages paid their visits. Madam Money, a septuagenarian owned it. She was generous and amiable, always with a pleasant smile on her wrinkled face. I remember running there after school, to grab the candies, stick ice and the local cakes she sold. Now that she was gone, the shop was abandoned together with all the memories surrounding it.
   I glanced at my wrist watch and noticed it was quite late, I knew my mother's face will scowled in infuriation and would give me a lengthy lecture on punctuality when I had gone back home. As I was walking back, I remembered my mother, she was no longer the same woman she used to be, youthful, vibrant, optimistic and always with this amazing zest for life. The rain had been responsible for robbing away her happiness, in fact our happiness.
   It was two years ago, I remembered my father became a victim of a severe respiratory malady, asthma. The rolling thunder was like cymbals, clanging and clapping for 48 hours. The chillness caused severe asthma attack. Unfortunately, his Ventolin inhaler was empty and my mother prepared herself to pay a visit to the pharmacy.
   However, she left and came back as there was a massive flood due to a heavy shower. We panicked when father became unconscious and his face turned blue due to the lack of oxygen in his body. I could hear my mother's shrill scream as she was unable to make my father breathe. I felt my father's hand which held my little fingers slowly losing its grip. My father is then struggled and opened his mouth slightly and exhaled his last breath. My mother hugged me and cried. "He is only 32, too young to die. How did he have the heart to leave behind an angel like you?" Tears were rolling down her cheeks and I asked myself why it had to be rain that caused my father's demise. I knew that it would haunt me for the rest of my life.