[The Story of Maria] Part 4: Before The Storm
Previously: Mrs. Clain appeared at the ruins
and heard the same mysterious voice that
had spoken to the group. She told Professor
Fred — "I think he has come back" — and
Fred's face said he already knew exactly
who she meant.
——————————————————————————————
Professor Fred straightens himself —
trying to hold onto logic — and speaks
in a low, serious voice:
"Clain. This is not the time for jokes."
Mrs. Clain looks at him — directly —
with an intensity that silences him
immediately.
"Fred."
She steps closer.
"I could never forget that voice."
A pause.
"And you know it too."
Her eyes don't leave his.
"You know exactly whose voice that was."
There is nothing he can say to that.
Nothing at all.
Because she is right.
Maria is still unconscious on the ground.
Growing paler by the minute. Her breathing
slow and shallow — each breath coming
a little harder than the last.
"We need to move," Mrs. Clain says.
"Get all the students on the buses — now."
Fred, his voice barely holding together:
"Clain... what is going to happen?"
Before she can answer — Sophie and Alex
emerge from the deeper part of the ruins —
carefully carrying Maria between them —
her arms draped over their shoulders,
her feet barely touching the ground.
The moment the other students see Maria's
unconscious body — pale, limp, barely
breathing — panic ripples through
the entire crowd instantly.
Questions fly through the rain-heavy air:
"What happened to her?"
"Is she okay?"
"What's going on?"
"Why isn't she waking up?"
Nobody has answers.
And then — the sky decides to answer
for them.
Without warning — the clouds above
turn black.
Not the natural dark of a night sky.
Something heavier. Something angrier.
A thunderstorm tears open above them —
lightning splitting the sky in half —
and rain begins hammering down —
violent, relentless, like something
with a purpose.
Like something that did not want
them to leave.
Students scatter — running for the
buses — slipping on the wet ground —
bags and jackets flying everywhere.
Mrs. Clain raises her voice above
the roar of the storm — above the
thunder and the rain and the chaos:
"EVERYONE LISTEN TO ME."
The group freezes.
"Something very bad is about to happen
here. We need to leave — right now —
all of you — get on the buses — MOVE!"
She turns to grab Fred one last time —
rain already plastering her hair
against her face — her blazer soaked
through in seconds:
"Fred. We go. Now."
She looks at him with an expression
he has never seen on her face before.
"There is no more time to talk."
——————————————————————————————
To be continued in Part 5: She Was Here
Written by Mohit Rajput
The Story of Maria — Season 1
Glastonbury, England — 1992