Chapter III
The Rain Festival
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The month of August came by quickly on the calendars, and the weather didn’t change considerably in its behavior.
Angell didn’t have another concern then to rehearsal her speech and of course her song which will sing, for the island’s festival who was knocking at the door. Maybe she wanted to demonstrate to everyone that she can achieve what she was proposing to do, she wasn’t giving away from her path, at what she wanted to achieve, being very ambitious. Sometimes, because of the pressures, Angell was downloading all her anger on her two best friends, Serena and Lania, but then she was regretting, apologizing, begin very honest (every one makes mistakes).
Angell was the head of their small gang of “Ravings” how Amira used to call them. Every time when a subject of discussion was open, the girl was the one who had the last word, without being contradicted (she didn’t stand this thing). The second one from the gang was Serena, which had an authority character, volcanic even if someone was stepping on her nerves. The faith made Serena the one which was calming down Angell, when the last one was all fire and thunder. The youngest one from the Ravings, was little Lania how Mariuss used to call her, making her all the time sulking, having a very sensitive temper and quite picky. Mariuss was the gang’s joker always with his smile on his lips, and always a helper. He all the time was finding reasons to cheer everyone up if they were sheepish. Emell, and the last, was like Lania, softly shy but very quiet and mysterious. Sometimes he wasn’t make a single sound when it was talking about a thing, proffering to shush. Was in love with Lania very much, even if the girl in case was refusing to believe so. The five of them were forming a single person. Rebel and intelligent like Angell, choleric and temperamental like Serena, shy and beautiful like Lania, mysterious and secretly like Emell, and funny, full of life like Mariuss.
As a tradition, The Rain Festival was organizing from forefathers, at the beginning of the August, to call the holly rain to come. In every year, The Rain Festival was demanding a virgin girl to ask the Mother Nature for the rain. Every single year, the festival was held in different locations and cities, being very popular, you can say that it was equal with the Easter and Christmas Holidays.
In that year, the Moonlight town was preparing to organize this event second time, and to welcome the foreigners from the other locations in the island, or even from the continent. The people already were installing camps with a lot of small stuff, to sell them. From stuffed animals until lucky charms, books, food, and so many bargains to attract the tourists. The people were already coming to the town, more and more curious and excited about this event, with cars, boats, even ships, landing in the local sea port. The pensions from the town were full of tourists, and the employers were more than happy, rubbing their hands.
Angell didn’t lose her chance to talk with Marvell, which from that party evening, was coming by, very often. Amira was secretly smiling, at the thought that Marvell boy was in love with her smart daughter. Also Angell, Marvell and her ravings, were going to the Careville and Sareville, in almost all the weekends, in the north of the island.
The day of 10 August came by without a warning at the Moonlighters doors, bringing with her a strong sun and a crystalline sky without a cloud patch on it. The heat wave was terrible and too hard to berry it, forcing the locals to shelter in their houses, to coolness, and only in the evening time they were going on the beach, splashing around in the blue sea.
In that morning, Angell was very nervous and worried, not knowing how everything will going to be, and only the thought that everybody from the island was there and will look at her, made Angell to lose her food appetite, a thing which Amira hated the most, reproving her.
“Angell, you didn’t even touch the chicken legs. What the hell is with you? Are you in love?”
Angell looked at her mother scared, like she told her that she had to sacrifice herself for the festival.
“No!” she shouted and got up suddenly from the table, running to her room.
Her cell phone was exploding with encouraging messages, or worried from her friends, because the girl didn’t answer them. She was terrified, not knowing how to react at that stressful situation. Even if she was very used to be in the middle of attention everywhere she went, this time she wanted to be invisible. If she had luck, and the “incantation” will work, the rain will endure and will bless the people’s half burn harvest. If not, like the tradition say, the Rain’s Daughter will have all year bad luck.
For the young people and some of the old ones, the festival was an occasion for having fun. Amira left the house in the morning hours, dealing with the event organization, being the mother of the “Rain’s Daughter.”
At two o’clock in the afternoon, Angell was lying on the bed, listening to music in her headphones and she heard a strong horn, so strong that she stood up fast, running to the window. She smiled happily discovering who came at the gate with the car; was no one then Marvell. Angell thrown her headphones on the bed, and ran barefoot outside of her room, heading down on the main stairs, then she exit in the summer heat, to Marvell, which entered the courtyard. Dingo, the dog, was enjoying very much, in unison with Angell, waving energy his tale like he was so close to fly with it.
“Angell, hey. I came by to wish you good luck for tonight.” He said charming.
“Thank you. Trust me that I really hope to have! Can you imagine if I will make fool of myself? The entire island will know me then.”
Marvell shortly laughed, hugging her.
“Don’t worry, you will not. How I know you… you will become famous for this.”
Angell closed her eyes smiling. She really needed a good word and a warm hug, gave it by a boy like Marvell. He pulled himself back, still smiling. Marvell looked directly in the girl’s eyes and she directed her eyes too look somewhere else, like fearing that she would be lost in his blue look.
“So, don’t worry. Either what would happen I will not change my opinion about you. And don’t forget that you have to be there at…”
“Seven o’clock, I know!” Angell said quickly, like she wanted to forget it.
Marvell smiled once more, making Angell to feel ice in her stomach, and then he happily winks.
“Well then, miss rain, see you there, ok?”
“Ok.” She said shortly.
A weird warm and a floating sensation comprised the girl, while she was watching Marvell how he was returning to his black car. Dingo didn’t left him alone, wanting to play, but Marvell was already in the car, and Angell waved her hand, smiling. She turned happy back to the house and jumped in the air making Dingo to bark.
At seven o’clock in the evening, her friends came by, Serena, Lania, Emell and of course Mariuss, everyone prepared for the big event. Also Amira was there, shaking being full of emotions, also like the two girls. The boys stood very relaxed.
“Mrs. Amira, what happens if Angell will trip?” Mariuss said.
“Good God Mariuss! Knock on wood!”
“Or if not, I will kick your ass!” Serena said.
“Wow.” All of them exclaimed in the same time, driving their attention to the top of the stairs.
Angell was dressed in a long dress, large, fluffy, and made of blue-light silk. On it was putted sea pearls, and also some symbolic autumn leafs. On top she was wearing a corset, same color as the dress, very tight, which gave the impression that the girl was so close to choke. That sort of corset was ending on top with two long and large sleeves, which they were passing the half of the girl’s hand. On her head, Angell was wearing a crown made of every single specimen of flower from the island, putted on her beautiful long and curly brown light hair, which was flowing on her empty shoulders.
“Dear mother of the sun. She looks like a princess of rain.” Mariuss exclaimed.
Angell laughs full of emotions, grabbing her dress and lowering elegant the stairs. Everyone was looking at her with out of b
reath.
“So Angell… no words. Girl, you will break a leg.”
When she arrived next to them, the others observed that at her ears she was wearing pearls, and on her lips was a pink shiny lipstick, and at her eyelids was a pal blue.
“Do you want to be my wife?” Mariuss joked, making the others laugh.
“O thank you Mariuss. I will take it like a compliment.”
“And many others.”
“Angell, shall we go?” Amira broke the magic.
“Yes.” Angell said almost whispering the answer.
The girls were analyzing her, behind the back, and the both of the boys took Angell’s arms, making the girl to be amused .Amira ran in their front, and exit on the gate at a white dressed girl which was wearing a big candle.
Like the tradition says, the ex Rain’s Daughter had the job to conduct the new daughter at the event in the Morning’s Glade, where the festival was held. The last year, still Moonlight hosted the festival, and Angell was very curious who was the ex rain’s daughter, because she missed the festival last year for being sick, and no one told her.
“God Angell, I knew that you are beautiful, but not like this. Like I see you taking pictures for a model magazine.” Mariuss said, getting closer to the gate like the rest of the gang.
“Keep dreaming Mariuss, and be careful at that slobber which is purring from your mouth.” Serena said, making all laugh beside Angell who was refusing to go further, suddenly stopping.
“Angell what’s wrong? Did you swallow a mosquito?” Mariuss laughed and when he looked at the gate he intentionally flinch.
“Good Jesus, a ghost!” He said joking, but Angell and the girls were far away to be amused.
“Oh Lord how horrible the dress it’s on you. On me was perfect standing.”
In their front was no other then Vanilla, the girl’s number one enemy (the boys didn’t care about her). No, was impossible that the peroxide blonde was the ex rain’s daughter.
“Now you see why we didn’t tell you Angell?” Lania said.
The girls tried, sort of to calm her down, but they quickly gave up seeing the pinky color from her cheeks, turning into a brick-red way.
“You came only now, Rain’s Mummy?” Vanilla was taunting her.
“Well we were planning to come in the morning, but because now we know that zombie exists, we wanted to say hi to you and your kind.” Mariuss said.
“That’s enough! Vanilla you know what to do and the rest of you come with me!” Amira said hurried.
“Good luck Angell. Try to not kill her.” Serena said.
“Good luck.” The rest wished her, and then all of them got in Amira’s car. Angell was looking helpless how her mother’s car went away, leaving her alone with the creature which she cannot stand.
“You know!” Angell shouted to Vanilla, coming next to her. “It’s a very important thing for everyone, and if you will destroy it I swear on the all island’s flowers that you will pay for it!”
“Yeah, whatever.” Vanilla said bored. “Let’s go and end this crap.”
Angell sighed and didn’t have a choice, but to respect the tradition, and among with Vanilla, they were walking slowly towards the woods, on a paved road.
The sun was flashing fragile lights, which were dancing among the big tress of the yellow forest which was wearing orange pastels, because was near the sun set. Vanilla didn’t lost the occasion to smash some stupid things to Angell, like what she didn’t like about the girl, criticizing everything (and the rain’s daughter became like the sun set).
“And I really do not like how you dress. You look like you just landed from the moon, really. You don’t have a sense of style.”
“Listen you bitch! It’s not your damn business how I dress myself, what music I listen to or what friends I have! Clear!? Mind your own bored life and leave mine alone.”
“Yeah, whatever. We could be very best friends, but no, you choose to be a looser.”
“If you will not shout in this moment, I swear that you will do it for the rest of your life!”
Vanilla made big eyes at the girl’s threats, and shouted her mouth, preferring to go along the road without saying a word to Angell. The sun was hiding for good after the sea, being visible on the celestial vault some stars and the red white color clouds.
The morning’s glade was getting closer, while they were walking towards it, and the girls didn’t say a word to one another, in fact the better they were separating better would be for both of them. Vanilla finally stopped Angell in the forest, before she would enter the glade, being very close the event, where the music and the noise made by people, could be heard, a thing which loaded the Rain’s Daughter with a lot of fearing.
“Pay attention to me!” Vanilla shouted to her. “I have to go there on the stage. From there I will call you, and you like a masterly bird which of course you’re not, will come slowly with this candle. Take it already, Jeez; you look like you’re dropped in your head!”
Angell grabbed the extinguished candle from Vanilla’s hand, which was irritating her, but preferred to not say a word. The emotions didn’t let her to talk.
“Do you understand?”
“I knew these things anyway. Thanks for the instructions.” Angell said sarcastic, making Vanilla to grimace at her.
Vanilla walked forward, entering the glade, and Angell remained alone with the white candle in her hand, almost bursting into tears because of the emotions. When Vanilla entered the music stopped and everyone burst into applause.
Angell’s heart was threatened to break the chest, that’s how fast beating was. She was deep breathing, closing her eyes, praying that everything will be alright; she flinched when she heard her name, shouted by Vanilla on the stage.
“Now ladies and gentlemen, this year’s Rain’s daughter, Angell Valentine Veriss, will honor us with the rain call. Rain’s daughter, please, do come.”
Vanilla’s false voice could be distinguished from miles. Angell remained stoned. Her legs were refusing to listen her. She wanted to go but her body was blocked. At one point the people started to be agitated, wondering what happened. After a tree, Marvell appeared.
“Angell! Go!”
Angell was shaking her head, sign that she cannot.
“Trust me love. Go!”
Angell, for a moment, remained shocked. Marvell called her love, and that thing gave her courage. She stretched her back, entering the glade.
She was on a paved road, pretty big, full of flower’s petals from the island. The people were looking at her like a microscope, how the Rain’s Daughter was heading to the stage. Her mind was blocked. She didn’t know if it was an event, she felt it like she was the only one in that glade. Alone, like the time just stopped, everything went out, and she could hear only the beats of her heart. She didn’t dare to look around, walking elegant forward, dragging the petals with her long dress. Vanilla was watching her above and with sickness that her enemy was in the middle of attention. The road seemed so damn long, but finally she arrived at the stage. Vanilla didn’t try to help the girl climbing the stairs, and she just moved over. Angell had to grab her dress to go on the stairs.
With the candle from her hand, she lit it from another one which was in Vanilla’s hands. Angell didn’t look in her eyes, gaveling her attention to the sparkly fire. Then she came along to a torch wrapped in silver wires, putted on a crystal support, very beautiful made and she lit it, being a gentle fire. In that moment the people burst into frantic applauses, making Angell to smile happily, watching the public. Was so many people, and from the trees she could see her Ravings how they were applauding. Vanilla was so close to burst, but not in applause like the rest of the world, but in tears.
Angell raised her hand sideways, with the palms up to the sky. Was the moment when the Rain’s Daughter, like the tradition said, was calling the holy rain, which was missing from the island. Angell took a deep breath and she started to say calm, but with a softly shake of voi
ce.
“Mother! Come! You who are the most pure, you who are washing our poor souls full of dark sins! Pry thee; come above us with your crystal and pure water to save us from the evil fire. MOTHER! COME!”
She extended melodious the last words. Another wave of warm applauses came and they could be heard beyond the islands borders, and Angell laughed happy that she didn’t make fool of herself. Her friends were cheering her and she felt it like the world was on her feet.