Rainy Days

Chapter One: The Umbrella Academy Shows Up in The Backyard

[age 13—second time around]

IT WAS Thursday, and Jordan had never felt more alone than this. Ron was at his conversion camp, and he wished with all his might that Ron was home. Because Ron had stopped smiling like he used too, and although Jordan wouldn't admit it, he was scared. That maybe Ron would stop smiling.

Outside, the soft pitter-patter of rain was comforting. Rain had always been comforting.

Jordan glanced up when the Eggos popped. He rolled off the couch and padded over, his fuzzy socks absorbing the sound.

Running a hand through his hair, he poured syrup over them and went back to the couch.

Absently, Jordan wondered about his mom. Where the fuck she? She was gone almost every week, disappearing when she took Ron to the camp and returning with him on Friday. She wasn't around. Ever.

Outside, the rain started to thrum in an angry pattern. Jordan paid no mind. If anything, the fat, angry droplets felt better than the dainty drips of before.

But it didn't help the worry about Ron.

He listened to the people on TV and ate his Eggos, wishing he would've chosen salad instead. Outside, the wind started to roar, the trees whistling. Jordan still didn't notice; on the TV, someone had just gotten stabbed and a few people where screaming. It was rather entertaining. Almost distracted him from the internal bickering.

Then, a horrible blue light and screeching noise came from outside. Jordan jumped, the Eggo leaping off his plate and ito the floor. He ran to the front door and peered out; nothing.

Realization dawned on him, and he raced to the back door, flinging it open and stepping out into the pelting rain. He hardly noticed, and gaped at the blue hole in the sky. He couldn't tell, but the faces where flickering between strangely familiar ones and odd ones.

"What the hell?" He yelled, as if expecting an answer. He knew he wouldn't get one. He was the only person for half an hour.

Then, sharp piercing screams of pain, fear, and confusion came from the blue hole, and out tumbled seven teenagers.

It clicked, where their faces where from. That blue hole.

It was the Umbrella Academy.

The seven lay on the ground, rain soaking through their uniforms, and coughed. Jordan could do nothing but stare, numb.

"Well, that was unpleasant!"

"Ben?"

"Uh, Five?"

The seven squinted through the rain—well, six. A girl was unconscious, cradled in the arms of Number One.

Another obvious thing hit Jordan like a sack of bricks: they where unmasked.

"Oh, shit." They groaned.

Jordan shook his head, water spraying from the curls. "Come inside!" He shouted, opening the door. He gathered up all his fanboy feelings, the urge to scream or cry and the shock, shoved it all in a box and did what he felt was right.