Random Short Stories

Across the Rainbow

"Believe me sir ! You have to believe me !" he pleaded. "This could be the next big thing!" he continued. "Shut up Ray and get back to work this instant. A lot of observations are to be made here as well." Ray rolled his eyes.

Yeah sure, he thought, there are a lot of important observations to be made on why people like eating chocolates by a retired scientist's assistant. "Sir, I will be back after a quick break."said Ray as he made his way through the door of the dusty cabin.

Two years ago he had joined retired scientist Matthews with the hope of discovering new things about the world; things that could change the century. But it didn't take him long  to realize that the scientist was a complete whacko.

He stuck his head inside an anthill, tried to imitate monkeys and got chased by an enraged rhinoceres. But still he stuck with him because partly because he got paid and partly because he had left his family.

 Or maybe more accurately, they had disowned him due to his weird interests and crazy expeditions.

Ray sat in a secluded booth in his hideout at 'Neon Cafe'. " What would you like to have sir?'' asked the pretty little waitress.

"Just a strawberry shortcake please." said Ray as he ruffled his brown hair and smiled. He only came here for two reasons; the strawberry shortcake and the dainty waitress.

As soon as the waitress left, he pulled out a piece of paper from his rugged cargo pants and straightened it out carefully. This is it. The discovery that could change the century. In his hands, he held a faded piece of paper which contained a few lines:

" From the crack of dawn,

the boon you have longed,

seven colours will serve a pawn,

to find where you belong."he whispered for the umpteenth time since yesterday. Ray had found this piece of paper while cleaning up the cabin he shared with the scientist and had kept it with himself. 

He had shared his ideas with the scientist this morning but he just plainly refused. Refused to even look at the paper.

"Here you go sir, your strawberry shortcake." said the waitress. "Hey Macy ! You can call me Ray okay ?" he said, grinning from ear to ear. Macy nodded slightly and walked away. But Ray had spotted what he wanted to. The faint red hue in Macy's cheeks.

Ray gobbled up the cake and before leaving, gave Macy a tip to which she shook her hand amiably.

Ray walked through the thin lanes of the street , neck deep in his thoughts. It's a pity he could not notice the beautiful periwinkles which pumped life into the mundane urban surroundings.

He opened the rusty iron gate and dragged his feet towards the cabin.

''Ah Ray ! There you are. You know why people like chocolate? Because it is easily digestible ! Ha ha ha ! Agent Matthews has cracked the case !"said the scientist reveling in his weird victory.

Ray nodded and sat down on a creaky bamboo chair . " Sir why don't we solve the mystery that I proposed?" Ray said, adamant on receiving an answer this time. " 'Cause son I went down that road and all I found was an enormous cluster of spiders" said the scientist carelessly.

"You knew about this ? How cool ! Why did you never tell me ?" asked Ray curiously. A grim expression overtook the usual jovial look on the scientist's face as his eyes refused to meet Ray's.

" You are lying about the spiders aren't you ?" said Ray quietly.

The scientist nodded.

 "Long ago, there used to live a girl next door to me. Her name was Amelia. Shining Blonde hair, red lips and glistening blue eyes; I remember just as it were yesterday. We were the best of friends. Went to school together, played together and sometimes even ate together. God knows how we fell in love, spending hours by the river throwing stones and getting entwined in each other's lives. One day she had to move away and her last words to me were," Only marry me, you fool !" " the scientist paused to wipe the tears that flowed uncontrollably from his grey eyes.

" I found this note between the texts of an ancient library in Japan and waited a long while to try it out, and when I did..." the scientist slipped to the ground and whispered," I found her grave."

It took a while for Ray to process the whole scenario. His crazy scientist had fallen in love once. He sat beside the scientist, his hand on his arm and said" Mr Matthews I AM SO SORRY. I never knew. But I am ready to deal with the consequences of this journey. You have to let me try."

Maybe even god wanted to try out Ray's luck, as the next day, a beautiful rainbow stood waiting at Ray's doorstep.

"Let's go sir !"said Ray enthusiastically and in no time both of them were seated in the scientist's bike trying to reach the other end of the rainbow.

In a span of three hours they had reached the other end of the rainbow.

"Whoo hoo !" said Ray as he jumped off Matthews's old Bullet and hugged the scientist.

"Well, here we are !" sighed Mr Matthews . "We did it !" Ray shouted.

"Ray ? " said a gruff voice from behind them. The scientist and Ray turned around. 

"Dad ? "

* Hey readers ! Thank You for stumbling upon my story. This is a unique story and I am thinking if I should convert it into a novel . What are your opinions ? Share them in the comments below !*