The Knock in the Rain

The rain had been falling for hours.

Outside, the streets were almost empty, washed beneath the dull glow of streetlights. Every now and then, thunder rolled across the sky, followed by another heavy downpour against the windows.

Inside a small ground-floor apartment, Harry lay alone on his bed.

A half-empty glass of his favorite Scotch rested on the bedside table.

He stared at the ceiling, his mind somewhere far away.

Years ago, things had been different.

Harry, David, John, and Mike had been inseparable. They had been roommates back in college, spending almost every waking moment together.

They roamed around without a plan.

They hung out until late at night.

They laughed at the stupidest things.

They fought, made up, and somehow always ended up together again.

Those had been the days.

But college was over now.

Life had pulled them in different directions. Jobs, responsibilities, relationships, and countless other things had slowly pushed the four friends apart.

Harry hadn’t seen any of them in years.

He smiled faintly as the memories returned.

Those were my quality days… the best moments of my life.

He sighed.

God knows where those buffoons are now.

For a moment, he imagined the four of them sitting together again, laughing like they used to.

I wish I could meet them again… just once. Like the old days.

A soft smile appeared on his face.

Then he glanced at the glass beside him.

“Anyway… I guess I’ve drunk too much.”

He chuckled quietly.

“That’s probably why I’m missing those idiots.”

His smile faded.

“And none of them even bothered to call me once.”

He stared at the ceiling again.

“So why should I bother, huh?”

He took another sip.

“Get some sleep, Harry.”

He placed the glass down and sank deeper into the mattress.

It was almost midnight.

The rain continued pounding against the windows.

Harry slowly closed his eyes.

He had a girlfriend, Diana, whom he loved deeply. But she was currently in London, completing her course. Despite the distance, they had managed to maintain a good relationship.

He missed her too.

But tonight, for some reason, it was his old friends he couldn’t stop thinking about.

His breathing gradually slowed.

He was drifting off.

Then—

Ding-dong.

Harry’s eyes suddenly opened.

He remained still for a moment.

Who the hell is that?

The doorbell rang again.

Ding-dong.

Harry reluctantly got out of bed.

“Who comes at this hour?”

He walked toward the front door.

The moment he opened it, the sound of the rain became louder.

And then he froze.

Standing in front of him was a man completely drenched by the rain.

Harry stared at him.

His eyes widened.

“David?”

David stood there silently.

Water dripped from his hair and clothes onto the floor.

For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.

Then Harry’s face suddenly lit up.

“Holy shit!”

He grabbed David by the shoulder.

“Where the hell have you been, bitch? I haven’t seen you in decades!”

David smiled.

“Get your ass inside. You’re already completely soaked!”

David stepped into the apartment.

Harry quickly grabbed a towel and handed it to him.

“Here.”

David began wiping his hair and face.

Harry couldn’t stop looking at him.

He was genuinely happy.

“So… where have you been, buddy?”

He laughed.

“I’m seriously happy to see you again.”

Harry kept firing questions at him.

“Tell me everything. What are you doing now? Where are you working? What’s going on with you?”

Then he paused.

“And what’s with this sudden visit in the middle of the night? In this rain?”

David said nothing.

Harry frowned.

“Oh, and another thing…”

He looked at him suspiciously.

“How did you even find my place?”

David slowly looked at him.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

“I was lost.”

Harry blinked.

“Lost?”

He laughed nervously.

“What do you mean you were lost?”

Before David could answer—

Ring… ring…

Harry turned toward the landline.

“Oh.”

He smiled.

“That must be Diana.”

He looked at the clock.

“But why is she calling the landline today?”

Harry turned back toward David.

“You relax. Sit here.”

He gestured toward the sofa.

“I’ll just be a minute.”

David slowly sat down.

Harry walked toward the landline and picked up the receiver.

“Hello?”

Silence.

Harry frowned.

“Hello? Who is this?”

Then he heard something.

Someone was crying.

An old woman’s voice finally came through.

“Hello… son?”

Harry’s expression changed.

“Yes. I’m Harry. Who is this?”

The woman struggled to speak.

“Are you… Harry?”

“Yes.”

Harry suddenly recognized the voice.

“Wait…”

His eyes widened.

“Anna?”

It was David’s mother.

“Mom? It’s me, Harry. What happened?”

His heart began beating faster.

“Is everything okay?”

There was a long silence.

Then Anna spoke through her tears.

“Son… I’m Anna.”

Harry swallowed.

“Yes, Mom. I remember you.”

He glanced toward the living room.

“David is just—”

His sentence stopped.

Anna began crying harder.

“David…”

Harry’s smile disappeared.

“What about David?”

Her voice broke.

“He’s no more, son.”

Harry froze.

“What?”

“He’s gone.”

The receiver almost slipped from Harry’s hand.

“No…”

Anna sobbed.

“He’s gone forever.”

Harry’s hands began to shake.

His breathing became uneven.

“But…”

He struggled to speak.

“But he’s…”

He looked toward the living room.

David was sitting there.

Right where Harry had left him.

Anna continued.

“I know how much my son meant to you, Harry.”

Her voice trembled.

“We lost him.”

Harry couldn’t speak.

Anna continued quietly.

“I tried calling his other friends too, but I couldn’t reach any of them.”

Harry’s eyes remained fixed on the living room.

David was still there.

Still sitting on the sofa.

Still wearing the same wet clothes.

Anna sighed.

“Don’t panic, my dear.”

“Everyone has to go one day.”

His hands were trembling violently now.

“The ceremony is over. All the relatives are here.”

She paused.

“Please take care of yourself… and pray for David.”

“Mom…”

“Goodbye, Harry.”

The call ended.

Click.

Harry remained standing there.

Completely still.

His eyes were wide.

His hand slowly lowered the receiver.

He placed it back on the phone.

Then he turned around.

Slowly.

One step.

Then another.

He walked toward the living room.

His heart was pounding.

David had been sitting there.

Just moments ago.

But now—

The sofa was empty.

Harry stopped.

His breathing became heavier.

“What the…”

He looked around the room.

“Where did he go?”

Nothing.

Only the sound of rain.

Harry’s eyes moved across the room.

Then he saw it.

The towel.

The towel he’d given David.

It was still lying there.

Wet.

Harry’s blood ran cold.

“Holy shit…”

He stepped backward.

“No…”

Another step.

“What the hell is happening?”

Suddenly—

A hand rested gently on his shoulder.

Harry froze.

His entire body went rigid.

Slowly, he turned his head.

David was standing behind him.

Harry’s eyes widened in absolute terror.

His voice barely came out.

“What the fuck, man…?”

David looked directly into his eyes.

His face was strangely calm.

Almost sad.

Then, in a low whisper, he said—

“I’m lost.”

Harry couldn’t move.

David continued.

“I’ve got no peace.”

A pause.

“Help me, Harry.”

Harry stared at him.

He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t speak.

He could only stand there and watch.

Slowly…

David began to fade.

His body became less visible.

His face disappeared into the darkness.

And then—

He was gone.

Harry was alone.

Only the sound of his own breathing remained.

For several seconds, he didn’t move.

Then he stumbled toward his bedroom.

He slammed the door shut.

BANG!

He locked it.

Then locked it again.

He leaned against the door, breathing heavily.

“Holy shit…”

His hands were still shaking.

“What the hell is happening?”

He looked around his room.

His heart refused to slow down.

Then—

Ding!

His phone made a notification sound.

Harry jumped.

He slowly picked it up.

It was a notification from his old college group.

He opened it.

His face went pale.

A post had been shared.

A photograph of David.

Underneath it were the words:

REST IN PEACE, DAVID.

Harry stared at the screen.

His fingers trembled.

He scrolled down.

John had commented:

Rest in peace, brother.

Then Mike:

Rest in peace, David. We’ll never forget you.

Harry stared at the comments.

His breathing became heavier.

It was real.

David was dead.

He wasn’t supposed to be here.

Yet Harry had just spoken to him.

He had touched him.

He had given him a towel.

He had watched him disappear.

Harry slowly lowered the phone.

Then another notification appeared.

This time, it was from Diana.

Harry opened it.

Her message read:

Surprise ❤️ I’ll be at the airport at 8 AM tomorrow. Come pick me up. I can’t wait to see you, baby.

Harry stared at the message.

For the first time that night, the fear in his eyes softened.

A small smile appeared.

“Great timing, Diana.”

He let out a long breath.

“You really are my soulmate.”

He placed the phone beside him.

Then he took a deep breath and lay back on the bed.

The room went dark.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

Harry closed his eyes.

But somewhere in the darkness…

he could still hear David’s voice.

“I’m lost.”

Harry opened his eyes.

Nothing.

Silence.

He swallowed.

Then slowly closed them again.

“I need sleep.”

And the night continued.