[ WP ] A brief , mysterious glowing rain falls over a small Midwestern town . Whoever the rain touches , gains supernatural abilities .

It was a perfect night. The moon was a quarter full and bright. Fireflies blinked in the middle distance. Janice sits on the porch. Her cough is back. She'd been sick before, but this was her first summer in Durham and her first summer cold. Her camera clicks loudly as the shutter closed. Must have run out of battery. She fished out the spare. Switching them only took a second, and she was so practiced she did n't need to look. Photo journalism might not be a hot commodity out here but the 4-H club loved the livestock portraits from October. Rust had hung one over their fireplace. He said the heifer had soulful eyes. She smelt him coming long before she heard him. He had given up smoking in college, but Janice knew he started again once the deed was signed. Rust may love this farm but he loved his brother more. `` Wa'cha lookn' at?'' he asked. Pulling the words out was something that came back too. Maybe it was the quiet distain towards two green city kids taking over such a large ranch that made him change. When she told Martha, her old roommate laughed. `` First, his name is *Rust*. Second, he's no changing. He's reverting.'' She drawled down the line, `` he do n't care for those citified ways no how.'' `` That is n't how he talks.'' Janice had protested. But it was, now. The coolness was n't directed at her. That was the hardest part. No one begrudged Rust for going to school. They hated that he had gone so far. Maybe if he had lived closer, they said. But these people lived with Dan for seven years and none if them noticed. It was n't far to blame Rust. They did it anyway. So he tried to fit in again, with the ranch and the clothes. Then one day he came in smelling of smoke and looking ashamed. Janice never brought it up because he looked like he needed it - like he was lost in Boston. Rudderless. She liked him because he was calm then. Quiet and self assured. He still was here, but it was different. An older ease to it all. Too bad she felt so out of sync. Janice leaned back in her chair. `` I'm looking at the stars. Thought I'd get a few photos.'' She was trying too hard again. He looked a bit sad and amused. `` Didya?'' Rust leaned on the rail. His back was to the field. She nodded. `` There's a storm coming.'' His right hand rose for a moment. They both ignored it. `` Oh. Did you see that on the radar?'' For being a traditionalist Dan had bought a lot of fancy gadgets for this place. `` Nah. Wind's comin' from the south west. Smells like rain.'' `` Smells like rain?'' Janice looks at him in askance. The corner of his mouth twitched, showed a hint of teeth. `` There's also a thunderhead building south aways. I've been keepin' a eye on it al' evenin'.'' Janice laughed. `` Thanks, Rust. Keep me in my toes and we'll see how this evening goes.'' His lips twitched again. She missed his smile. `` Ah' know how it's goin' ta go.'' He winked. Janice watched as his hand reached toward that brest pocket. `` You can smoke.'' She said awkwardly. `` It's fine. I'd prefer if you kept it out of the house.'' He looked so grateful. Rust fished it out quickly. It was lit in a moment. He took a drag and exhaled over his shoulder. Jaince could see the storm now too. It had that sick green that meant tornadoes. She thought it was too late at night for them to build and said as much. Rust nodded. `` It's true. Might be hail though.'' Janice absently took some pictures of him. At his expression she felt embarrassed. `` I'm just practicing. The heifer did n't look that good on it's own.'' `` I get it.'' He said. `` Photo journalism. It's all very serious.'' `` You majored in *animal husbandry*.'' She was almost laughing. `` My dad thought you were going to be a banker.''
