Light This City - Firehaven

[Based on Ray Bradbury's short story, "The Long Rain" from the book "The Illustrated Man"]

This planet is a single sea
and we have crashed into its solitary island.
The shores roll like boiling sand against the waves.
Rain comes down in constant sheets,
and the only source of hope or relief
is an oasis that mimics the sun.
I must find shelter, for I am in danger...
A few more hours of this, and I will drown where I stand.
Drops of lead drill holes through my skull,
hack away at my flesh, bleach the color from my skin.
They worm cold trails through my hair,
down my neck and spine.
Just praying for my body to go numb.

While some desert prisoners would challenge the sun and pray for rain,
I can't even lift my face to curse the bursting sky.
Millions of pelting, precious jewels are slowly driving me insane.
And I would kill a man just to feel the flames of Hell lick me dry.
Infinite streams tunnel into the soil
from steaming, angry clouds.
Melting away, stinging, crawling, dancing, slashing, choking...
We found him frantic,
slapping at the heavy raindrops sweating down his body
just repeating, over and over,
"Don't know enough to come in outta the rain.
Don't know enough to come in outta the rain."
I thought I saw the sun dome, radiating not far ahead.
My eyes transfixed, I raced for it, slipped and fell
and discovered my mind's trick.
"Lie here. It's only a mirage. Lie here, it's no use. Drink all you want."

Somewhere in this single sea, maybe they have an Atlantis of their own,
where they take you when they find you, use an entire day to drown and torture
unwanted visitors like me.
I'm forced to hold my breath until I find this place, buried underwater.

Beware the chase; I sought the storm and now I can't escape.
Heaven doesn't look so holy when it's heaving