“Crack!” a bright lightning bolt split the dark sky into two. The rain was pouring heavily and it had been going on for a while already. People scurried around outside under the covers of umbrellas, their faces etched with worry and anguish. Kim sat alone in the seat of the bus, gripping her office bag tightly with cold hands, a million thoughts coursing through her mind. Traffic had slowed to a standstill and she was going to be late for work. Yet again..

She had woke up early to catch the earliest bus to work today but apparently no one can anticipate what was going to happen. It had been a stressful last couple of days for her. Her relationship with her husband, Tim had gradually worsened. They were both colleagues at the same company. She was just a common clerk while he was no more than a handyman. Together they had been living a rather comfortable life. After all, she believed it was love that sustained a relationship but recently she gradually realized that other factors such as money and bare necessities were equally as important. The company had been going through a shake down and many fellow workers had been out of jobs. The company management had viewed these workers as expendable. “Cruel, but well, that’s just business I guess.” She thought. Not a single day passed without them arguing. Stressed out at work, they had both taken out their fears on one another. Each uttering hurtful words as in a competition as to who could hurt the other more deeply.

“Peep..” the honk of an angry motorist alerted her to her senses. Looking around her surroundings, she noticed the flustered faces of her fellow passengers. All of them looked grim and moody. Everyone had somewhere to be and obviously no one was going to make it there in time at the rate things were going. Peering out of the window, she could just make out her reflection in the glass. The stress had really taken a toll on her. She had dark patches under her eyes and one too many wrinkles on her once smooth face. If only she had taken a ride on the motorcycle he had just bought last week. She would have had been at office long time ago. Her heart was felt with grief as she recounted the hurtful things she had said the other night to Tim. To cope with transport, Tim had gone out and purchased a motorcycle. Not something expensive but it would be their sole mode of transport. However, Kim was embarrassed by it. She had insisted that they purchased a car just like anyone else but Tim did not agree. Day by day they lived in the fear that one day they would receive The Letter from the management board and Tim decided buying a car would be too large a risk so he went out and got the motorcycle. The first time he brought it home, she was furious. Ranting and raving she began to tear him apart. She had screamed at him saying that it was all his fault they had to live like this and he had retorted that she had a part in it too. Not to be undone, she lashed out once again saying that she regretted ever agreeing to marry him. Judging by the look on his eyes, it was obvious that she had won this argument. Since that day they had not talked much.

This morning he had left early on his motorcycle. Before leaving, he had noticed the dark clouds and asked her if she would like a ride just to receive an angry stare. Sitting in the bus now, she regretted what she had done. “I’ll make it up to him tonight,” she solemnly made herself a promise. Looking out of the window, the bus started to move once again. The traffic had finally started to move again, albeit slowly. A crowd of crows flew across the sky. The bad weather was really stating its’ intention to stay. Lightning split the sky into two once again. The heavy raindrops battering on the top of the roof of the bus was just about loud enough to drown out any sound, even the sound of her own thoughts. Rain splatter entering by the bus windows had already started to soak her dress. Cross, Kim muttered a few choice words under her breath. “Just what I need,” she continued in monologue. It was cold and she was almost freezing.

At this moment, suddenly a sharp remark could be heard from the back of bus. “ How horrible!” She turned her head to see an old lady clasping two of her hands together in horror, mouth open in obvious disgust. Curious, she herself glanced in the direction where the old lady was staring at. “Ah, it was just another accident”. A car had collided with another car. A motorcycle and a bicycle lay by the side of the road too. People were already swarming the area, each preoccupied with satisfying his or her own curiosity. By the side of the motorcycle lay someone. Newspapers covered the body, perhaps to spare the dead some sort of dignity. A pair of blue toes could be seen sticking out of the pile. As if in a sudden twist of fate, the rainfall had also started to intensify. Perhaps even heaven was mourning for yet another needless lost of life. At that very moment her heart went out to that poor soul. Turning away, she started to picture parentless hungry children crying.” Life can be so unpredictable and cruel”, she thought.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind managed to enter the bus. Rubbing her hands together to generate warmth, a funny feeling started to arise in her heart. And then it struck her, frantically she glanced out of the window once more. Through the raindrops on the window she could barely make out the registration number on the motorcycle plate. A wave of terror rushed through her body as her worst fear was confirmed. Dizzy, she screamed at the bus driver to stop and he screeched to a standstill at the side of the road in compliance probably due to a sudden moment of surprise.

Getting down from the bus she ran. She ran as fast as she could, tears streaming without fail from the side of her eyes. She ran as though she was possessed, pushing through the crowd of people until she could see the body within grasp.

“Tim, please don’t leave me!” a chilling cry penetrated the cold atmosphere. A clap of thunder sounded in reply and the people around realizing what was going on slowly stated to back away. She threw herself before the body and wept. Pulling away the newspapers, she was shocked to see the face of a stranger staring back at her with blank eyes. Startled, she gasped.

“Kim!” a young man slowly limped out from the crowd of people. Tears streamed down his face and his lips were trembling as he slowly made his way forward.

A unspoken sound broke from both of their lips as they met in embrace. Each hugging the other tightly as though the other was about to leave. Their tears ran down to the ground together as they kissed and sobbed at the same time. Suddenly, far of across the horizon, a single ray of sunlight could be seen.

Copyright 2007 Julian

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Comments (4)

Posted by Wesley Freeman 2007-12-12 18:29:45 .... I liked the ending... I was afraid the story was going to end in a predictable manner. Good job. + Report this comment
Posted by ruchess44 2007-12-19 01:35:34 .... I like this story. I have a question. What does “Peep..” from the 3rd paragrah mean ? Do you have similar stories? I'd like to read more. + Report this comment
Posted by Julian 2007-12-27 23:19:34 .... Oh,its the sound of the car horn. Hehe,kinda bz preparing for college now. Will definitely write more.Cheers + Report this comment
Posted by chaabuk 2008-08-12 04:22:19 Lovely Although, a bit predictable. it is always soothing to read about love. You hace good descritive power to provide a background, adequate for the story. There was a ray of sunshine (hope) for them. Good. + Report this comment

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