Here it is then, my attempt at the August challenge. Feel free to leave comments when you’ve read it.
A Stormy Affair
She sat on the bed, exhaling as she looked down at her suitcase. The fierce weather slammed into the bedroom window and she jumped at the noise; a sheet of rain hit it, then branches from a tree crashed onto it. She quickly pulled the curtains together, blocking out the performance.
Behind her the phone pinged and she rushed over to it.
‘OK? Everything on track 😊’
‘Yes, I’m just about to leave.’
‘Good, so am I. Take care driving in this weather x.’
So, this was it. They had tried to leave their respective partners once before, and he hadn’t been able to go through with it. But she had held on and out of the blue two weeks ago, he left his wife and moved into an apartment across town. Now it was her turn to make the break.
They had decided to spend tonight in the hotel where they had first met whilst attending a conference. In the morning they would take an early flight out to Spain and have a two week break away from all the fall-out. Then she would move in with him.
The bedroom window rattled as if fighting back against the elements. She grabbed her jacket, pocketed her phone and wheeled her suitcase out of the room. Downstairs, she took one last look behind her, picked up her car keys and turned off the hall light.
The journey was scary; the car was constantly buffeted by the winds and wayward branches regularly smacked onto her windscreen. Sirens and blue lights battled with the elements for attention.
She was almost at the hotel when she heard what sounded like a huge mournful scream. Looking frantically around her, she saw nothing, she was alone on the road. Then in her rear-view mirror a huge tree appeared; it seemed to be walking, like some bizarre fantasy figure. Then it lurched precariously. She instinctively pressed the accelerator to the floor and sped away as the tree crashed down, shaking the ground.
It needed reporting, but she was so close now and there were no other cars around to have been affected. Surely it could wait, there was no-one needing help and the emergency services were so busy.
At the hotel she was surprised that his car wasn’t in the carpark.
She checked in, but there was no sign of him and no message.
Once in the room, she called him. All thoughts of calling the emergency services forgotten.
‘Simon!?’
‘No, this is Sister White at County General, are you Simon’s wife? I was just about to call’
Her stomach flipped.
‘I’m afraid Simon’s been involved in a serious road accident, on the A72, I don’t know if you know it? She did know it, it was the road she had just travelled down. ‘A tree has fallen onto his car. Are you able to get here? And Mrs Willows, I know it’s bad out there, but I suggest you get here as quickly as you can.’
Janet Stock 