General

The radio had been announcing the rainstorm of the decade all day, but Emily had been under the bridge since breakfast, hugging her knees. It was boring but infinitely preferable to high school. After a time she startled out of her daydream, it was too dark. If she was late her mother would start asking questions. Aching with cold she rose to standing, hunched like an old woman. With one glance she breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn't late; black cloud rolled like the midnight ocean every direction. The air was so humid she could taste it and already the cars had their headlamps on. Emily dusted off her jeans and hitched her backpack higher. This couldn't be a long term plan, she knew that, but every which way was fear: fear of angry-faced teachers, kids who bullied and parents who demanded nothing less than perfection. When the heavens broke she stopped her walking, standing statue-like in the rain. Her long black hair stuck to her face and back, her clothes wet through in seconds.

By Angela Abraham, @daisydescriptionari, January 28, 2015.