Today I opened a file I hadn’t touched for probably more than three months. I had written twenty pages, but then ran out of ideas and stopped. I really want to try and finish this story, so I’ve decided to go through it and edit it. I’ll be posting bits now and again. Feedback would definitely be appreciated.

***   Joanne
Lizzy Robertson   ***

I’ve always loved lighting storms, ever since I was a little child. But
this night it was different. I stood outside on my mother’s porch, waiting.
Where was he? I shifted from one leg to the other, becoming impatient. The wind blew ravenously, swallowing the thundering rain with a howling
swoosh. A bright flash whitened the village and a thunder explosion
filled the houses with a deep growl. “Come
on, Fred,” I mumbled, seeing my breath like steam in the cold. My wish was
answered instantaneously as a car came around the bend with a flicker of
 lighting.

I undid the purple umbrella and let it pop open, as the thunder rumbled
in the distance, growing fainter. I stumbled along the pebbled path, a heavy
suitcase in one hand and a handbag and umbrella in the other. I was wearing
fashionable boots, a tight pair of jeans and a blue raincoat. My dark brown
hair fell loosely on my shoulders. I opened the waist-height gate and looked
back at the house. The light of my mothers bedroom was still on.

Fred, noticing I had luggage, pulled his raincoat on and got out of his
car. He stood next to me.

“Rotten whether, isn’t it?” He made himself heard over the noise. I
didn’t reply. He took my baggage from me and opened the boot. I stepped into
the car with a sigh, my arms outstretched in the rain, I closed the umbrella
and shut the cold out.

A moment after I heard the back of the car slam Fred hopped in. He took
off his hood, happy to be back in the warmth of the car.

“So, were is it you’d like to go, Liz?” he asked while throwing his coat
on the back seats.

“Well, I need to get to Hampshire, but I can always arrange for a taxi
half way if you have other plans.” He was frowning, I feared he’d say he
couldn’t take me that far.

“Hmm, no it’ll be alright. Actually, got some things I have to do in
Hampshire as well.” he smiled, “How about some music?” Good old Fred could always
make things seem better. How he managed to remain cheerful so often I will never
 know.

“As long as it’s not heavy metal, or anything you know I won’t like,” I
agreed, perhaps music would get my mind off things.

“Right then, lets see.” Fred got out a folder of CD’s and was flipping
though them, “The Beatles, Israel Kamakawiwo’dle,” I burst out laughing, the
way he had said it was hilarious. Fred smiled, “I’ve also got, err, REM and— “
I had to stop him, he was about to go through a whole list of singers and bands
I never heard of.

“Lets listen to REM,” I decided, he put the CD. “Make yourself
comfortable, Liz. We’re in for a long ride.” I took off my coat and fastened my
safety belt .REM started playing in the background. The car began to move and I
leaned back and I shut my eyes. The lightning had stopped, but I could hear the
rain and wind louder and heavier than before.

“Sorry to disturb you, Lizzy, but, there’s a woman is running up the
road, it looks as though she’s trying to get our attention.” I quickly looked
over my shoulder and sighed. A woman I knew far too well was running like mad,
waving her arms and shouting something I couldn’t hear.

“Stop the car, Fred, it is my mother,” I groaned. I pushed the car door
open and let the umbrella jump up. She was wearing a pinkish nightgown,
matching slippers and had rollers in her hair. I walked hesitantly towards her.

“Lizzy,” she sobbed. Feeling guilty I let her take me in her arms. She was
crying and shivering all over. I prepared myself for a speech.

 “Lizzy, dear…Go, darling. Please,
go, before…” I was startled by that reaction, it was what I least expected. I
tried to take a step back, but my mother was holding me too tightly.

“Thank you…Thank you, mother,” I replied gratefully. I put my free arm
around her shoulder, holding the umbrella over us with the other. I was at
least a head taller.

“I left a note, in my bedroom, mum.. It explains… I’ll phone you tomorrow
sometime.” She stepped back slightly so that she could look in my eyes, her
frail, bony arms were holding on to mine. Her hands holding on to my elbows.
She smiled, looking proud.

She must have been expecting me to leave for good, for she took a big
tattered envelope from under her dressing gown, ready to give to me.

“Take this, Joanne, open it in three weeks,” she handed it over. It was
a lot heavier than I expected and examining it further I noticed it was
overfull and had to be kept shut with tape. On the front was my name
beautifully written, Joanne Lizzy
Robertson, the 23rd.
 The brown paper, dark ink and the sound of the
rain made it seem very dramatic. I couldn’t help feeling the envelope was
important, but my curiosity had to wait. I remembered what I was meant to be
doing and heard the voice echoing in my head again.

“I…have to go…” I couldn’t say more.

“I’ll miss you, Joanne,” My mother smiled awkwardly, her voice was clear
over the clattering rain above and around us. I nodded reassuringly.

“I know… I… me too, mum.” I bent down so she could kiss me.

“Now, go, my daughter…” She let me go. I unzipped my green jumper and
hid the envelope underneath so it wouldn’t get wet. I gave my mother the purple
umbrella, it was hers anyway. I didn’t have the time to think of the questions
scattered around in my mind. Did she know? How could she? She couldn’t know, I
hadn’t told anyone. Why was she telling me to leave? What was in the envelope?

Not until I got into the car did I look back at my mother, waving and
throwing kisses in my direction. I felt horrible and selfish leaving her behind
standing alone in the rain.

REM was playing in the background: ‘it’s
the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine’ Was it the end or the
beginning? Whatever it was, I didn’t
feel fine…