The Storm (Intro)

Rain pelted the glass. The drops stung the panes and raced down to the sill. The porch was no protection. Puddles pooled at the curb's edge. Mud swirled into the pure liquid, contaminating it. Other than the final few that clung to the branches overhead, leaves clogged the drain as the muddy water tried to escape to the aquifers beneath the pavement. The wind whipped heaven's tears down the street. He sat by the window, safe and dry. He tried to see through the gray. He sat patiently and waited. Soon his love would return. It was that time. She would appear around the corner. She would cross the street and come down the block. He would catch that first glimpse and his heart would skip a beat. It happened every day. He couldn't avoid it. He couldn't, no matter how much he tried to prepare himself for it. He loved her. When she climbed the stairs to the front door, his heart would race. He'd let her in, kiss her. That was about as much as he could handle. He truly loved her. She was his everything.

She tried to hurry, but she didn't make it. She tried to run, but her legs wouldn't carry her fast enough. She saw the flashing orange hand. Her umbrella was stowed securely beneath the driver's seat of her car. It offered her no protection. She stepped into the crosswalk. She held her bag overhead. It was a futile effort, but she continued nonetheless. There was not a moment's notice. There was no avoiding it.

From across the street, he watched. Every movement crawled by as a sloth going uphill. He wanted to do something, he wanted to warn her. But there was no stopping it. There was no way to save her. He lunged from his spot by the window, tripped over the leg of the coffee table and limped to the front door. He swung it open and yelled a warning to her. The sound of the rain colliding with metal, glass, and pavement drowned out his call. She didn't even look up. She never turned to the side. She never altered her course. There were no brakes. The driver didn't slow. The driver didn't stop. He fell to his knees as she rolled up the hood of the grey sedan. He screamed and looked to the sky. There was no reply to his why. He heard the impact. He felt the pain. He was helpless as her lifeless form met the pavement. The sedan disappeared into the storm. He was shattered. She was broken.