Thursday, April 15, 2010

105. One foot after the other


The days were like this now, filled with an unnamed dread that weighed upon her shoulders, sowing black bile in the pit of her stomach. Grace struggled to comprehend the lack of control since the beginning of semester. She had learnt to pace her studies, to juggle balls as her brother put it.

Each evening, after her final class, she enjoyed the solitary walk to Central, watching the hordes of commuters as they bustled their way home, enjoying the mental unwind with each step, digesting the sounds and the smells of a city so very different from Shanghai. One more semester and she would return to her homeland, to the house of her grandparents, to the future the family had mapped out five years ago. An accountant in the family would provide stability for generations.

A smile swathed her face as she spied Andrew coming down the concourse toward her.

6 comments:

Clytie said...

Wonderful. My mind went crazy about Andrew ... her husband maybe, boyfriend ... or son. Brother? I wanted to go on with this story!!!

bitingmidge said...

I suspect that Andrew is the technician coming to free her foot from the stationary escalator. Jammed when, her mind in another hemisphere, she'd crossed the yellow line. But I could be wrong....

Joan Elizabeth said...

Oo I can sense a dilemma coming on for this young lady. Nice suspense.

diane b said...

She won't want to go home now that she has met Andrew.

Julie said...

I believe that is called a hook ...

I must try another time for a story across a week, like I did for the old couple selling their house as she needed to go into a nursing home. Shall see what I can do. I have already chosen the images for next week, but might reassess.

Pierre, pierre, pierre ... don't be so darned literal! Riff man ... one is meant to riff ...

Alice Audrey said...

Parents can have such unreasonable expectations. OTOH, I picked accounting all on my own.