FLASH FICTION June 21st, 2019 Week 372 - THE RESULTS!

Thank you very much, Darius! xxx

The Girl in the Blue Dress.

From the moment she was born, Sarah saw things she never understood. The first time she identified with her premonition happened while at junior school. It started with a headache and then a vision. This time she saw a man attacking a woman. On realising, who it was, she ran out of the class. Minutes later her head cleared and she realised she was still in class.

In her late teens, while in her office, her head started to ache, and a vision began. She saw her partner in her flat with another woman. Fifty minutes later, she opened the front door and strolled into the lounge.

***

With the young girl gone, Dean slumped into his favourite armchair. “One mistake and you turn into a direct descendent of Boadicea. Anything you want to say

Sarah grimaced “You’re an arsehole.”

“Just pack your bags and get out of my life.”

“Don’t fret yourself, I’m out of here. In case you forget this is my flat, and I’ll be putting it up for sale.”

Sarah’s mind returned to why today she left work early. She picked up her bulging suitcases and left. With each stride, her mind cleared, more resolute. She closed her eyes and breathed. With each step, she felt in command of her own mind, body and soul. Her plan, jump on a train, the destination did not matter. For no reason she chose Penzance.

The train was almost empty when she boarded. A judder signalled movement, and the train picked up speed. From a dull sky, heavy rain cloaked the countryside. Exhaust smoke streamed black lines across the windows. The incessant rain made the journey appear endless.

Four hours elapsed before the train stopped at Chyandour. Why she jumped out, she did not know. She grabbed her cases and alighted. At the far end of the platform, a man in uniform nodded as he pulled a loaded barrow across the tracks. From hanging baskets colour cascaded. The rain stopped, and the sun attempted to break through a cloud-filled sky.

At the stations newsagent, she stopped and bought the local paper. The front page featured a young girl wearing a blue dress found dead on the beach. She shuddered as dark clouds covered the watery sun. The back pages contained the ‘Rooms to Let’ section. She strolled along the road, but due to the weather, the town appeared empty.

Two hours later, in a bedsit overlooking Castle beach, she unpacked and sat on the single chair. For the first time in a long while, she felt content. The deluge began, large drops whipped by the wind struck the window. This frightened her as a child and still did. She forced it from her mind.

That night strange thoughts disturbed her sleep. Her mind roamed the past, and she awoke early. She rolled out of bed and sat on its edge. Her mood changed when she saw the sun glistening on a calm sea.

After showering, she dressed in a fitted fitting denim skirt. A white blouse and tan sandals completed her outfit. Once combed, her straight long blonde hair nestled on her shoulders.

Today’s priority was to find a job. Breakfast on the sea front seemed a good idea. In the blue wave cafe, Sarah ate a hot meal with plenty of toast and tea. With limited funds, this had to last until the evening. If her calculations were correct, she had enough money for three months.

The morning the sun warmed her face. All along the sandy strip, children were running and screaming. Used to the commotion their parents relaxed in deckchairs.

She noticed him as she walked towards the harbour. He possessed that indefinable something. He was young, with close-cropped hair, casually dressed and walked with a military stride. He looked back as she followed, smiled as if he knew her but then vanished. She continued her stroll to the Job Centre.

The single member of staff apologised. He explained that temporary secretarial positions were few. Downhearted she left, wondering what she could do.

Where a moment before there was no one, now stood a girl wearing a red dress. She pointed towards the beach. Sarah went to say something, but she vanished. Trying to make sense of what she had seen, she wandered to the beach. The sun sparkled on the sea as if it contained a million crystals. As she sauntered towards the edge of the water, the sand crunched under her feet. A young boy and girl both with dark hair raced into the water. Their screams filled the air as its coldness wrapped around them. She chuckled to herself as a memory of her childhood came to mind.

With her sandals removed, she let the cold water cool her feet. She breathed in the fresh cold, salty air and stared at the horizon. Far out, two boats, one red and the other blue appeared to drift across the seascape. Her right foot trod on something, and she bent to retrieve it from the sand. A cream and brown coloured shell. She rinsed it free of debris and decided to keep it.

Further, along the beach, she found a rocky area. Too much sun, she thought as her head ached. She sat on a large flat rock and noticed the young man with close-cropped hair not far away.

As if on a mission, he dug into the sand. Next to him sat a girl wearing a blue dress. He turned his head, smiled, and mouthed, hi babe see you soon.

The vision faded as waves crashed onto the beach. She bit her lip to stifle a scream. Now she understood why Chyandour.

As the sun is well over the yardarm I'll have a Gin and Tonic. Thank you.