A TANGLE OF LIGHT

By Tessa Harvey


    Elsie Hopper scurried homewards along the grey, shabby street. Startled by the early increasing darkness she glanced skywards and saw the coming storm. She paused, breathing heavily, leaning against a dirty brick wall, half-broken and crumbling. This is how I feel, Elsie thought, suddenly clutching close her ragged coat. The clouds darkened ominously and the first cold drops of rain tangled in her hair.
    Not able to judge the time by the dying sun, she felt fear tremble inside, clogging her chest. It felt as though a hand was pushing her, driving her against the sharp brick edges. More afraid of the violent storm gathering at home than of the one breaking all around her in the now complete darkness.
    Elsie struggled on, pulling herself along the crumbling masonry. An old unseen grating caught the heel of her worn-out shoes. Above the wind's howl, she heard the crack of her broken shoe.
    Terror overwhelmed her and she felt her whole body begin trembling. Her heartbeat raced, while she slumped slowly down in defeat, entangled in burdens of bondage. It's too late, she thought. I can no longer stand. It's over - and the elderly woman allowed the swirling darkness to overcome her. Elsie did not even the sound as her head hit the dirty kerb, narrowly missing the grimy tide, fast running in the gutter as the rain fell harder and harder, soaking her unresisting body. She did not even hear the thud of approaching feet...
    The man stopped when he saw heap of dirty clothes piled near the torrent pouring down a nearby drain. The noise was tremendous, water falling everywhere, rushing down the road, flowing in roaring thunder underground. Visibility was now almost gone.
    The man had been so furiously angry he had not even noticed the rain. No wife, no waiting hot meal. Only an empty house. How dare she! The beds were not even properly made, the housework half-done. Every night he checked. Always something not quite right. Stupid woman.
    "Elsie!" he roared again, and kicked out at the rubbish clogging the footpath. It groaned. Startled, he jumped back, then turning, looked all around to see who was watching .
    The street was empty. He dragged at the sodden bundle, pulling it closer to the broken wall. Fine, this woman was of no more use. He would find another who would care. Who would know?


 

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