Sun 16 Nov 2008
No matter how she twisted and angled herself, she couldn’t find that sweet spot, couldn’t settle her body comfortably on the wooden bench. She propped her heels on the edge, put them down again. Sat sideways; but then she couldn’t see the water. She gave up, and just sat.
And sat, for what seemed like ages, though her watch proclaimed it to be a mere three minutes. She checked her phone – still no message – and flicked it open and shut, open and shut. The mocking screen announced that another minute had managed to crawl by.
She sat, staring at the water. Trying to will time to pass quickly.
Another minute, then another.
She sat.
It came upon her slowly, barely unnoticeable at first, but gradually the hairs on her arm began to stand. She shivered in the chill night breeze that had sprung up out of nowhere. Then she smelt it – cloying, sweet, a thick flowery scent wafting through the air. Goosebumps standing along her arms. The smell growing stronger. A nervous glance around proved that no one was near.
Calmly but quickly she grabbed her bag, muttered a quiet “Sorry, sorry”, and walked briskly out of there. Out of the cold spot, out of the waft of scent. Back out to the main road. She shivered again, this time not from cold, but from sheer nerves, as she left the area as fast as she could. Heart thumping.
Don’t look back.
[take me there]
