Stardust (Complete)

Road

Rebelution: Running

So tell me what you're running from

She said 'everything and everyone'

Today was a Tuesday, like any other Tuesday, but, it wasn't just any other Tuesday.  It was today.

The day I met her.

I felt content, not for the fact that I had a whole day off to myself, but because of the peace I found in the waves down in the ocean.  Some mornings, it was difficult to drag yourself out of bed before the sun had risen, but it was worth while when it meant sitting on your board out behind the breakers, watching the sun come up.

This morning, I nearly didn't, but I couldn't sleep.  Some sort of energy was keeping me awake, like there was a reason for me to go down to the beach, instead of lazing around in bed all morning.

So far, I hadn't figured out what the reason was, other than just reminding myself of how fortunate I was to live here and be a part of this universe.  I guess, maybe, that's all the reason I really needed.  A reminder not to take my life for granted.

This road was familiar, I'd gone down it hundreds of times, but, every time, I noticed something new.  A new tree, a new pothole, a new angle with a wicked view of the ocean.

Today, it was her, sitting on the hood of her broken down car, looking pissed.  I pulled up behind her to see if she needed any help.  It was kind of remote here, tourists often got into trouble, and she looked like she was in deep.

She looked up warily as I approached, smiling tentatively.

She was definitely a tourist.  She looked different to everyone around here, she dressed differently, rather than dresses or flowing skirts, she was wearing denim shorts, black doc martins with the laces dragging in the dirt.  And, I'd never seen anyone around here with violet hair.

"Car troubles?"  Once again, I was stating the obvious.

She sighed, looking annoyed.

"I overheated, now, it won't start. "

"Need a tow?"

She bit her lip, glancing over the side of the road toward the ocean.

"Is there a mechanic around here?"

She seemed doubtful, but I nodded.

"Not far from here, I can take you there, and they'll tow your car for you, if you want?"

She hesitated, tossing up her options.

"Or, I could call someone for you?"  I offered.  Obviously, she lived by the don't talk to strangers rule.

"No one to call," she admitted, and I nodded.

She was nervous, I could feel the unsettled vibes from over here.  I didn't like that she was intimidated by me, I wasn't an intimidating person.  I didn't want to be, but, then, I guess it meant that she was smart.  There were a lot of crazy people in the world.

Lucky for her, I wasn't one of them.

"So, mechanic?"

She bit her lip again, but finally nodded, and she followed me to my car, getting into the passenger side.