Brain Sparks

Wire Fence

The evening light had started its journey into amber and James could sense the shift in heat, now more prominent from the ground than the sun above. Summer was becoming late, and the air cooled quicker now as autumn's long reach had begun to make itself felt. A light breeze shifted the curls of his head as it drifted past, and it was this same breeze that created a flutter in his vision up ahead. There along the edge of the field, where wire kept check on the sheep, something ruffled. As he approached he realised it was indeed some hair. She had come this way then, and recently. He quickened his step, as best he could on the uneven muddy path hoping he would catch her before she came down into the town. If people were to see her, to know he had her here, well, that would not end well. No, that must be avoided at all costs.

He came to a line of trees where the path bent around to the right taking away his view ahead only revealing itself as he passed the old elm that began the line. And there she was, some ways off, but it was definitely her. Her still half golden hair bobbed with each stumbling step she took, the thin material of her nightdress wafted in the growing breeze, and her bare feet were dark with mud. Just in time, he should now easily catch her before anyone could notice them.

Two minutes later he stepped in beside her and grasped her arm, she flinched away and looked at him in shock.

"Stella, calm down, I'm going to take you back now." he said, trying to maintain eye contact with her.

"What, no, who... I want to go home." Stella replied, stumbling over her words.

"I know, I know. That's where I am going to take you. Home."

"This isn't the way home?" Stella looked between James and the path ahead, her eyes clouded with uncertainty.

"No, no. It's back this way. The cottage remember?"

"The cottage... the cottage.. Harold bought the cottage when James was a little boy. We went there on holiday every year after that."

"Yes, yes we did mum. Now shall we go back there? I'll make us some tea and we can put one of your films on. That one were you and Grant Stewart steal the Laughing Cavalier maybe."

"I only drink Earl Grey you know, none of that other rubbish. Grant always remembered that. Oh lovely Grant."

"Yes, Earl Grey. It was always Earl Gray." James smiled and Stella smiled back. For the moment she seemed to know to trust him, and they set out back to the cottage.