At the Edge of What Could Be

ch.1

Chapter 1

     Rain fell in steady sheets as I sat quietly in the taxi, watching the familiar streets slip by. Briarwood was drawing closer, and with it, the uneasy feeling I couldn't quite shake.

I swept a hand over the misty window slowly, staring out into an expanse of sombre darkness. The rain made it difficult for me to see anything beyond thick trees that lined either side of the highway like sentries. If I squinted, I could almost make out the distant outline of my hometown, but I settled back into my seat with a heavy sigh instead, plunging my freezing hands into coat pockets.

I had attempted to make conversation with the taxi driver at first like any normal person would, but I soon found myself lost in thought and unable to speak. I was not used to the silence around me - it felt like a dead weight settling into the pit of my stomach. City life had been loud, boisterous, hectic – it had been safe.

Now I felt utterly exposed.

"Sir?"

I felt it was incredulously naive of me to assume I could please someone entirely by conforming my whole life to their wishes – in the blink of an eye everything had changed for the worse. Nothing in the past few years at university had fulfilled me. It left me with no other choice but to return to Briarwood with my head hanging in shame and pockets empty. What would my father think?

"Excuse me, sir?"

I startled, struggling to dispel the last dredges of despondent thoughts circulating around in my head. I glanced at the taxi driver questioningly, who pointed to the navigation system on his dashboard in response.

"Ten minutes until we reach your final destination, Mr Blake."

"Ah - thank you. Sorry, I must have been falling asleep," I replied sheepishly.

I saw the driver nod briefly in the rearview mirror and felt a prickle of guilt for having made this old man drive me quite so far.

"Just make sure you're wide awake when you step off this taxi, Mr Blake," the driver mused, turning the car slowly to the right. "It's hard to see out there with the weather as it is."

"Don't worry, this rain's enough to raise the dead," I murmured. "I really hope it stops soon."

I patted my coat pocket furtively, drawing out my phone to gauge whether to turn my father's life upside down by arriving at his doorstep or book a hotel room for the night. I groaned inwardly at the time displayed. There was no way any cafes would be open at one am in the morning. Coffee seemed a no-go. I felt the beginning of a headache.

I wiped the car window clean again, staring outside noncommittally as the town I had grown up in became less distant with every spin of the tyres. The highway was a blur as we drove further across it, headlights making it easier despite the downpour of rain for me to see how clusters of trees gave way to houses and eventually Briarwood.

I'd timed my arrival at night for a reason; I needed to psyche myself up to face my father in the morning. A dull throbbing ache at the base of my temple began at the thought of unpacking the suitcase I'd brought with me, let alone carrying it upstairs to my room. The contents were meagre but heavy.

The navigation app became increasingly louder as we passed a massive sign that read 'Welcome to Briarwood' in a scrawling font. Several houses were shrouded in complete darkness, whilst others had faint glows emanating from within.
Not a single person was visible on the street as we passed through slowly before stopping in front of a large townhouse.

The driver turned off the engine with a resounding click and twist of the keys, stalling the car and massaging his hands surreptitiously.

The rain seemed even louder in the sudden silence, an incessant cacophony that threatened to deafen me.

'You have reached your destination,' the navigation system intoned with as much enthusiasm as I felt myself. The taxi driver stared at me through the rearview mirror with barely concealed impatience, fingers tapping against the steering wheel.

"Thank you for driving me to such a distance. I hope your journey back is safe despite the weather," I smiled wanly.

"It was a pleasure to accommodate such a polite young man as yourself, Mr Blake. Enjoy your stay at Briarwood."

"Will do, thanks once again. Goodbye."

I cleared my throat and reached out to grab the umbrella in the seat next to me, gripping it tightly with both hands. Once I stepped out of this taxi, my life would change all over again. My father would hate and never forgive me. Would he even talk to me? The thought paralysed me for a moment before I took a deep breath and made an attempt to let it go.

I clicked open the car door to torrents of rain and a freezing blast of cold air that threatened to pervade into my bones. I stepped out quickly and held the umbrella high above my head, jogging to the boot of the car with determination. Using one hand, I opened the back and grabbed my suitcase, settling it down on the floor with a resounding thud. I slammed the boot shut with a final rap on the back of the taxi.

The driver restarted the engine and began driving off at a slow pace. I watched expressionlessly until the taillights were a distant red speck, and I was left alone in total darkness with only bleak thoughts to keep me company.