Night Drive

The clouds were heavy in the sky. The kind that people stretch their necks and arch their backs to look up at. The unnatural colours infested the sky, resplendent. The kind that shouldn't be in the sky, but are anyway.

She stopped the car suddenly. A pheasant had meandered out into the road. She looked down at the bird, catching her breath. She always stopped if something was in the road, but was starting to lose her patience with pheasants. Birds looking for a way to die. She was already late, but had to take a minute to compose herself. Last time she'd stopped for something in the road it took her months to drive again. She needed fresh air. 

Her breathing was starting to slow. The pheasant was still in the middle of the road. She looked away, but couldn't help but see the terrified face. She had stopped in time, but only just. The kid hadn't been able to move once they saw the car looming ahead. He had run out from behind a parked car, chasing something caught in the breeze. As soon as she had noticed the dark hair blowing around, she had smashed the brake into the floor. The car had stopped inches from the boy. She had got out to check if he was okay, and saw him touch the license plate.

A light breeze swam around her; goosebumps emerged on her arms. Her eyes were fixed on the slowly appearing stars. She was hunting down constellations; trying to pick them out of the clouds. She could feel time passing. She was making herself more late, guilt building up inside her. Her breathing had regulated, but was loosing rhythm again. She watched the small pheasant slowly make its way to the other side of the road safely. 

Her eyelids were getting heavier with every blink. Tiredness settled on her, weighing her down. The bonnet was becoming more and more uncomfortable underneath her. She must have been stopped for a while now. The stars were becoming more obvious. She got back in, turning the engine back on. The road was clear in both directions. She tried to move off, but couldn't stop seeing the small boy's face. She breathed deeply. She couldn't leave herself stranded. She was over this. She was moving on.