The Black Umbrella

It was raining that night. The last time I saw her. She looked kinda sad standing there in the rain waiting on the train. I should have said something. I should have told her how pretty she looked. Or thanked her for being so cool to me. I should have said anything, but instead I left without saying a word. I didn't even tell her goodbye.

I'd heard she left town.

I had no way to contact her and even if I did, I probably wouldn't have even tried.

It was as if the whole town talked of her. They whispered her name like she was a ghost that still haunted the place.

Even when they didn't speak of her; there was often a presence that seemed to lurk in the halls.

Like the space itself missed her.

As I walked into work this morning, I thought I saw her.

'That's crazy right?"

She's been gone from here now, longer than she was here for. And shomehow her voice is getting louder.

Sometimes I think she wasn't even real. Almost like she appeared here as if by magic. The way she appears in a dream.

The dream!

That's it.

She was in the dream.

I'm walking around now thinking of her. It feels like I just spoke to her. The dream is so vived in my memory now. She was so real. That's when I woke up. She said something that I couldn't quite make out and I reached forward to take her hand. As I touched her hand, I was jolted out of my sleep.

I wonder what it would be like to see her again?

***

I had been trough hell and back.

The mission had turned out to be a complicated one. There were times I had been forced to abandon ship. I feel as though I have been lost at sea. I'm back now. And now I am back as someone who has seen the otherside. And I am protected by it.

After waking from my slumber, I knew exactly what to do.

I had to see him again.

The dream of long ago called out to me and then I knew that was my next mission.

***

Work is dragging today. People are unfriendly and cranky and it looks like it's about to rain.

The rain.

I needed a minute away from the noise so I stepped outside.

To be honest, I wanted to feel the rain falling down on me. And, I wanted to think about her.

Something about that dream made me really want to see her again.

So many thoughts.

So many questions.

This incredible feeling of wanting to reach out and touch her. Like I had in the dream, before I woke up.

Lighting cracking overhead. The roar of the thunder in the distance.

I'm being called now.

A black limosine is pulling up now with a security detail.

Eight armed bodyguards get out of their respective SUV's and one of them goes to stand at the back door of the limo. The driver then get's out in the rain and opens the most exquiste black umbrella that I have ever seen. At this point I'm feeling more in a dreamstate than I was in my dream of her.

Thoughts of her again.

The rain.

The black umbrella.

I'm standing in the doorway staring at the scene, as are several of my coworkers.

Whose this person?

What's the big deal?

The door is opening now to reveal the mystery person.

A woman gets out.

Dressed in all black. Gorgeous dress. Maybe something of a 'victorian funeral' style dress and complimentray hat ensemble but very classy indeed.

And she's wearing shades.

Well that's an interesting detail.

It's rainging and it's night time.

Then I looked at her hands.

Black lace gloves.

My dream!

My heart starts beating fast now.

She's walking straight towards me with several armed guards.

Maybe I was still dreaming.

At the moment the announcent was made and suddenly I knew I had to open the gate.

As I did, she removed her glasses.

There she was.

I couldn't speak.

No words came out.

She smiled.

Finally I remembered how to speak and said hello.

I'm not sure what compelled me to do this next but I reached out towards her hand.

Immediately the guard closest to her moved to stand in front of her.

She nodded to him something with her eyes.

He stepped back.

And to my surprise, he walked away about a foot and the rest of the team followed.

I knew I didn't have much time.

I had to say something to her.

I remembered how beautiful the sunset was that night. The backdrop of the lightning in the rain.

Having some image of her dancing in the rain. Though it was not something he had ever seen, but the thought of dancing with her in the rain was nice.

I became more and more aware that these guards were staring me down.

She turned to them and signaled something.

In that moment, I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me and I kissed her. She then kissed me back.

I didn't let the moment linger, though I wanted to.

Her guards were walking up to us now. No expression on their faces.

"We gotta go", one of them said to her.

She let go of my hand and leaned closer to my face.

"I'll see you in my dreams." she said

As I watched her walk away again.

"I'll see you there." I called out after her.

The she was gone.