Fury

Rebirth

Eva watched the wipers swish back and forth, like silent conductors - as they battled to orchestrate the rain's harsh percussion pounding against the windscreen. Bitting her lip, she shifted in her seat. The phone laying idly in her lap, lit up and rising above the rain's war drums began to sing a sharp soprano.

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Mrs Henderson asked, glancing over quickly at Eva before returning her aged eyes to the road.

Eva shook her head, she hadn't the heart to hear the disappoint in her father voice. The voicemail he'd left would join the twenty two unread text messages.

"Perhaps you should listen to what he has to say? It could be important."

Eva frowned, like a broken record his messages all repeated the same thing. Absently her hand drifted to soothe the cheek, he had stuck this morning. He was always sorry, his admission of guilt was always followed by the false promise 'it wouldn't happen again'.

Why would this one be any different? Because it was her birthday? She doubted it. Still, she lifted her phone to her ear and pressed play.

"Come home."

That was new, looking out of the window, she bit her lip. He hadn't grovelled or begged, in fact he'd sounded frustrated and exasperated. Perhaps her childish avoidance had finally worn his patience thin. And now she feared the consequences, she'd never taken it this far and outwardly rebelled. Normally she'd fall back in line, and be his perfect daughter.

"Bad news?" Mrs Henderson asked.

"No" she muttered, turning back to window. Worried, perhaps choosing to dismiss the one rule her mother always said was of the upmost importance hadn't been the best course of action. She'd hoped the decision to disobey the rule implementing her early curfew, would show them how ridiculous it was, she was officially an adult and she hadn't come to any harm, she was safe. The dark of night had fallen and still she stood in one piece.

"I'm a good listener, you may feel better getting it off your chest." Mrs Henderson hummed.

"It's nothing."

"Well, if you ever want to talk about it. I'm here."

"I know." She attempted to smile. The car slowed, and foreign feeling of dread filled her stomach.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mrs Henderson asked again.

"I'm just late and dad's a stickler for being prompt." Eva shrugged, not an outright lie but hardly the truth either. The car rolled to stop, Eva unbuckled her seatbelt, she didn't want to impose on the kind librarian any longer. Her father had been right about one thing this morning, it was time she started acting like an adult.

She stiffened as Mrs Henderson touched her arm gently.

"I can have a word with him if you like? Explain you were helping me out."

Ignoring Mrs Henderson's questioning face, Eva focused on the silhouette of man standing in front of the car. "There's a man in the road." She whispered, drawing the Liberian's attention.

"Do you know him?"

Eva shook her head, though she couldn't be certain due to the heavy downpour of rain, flooding the windscreen and the poor visibility of the headlight beams.

"Let me walk you to your door, just to be on the safe side then."

Eva's heart crashed against her chest, her instincts told her not to leave the car, a sudden urge to hide took hold. Shaking, she clicked open the passenger door, and waited for Mrs Henderson to join her.