The Journey After

Chapter 1: Last Steps

Sprinkles of rain, turn into giant drops pummelling against the shelter like a thunder cloud taking its rage out on a lonely bus shelter, a void in its own right. People watching the passers-by. A late summers evening was disguised by a frozen and fresh day. The sun had barely been around all day.

Astrid had been watching the weather unfold from the comforts of his home snug and warm; basking in the light of the well-lit fire. Something about tonight was making Astrid scared of his own shadow. "Astrid" Kate said. Startled Astrid spun around. "Spooky night huh?" he commented. "The great Astrid Walker afraid of the night!" Kate kidded. Astrid shook his head and sighed. It was times like this he remembered where he was. Astrid had never known a real home. His entire life he was passed from pillar to post. Care home to care home, however wherever he went he was made to feel as at home of as possible. He'd been at Sparkfield for three years, the longest he'd stayed anywhere and it had already seemed like a life time. "Katie tell the night staff I'm just popping out for ten minutes. Okay?" It came across more of a demand than a request. Astrid's tone came across aggressive calling by her full name which she hates. Kate nodded a reply.

He walked out the house, as he did so he realised it was quite an irrational and impulsive, spur of the moment thing to do, to just wonder into the night, but it was an Astrid thing to do. Those free phrases were Astrid defined they just summed him up. Almost immediately after taking two steps outside the home Astrid's tussled just rolled out of bed hair look he'd spent half an hour perfecting was lost. He put on his headphones on which were a permanent fixture either on his head deafening his eardrums or hanging from his neck. He turned the music as loud as his IPod allowed possible. Oblivious to Astrid just down the road a car was braking speed limits. The driver had swerved to avoid a fox, not wanting to be perpetrator of road kill. Astrid completely intent on watching the world from tat bus stop. He had become fixated on sitting in a tiny pocket of the world, to watch the night go by. Losing himself in the music he took his first step across the road. Little did he know it'd be his last living one. The car as it swerved completely lost control. The driver could see what was going to happen before he had time to stop it. Not even time to shout a word of warning. The car hurtled into the Astrid twenty miles over the speed limit. Astrid died on impact. His head had bounced of the car. Even if he had survived, the damage to his brain would have been severe. He would never have been the same.