The Smell After It Rains

The smell after it rains. That's what Claire reminded me of. The fresh, dewy scent that hangs in the air moments after the clouds have parted, like curtains pulled back to reveal a clear blue sky. Flowers in spring, the wild ones that grow in the garden. The ones that she used to pluck from the earth and tuck behind her ear, their vibrant colours seemingly dull compared to the bright red of her hair. Freshly mown grass, tree houses and the sound of laughter. I don't know why these things still reminded me so much of her, after so long. It had been years since we'd been happy. Everything was perfect before she left. I missed that.

*****

After the accident, James's world fell apart, and as soon as he had the opportunity to leave his home, he ran as fast as he could.

Years later and he has no choice but to go home again, and after several glimpses at what he lost, he realises that maybe his past isn't so far behind.

When a familiar face reappears and begins to draw him back into the world he thought he'd never see again, he decides that maybe the life he had before isn't so impossibly far away.

There's just one problem...