The Short Story Competition
She read it and said, her words “that is very good Bridgette you must enter it” Little did I know it would eventually be entered into a National Competition and come runner up. I mentioned previously before I was hoping to be father’s secretary when I left school but if I win this competition I am going to become a famous author.
Tamsin my best friend was also very encouraging and no doubt hoped to share in the prize money which I would spend buying coffees and stuff at the Rickmansworth Folk club in the High Street. Anyway, this was my entry.
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A Love Made in Heaven
Graham was on his way to work, a most boring, stupefying job with the council handing out job orders. His father also had worked for the council and would occasionally remind Graham he used his own influence to get Graham a job with the council. He, that’s Graham traveled to work on the Central Line underground heading for his workplace near Liverpool Street station. The train was heading for Marble Arch station. As usual, the train was very crowded as one would expect during the rush hour and again Graham was strap-hanging.
He pondered his position in life and wondered if this daily grind was the sole purpose of his being. Graham by nature was not a philosopher by any means he was a practical down to earth person. I should mention at 23 he was still unmarried much to his mother’s disquiet and his father’s unease.
He was positioned at the end of the underground carriage by the rear window. He turned around and looked into the window of the following carriage and saw the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She had dark hair and very fair skin. The word Angel sprang to mind. She appeared to be about 20 years old. He was transfixed, that is the only word to describe Graham’s interest. He was staring at her but she was looking past him.
He decided today he was not going to work; he was going to meet this young lady come hell or high water. He positioned himself near the door but careful not to lose sight of her in the following carriage. The train was just slowing up as it arrived at Marble Arch Station.
The doors opened, he saw the young girl move towards the opening doors. He fought his way past the swirling mass of humanity and stepped out of the carriage onto the platform and immediately looked back towards the door of the following carriage as the passengers poured out, but she did not appear.
He stood on the platform as it emptied to make sure he had not missed her, except for the stragglers who had now left the platform it was silent, he was all alone. The chances of meeting her again were slim. Like an empty glass, the deserted platform slowly began to fill up again as he waited for the next train.
Graham’s has no interest in job numbers that day. He daydreamed, no he was consumed with the chance meeting he had with Miss Angel at Marble Arch station and was determined he would meet her again.
He had little sleep that night anticipating the possible events that might eventuate the following day. He asked himself had no-one else seen this gorgeous creature, were they blind. He was nervous that another chance meeting was a little too much to hope for, but he was consoled by the old saying you never know your luck in a small world.
He boarded the tube at Ealing Broadway and positioned himself in the same carriage and stood once more by the rear window looking into the following carriage, again strap-hanging, although there was no need he had to be near the window not to have his vision obscured by a fellow passenger.
At Marble Arch station he started to pay very close attention. The girl never entered. The train continued to Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Chancery Lane, St Pauls, Bank and finally Liverpool Street his destination. No heavenly Angel entered the carriage. His heart sank. Then on the bright side, he thought there is no need to fret about it there is always the rest of my life to wait for her.
He told his Mother and father about this otherworldly apparition on the train. Mother's interest became immediately apparent; it was also a huge relief for his father as you can imagine. Mother asked if he had spoken to her and asked when he was going to bring her home and what his intentions were.
Graham had not actually given much thought to intentions as intentions had not even been factored in at this early stage, besides he had not actually spoken to her. It was the weekend.
It was Monday morning and had the whole weekend to plan his strategy. He would board the train early and join the tube train at Holland Park five stations up the line. He knew roughly what train to board to reach Marble Arch at the time he saw Miss Gorgeous. The train had to arrive at Marble Arch at around 8 45am.
At 8.45am the train from West Ruislip was about to stop at Marble Arch station. He was in position in the strap-hanging position at the end of the carriage. The train slowed and stopped.
THERE SHE WAS. Now what? Graham saw her step off the train and followed her off onto the platform. He thought I cannot mess this up. She did not leave to walk along the platform but stood still as if she knew Graham wanted to meet her. He approached her.
“Hello Graham,” said the girl.
“How do you know my name?” replied Graham.
“There is little I do not know,” said Miss Angel.
“Where are you going?” Graham was flustered and struggling for words that made any sense.
“Oh Graham that would be difficult for you to understand, I travel inter-dimensionally”
Inter-dimensionally meant little to Graham maybe it is another means of transport she used.
“Where is that?” asked Graham. He was not too sure where to take this conversation to entice her to meet mother and father.
“I am here, I am everywhere I can never stay but if you wish I could be here tomorrow”
Well, that’s a good start thought Graham let’s take it slowly from here and see what happens.
“I will be here tomorrow,” said Graham.
Graham was a million miles away as he went to cross the road from Liverpool Street Station to the council offices.
The truck driver never saw Graham; by the same token, Graham never saw the truck.
Gentle readers I do have some really good news though, the situation might appear on the surface to look grim and somewhat final but the subsequent meeting that coincided with the truck squealing to a stop before hitting Graham coincided with this Angel I write of exiting the Third Dimension.
Graham’s Angel had no reason to travel the dimensions anymore she had finally found what she had been looking for as surely had Graham. He would not be turning up for work ever again. EVER.
Bridgette Campbell (Boadicea Dorm)
I will let my gentle readers know of the result of my entry into the competition in due course. Makes one cry, doesn't it, the story that is.
Little did I know at the time of writing this, it would eventually be entered into a national competition and come runner-up.
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