The first people to pass her by were the early morning commuters, hurrying on their way to catch the bus to the train station. They were bent into the wind, their umbrellas at an angle to forestall the lashing rain from pelting their faces.
The wind died, and the rain stopped, the morning moved on, bringing with it the school children. In rowdy groups, excited, turning their conversations into ever louder competitive yelling, each one determined to have their say. On they went, pushing and barging, full of life, full of fun, running right on past her.
Smaller children skipping and laughing, as joyful as Spring lambs and accompanied by their mothers passed by next. The mothers halting now and again to wipe a runny nose, or to admonish a grizzling toddler. All were busy, all were engrossed in their own day to day lives.
The wind died, and the rain stopped, the morning moved on, bringing with it the school children. In rowdy groups, excited, turning their conversations into ever louder competitive yelling, each one determined to have their say. On they went, pushing and barging, full of life, full of fun, running right on past her.
Smaller children skipping and laughing, as joyful as Spring lambs and accompanied by their mothers passed by next. The mothers halting now and again to wipe a runny nose, or to admonish a grizzling toddler. All were busy, all were engrossed in their own day to day lives.
They had been the early morning people, now there was a lull in the activity of the long, hedge bordered lane. Every now and then the overgrown verges would bend and toss to the whoosh of a passing car, they never slowed down, they never saw her, never even imagined that she could be there, hidden, just beyond the hedge, out of sight, and for now, out of mind.
At mid-morning an elderly lady, pulling her wheeled shopping bag behind her, passed down the lane on her way to the village. She would pass this way again on her return, oblivious to her presence. As the day wore on the sun began to give out heat, drying the road and crumbling footpath, drying the overgrown grass verge, drying the hedgerow, drying her. The school children were the first to return past the spot where she was, reenacting the performance they gave on their school ward journey. And then, a few hours after the schoolchildren, came the commuters, tired and hungry, they too passing her for a second time that day, eager to be home.
At mid-morning an elderly lady, pulling her wheeled shopping bag behind her, passed down the lane on her way to the village. She would pass this way again on her return, oblivious to her presence. As the day wore on the sun began to give out heat, drying the road and crumbling footpath, drying the overgrown grass verge, drying the hedgerow, drying her. The school children were the first to return past the spot where she was, reenacting the performance they gave on their school ward journey. And then, a few hours after the schoolchildren, came the commuters, tired and hungry, they too passing her for a second time that day, eager to be home.
The next day saw the same procession of human life pass by, but there was a marked difference. Even though the day had dawned with a pleasant Spring warmth, the commuters pulled their coats around them, ever tighter, cocooning them, as if to protect them from an unseen and un-understood danger. Their heads were bent as the previous day, but there was no wind to battle, no rain to soak.
The older children on their way to school were accompanied by sombre adults, there was no larking around, no giving voice to their youthful high spirits on this day, there was silence. Fretful mothers kept the younger children close, there was no running out and skipping in front, little hands were firmly grasped.
The older children on their way to school were accompanied by sombre adults, there was no larking around, no giving voice to their youthful high spirits on this day, there was silence. Fretful mothers kept the younger children close, there was no running out and skipping in front, little hands were firmly grasped.
The elderly lady was not alone today, today she walked alongside her neighbour on their way to the village. It was not a day to walk alone. Their conversation was in hushed, sad tones. "......yes, it is awful, I heard it on the local news this morning. I don't know what the world is coming to, to be snatched off the street yards from your own front door, and she was so young. I do hope they find her before......." And they passed on by, their conversation now dwindling with the distance they put between themselves and her.
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