This story is meant to be read while listening to a particular piece of music, Mahler's Symphony No.2 "The Resurrection". It would be nice to think that readers streamed it from their music service of choice and did that. It is freely available across the internet.
Making Love To Mahler.
Allegro Maestoso.
When the lightning first lit the sky, Summer stopped what she was doing and looked out of the window and waited. She counted silently, one ... two ... three ... four. Then it came, not so much a crash but a low rumble that built to a crescendo. It echoed between the surrounding hills. She loved thunderstorms, their power and frightening beauty. She felt the thunder viscerally through her body. The storm was close. She knew it was on its way, almost constant rain had been threatening to grow into something bigger all afternoon and now the world was beginning to darken an hour earlier than usual. She watched the heavy clouds roll across the dark sky. Then the inevitable happened, the power went and she was plunged into darkness.
She let her eyes slowly adjust before walking across the kitchen to the drawer where she kept her torch. This was a regular occurrence and she was always prepared. She switched on the torch and went to find her oil lamps. No point in complaining or getting upset, they would do what they could, and power would be restored soon enough. It was out of her hands. She walked into the living room to the cupboard next to the front door where she kept her lamps. On the way she stopped by the window and started to draw the curtains. Something, she wasn't sure what, caught her eye. A movement, a change in the familiar scene. She glimpsed it again by the gate. She switched off the torch trying to see better and peered through the glass. Again something moved. Definitely not some litter blown in the wind but it was hard to make out through the gloom and the pouring rain. Whatever it was moved closer coming in through the gate into the yard. A stray animal? No, a person. A person pushing a bicycle. It was by now too dark to make out much more than that.
Summer watched as the person made their way to the barn just inside the gate. She wondered who it might be. She had a few friends locally that might come and visit on a bike but not on a night like this. Moorland folk knew when to stay indoors. She watched as the person cautiously made their way to the open door of the barn. Summer cursed herself for not getting it together sooner to mend the door which was now propped up just inside having come off its rusty hinges a few weeks ago. With a final look round the intruder disappeared inside.
Summer sat down on the window seat. She could still just about make out the shape of the barn and the dark hole where the door should be. Another sudden flash of lightning made her jump and lit up the familiar view. There was no sign of anything strange or new. Out of habit she counted the seconds to the thunderclap. The storm was getting closer and it seemed that the rain was even more intense. For a while she sat still looking into the dark wondering what she should do. She reached over and picked up the phone and put it to her ear. As she expected, no dialling tone.
Slowly she went through her options. She couldn't think that anyone could wish her harm personally and it was a very strange burglar that came on a bike. They'd made no attempt to come to the house so it was definitely a stranger. But it seemed from their actions that it was a stranger that posed no threat. Thoughts of weary and rain-soaked travellers seeking shelter from the storm flashed across her mind. It was a better choice than a stray mad axeman. She smiled to herself. Only one way to find out and that was to go out there and have a look. How did the phrase go? "What's the worst thing that could happen?"
She finished closing the curtain and grabbed the two oil lamps from their hook in the cupboard. Once she had them lit and put on the kitchen table things seemed much brighter. She pulled on her waterproof jacket and wellies and took a firm grip on her torch. She hefted it in her hand. It was comfortingly tough and heavy. Taking a deep breath she opened the front door and was immediately hit by the wind and rain. She stepped outside and closed the door firmly behind her. Without switching her torch on she walked across the yard to the barn. Once there she was sheltered from the worst of the wind and rain and she stopped just outside the gaping door and listened carefully. Despite the rain and wind she could make out the sound of movement and then, suddenly, a muffled voice. "Oh shit." What surprised Summer the most was that it was a woman's voice. She suddenly felt less nervous. Taking a deep breath she switched on her torch and stepped into the doorway and shone it around the barn. The beam caught the pale and frightened face of a woman in her late twenties who jumped at Summer's sudden entrance and instinctively put her hands in the air, a look of terror on her ashen face.
"Oh fuck. I'm sorry ..." and her voiced tailed off.
Summer quickly realised that the woman had no idea who or what was behind the torch.
In as gentle a voice as she could manage she tried to calm the woman down. "It's ok, I was just wondering who was sneaking into my barn. It's a really shit night out," she added trying to calm her down.
To emphasise her point another bolt of lightning struck followed almost immediately by a very loud burst of thunder.
"Must be nearly overhead," Summer said.
She lowered the beam of the torch so that it didn't shine directly into the woman's eyes. She could see a bicycle leaning up against some hay bales behind the woman fully laden with panniers one of which was gaping open. There was a bag of what appeared to be clothes at her feet. A waterproof jacket was draped over a couple of hay bales still slowly dripping onto the floor. Summer flashed the torch beam back to the woman. She was wearing a dark t-shirt and what appeared to be black waterproof over-trousers. Her hair was a windswept rain-sodden mess. Summer moved slowly sideways and sat on a straw bale. The woman gradually relaxed as any threat diminished.
"So, what brings you a-visiting on a night like this?" asked Summer.
"I got lost", came the pathetic voice in reply.
"But why were you even out there, today of all days?"
"I'm trying to be on holiday. But to be honest I don't really know. I must be crazy."
"So you thought a nice pleasant bike ride across the moors in a thunderstorm was a good idea?"
"Dumb or what," replied the girl.
"Hey we all do mad things at times."
"Look, I'm sorry about trespassing in your barn. The house was pitch black and I thought no one was at home. I'll pack up and move on."
"The house is dark because we have our usual power cut. It happens all the time up here. And as for moving on don't be daft. Where else are you going to go?"
"I could find a B&B I suppose," she replied mournfully.
"Great idea. Another five miles in this," Summer swept her arm towards the doorway, "and anyway Molly's shut for the winter." She let that slowly sink in before she continued, "You hungry?"
The woman looked bemused.
"I ride a bike and it always makes me hungry. I have a pot of stew on the stove and my kettle's always on."
"It's ok honestly, I'll be alright. If I can just stay in here overnight."
"Don't be daft, I'll enjoy the company for dinner. There's plenty to go round. Just grab what you need and follow me."
Summer stood up and went to stand by the door of the barn. If anything the rain was even heavier than before. The woman seemed to hesitate for a moment before grabbing her jacket from where it was draped over the bales and picking up the bag in front of her. She walked shyly towards the door. Summer led the way as they both scurried across the yard to the front door. The welcoming light of the oil lamps greeted them as Summer opened the door and ushered the woman inside. Summer closed the door and kicked off her wellies and hung her jacket in the cupboard before turning to the woman. She reached out and grabbed the jacket from the woman who stood statue-like just inside the door.
"This will need drying out before ..." Summer stopped as she felt the inside of the jacket. "Oh dear the rain's gone right through this. Are you soaked everywhere?"
