Rendezvous

She stood there alone like a proud, unwavering reed refusing to bow down to the swirling winds of change. Her lush brown hair framed a face angelic in its austere beauty. A gentle breeze wafted by as the blood red sun prepared to bid farewell to a balmy evening. She leant her frame against the wall, as if for a moment faltering under a great burden. Her eyes closed and her face bent forward as she fell into a stupor. The rumble of the incoming train broke the spell, however, and she heaved a forlorn sigh at being greeted back on earth.

It wasn't her train. The mass of living, breathing humanity snaked its way out and thundered past. The oppressively vulgar intrusion disgusted her as always and she found herself turning away, face knotted in disapproval. The dust flew up in its wake, almost choking her with acrid surprise. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked at her watch. Her train was late. She looked up and saw him.

He walked with a slight swagger. He had seemed in an awful hurry as he ran up the stairs but the sight of an empty platform seemed to come as a pleasant surprise as he puffed out his cheeks and smiled at his good fortune. His face had a curious familiar quality that surprised her and she looked away. When she looked back, he was looking at her. His expression was neutral, almost excessively so, an inscrutable mask she found hard to penetrate. She looked away quickly and tried to go back to thinking what she had been thinking. Her mind, however, had gone blank, and she found herself turning back in his direction.

He was leaning against the railing, looking down. He sighed almost imperceptibly, and for a fleeting second looked years older. He shook his head and muttered something to himself before flicking a glance at her. She looked away again, this time determined not to return the gaze. Something was happening between the two strangers, intangible, ephemeral and strangely sad. She looked back involuntarily and for the second time their gaze locked. A hint of a smile on his lips seemed to melt her heart and she felt like dropping all inhibitions at her feet and bounding into his arms. But the roar of the train, and gushing humanity interrupted her yet again and this time when the dust had lifted, he was no longer there.