The overcast sky is coincidentally gloomy on this especially chilly late afternoon.

Thick, dark-looking clouds hover continuously above, depicting the current state of

her inner emotions. Still standing all alone by a deserted path, she has long lost

touch of the sole purpose for which she ends up at this particularly obscure corner of

the street. Waiting for a person who may possibly never show up for the rest of her

life, she admits miserably that sheer naivety has been ingrained in her unyielding,

naturally vulnerable character. Next, she discovers that there is neither a missed call

nor text message received on her hand phone.

A startling roar of a distant thunder ensues and is followed by the sureness of a

heavy downpour. She daringly stretches out her bare hand, permitting overpowering

raindrops, descending like blunt, ticklish pins and needles to land on her soft palm.

The sensation cools and then ironically fuels reminders of all her tainted past motives.

She still has to question herself whether one ought to harbour regrets. Drawing back

her moistened hand, she covers her ear with it, as though in defence against every

perceivable criticism and unheard verbal assault. The mental turmoil she experiences

is enough to create unforgiving remorse within her to the extreme. She could have

screamed aloud in a dire attempt to release all suppressed hurts stemming from

mistreatment. Yet, what reaches into her audibly is the catchy rhythm of the falling

rain, as charming as the touching accompaniment of a long-forgotten children's

lullaby. It is sensitive to her silent cries, softly hushing her bitterness away into the

unreachable realm of nothingness. Calming her heartaches and reaching towards

each sensitive spot in her fragmented memories, she can feel the warm extension of

Mother Nature's sympathy. Like the rapidly turning needle of a priceless, ancient

compass, it humbly veers her life direction back in place, despite needing the

guaranteed assistance of time to patch up wounds inflicted by forceful bitterness.

She gradually removes her hand and hums to the tune of one of her favourite

bedtime songs. Learning to feel elated once more, the girl is only beginning to secure

a firm sense of her footing on the shifting grounds of struggles after all this while.

Under the lonesome rain, no one will ever understand how much she wishes for

things to be turned around, and to transform every single trace of her lingering

sorrows into joyful dancing.

Gazing up wistfully, she sees through the transparent surface of her umbrella, the

crystal-clear falling rainwater being loosed forth in random patterns from overweight

grey clouds above. She feels as though she can be like the bottled-up rain, eagerly

anticipating to be released from the burdensome cage of a hopeless situation. Then

afterwards, she will run freely into the vast expanse of this infinitely thrilling universe.

Following, she boldly hurls away her light umbrella from her rigid grasp. Letting the

pure rainwater sweeps through the entirety of her wearied soul, she opens wide her

drenched arms, breathing in the exhilarating scent of freedom. Once again allowing

all troubles through the years she had bore with like a wandering swallow, to settle

to a definite conclusion, she spins around and brushes aside her bangs, now all wet.

In a minute, she is able to behold a thin trail of the sun's brightness now breaking

through slowly but certainly from the edges of the strong clouds. Gasping relief, she

knows well that she has met with the promised, blazing light emerging from the end

of her torturing tunnel.

She fights back all tears...Even though a little trickle or two might fall, she lifts her

head high enough to force them flowing back in, her watery eyes sustaining their

unuttered stories of unrequited longings.

The rain now stops. She is thankful for the comforting heat which returns to soothe

her freezing body. A bittersweet smile appearing on her brightened face, she digs out

from her pocket a strip of fortune cookie message. While engrossed in reading the

short few-worded sentence, she begins to walk, taking the route back down the path

from where she first came, mood appeased and faith regained.