Amor Fati: Episode 2 - The Boy on the Motorbike
by Elyse Harrison
Previous episodes
Fifteen years ago…
Knock, knock, knock.
From her bedroom, Clara could hear the faint sound of knuckles tapping on the front door. Her mother’s soft footsteps padded their way down the hallway and the door opened with a familiar creak. A male’s voice, though muffled, could be heard from the front porch.
Despite being unable to hear what the man said, the unfamiliar voice caused alarm to bloom within Clara’s chest. Leaving her unfinished homework, she quietly stepped into the hallway and hid behind a wall, now able to hear the conversation.
‘Yes, I’m Stacey Foster,’ Clara’s mother replied to the man’s previous question.
‘And are you the wife of Andrew Foster?’ the man clarified.
Clara’s mother strained to answer his question. ‘Y-yes.’ Her tone caused Clara’s heart rate to quicken.
The man cleared his throat. ‘I am sorry to inform you, but your husband was involved in a traffic collision on his way home from work this evening.’
Clara’s mother remained silent.
The man continued, ‘He was pronounced dead at the scene.’
What happened next, as Clara remembered it, was all a blur, like an old videotape in fast-forward. Her mother gasped for air and then collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably into the palms of her hands. The man, who Clara now realised was a police officer, caught her mother in his arms and gently lowered her to the ground. As quickly as her heart was pounding, and having barely processed what she’d just heard, Clara dashed out the back door, through the side gate, and sprinted down the street.
It was at the local park that Clara finally stopped running. Gasping for breath, she paused at an old eucalyptus tree, propping herself up against its wide trunk. She rested against the smooth bark and sank to the ground at its roots. The setting sun shone upon her face and coupled with the escaping body heat trapped beneath her jumper, she felt unusually warm. Once her breathing had calmed down, Clara uttered to herself, out loud, ‘My Dad is dead.’ She said it a few more times until she thought it had sunk in. She could feel elements of pain, anger and frustration swelling, all at once, inside her, but she was too exhausted to sort through all the emotion and squeeze out a tear. Instead, she just closed her eyes and tried to think of nothing.
The cast of a shadow over her face and the cold it brought caused Clara to eventually open her eyes. A person stood before her; however, she couldn’t make out who it was. The sun shone directly behind the individual, causing the person’s features to become obscured by darkness. Clara squinted and raised her hand to her brow in an attempt to discern who it was in front of her. In response, the figure crouched down out of the sun’s direct path. It was a young man from Clara’s year at high school, James Williams. His short but wavy black hair blew mildly in the building wind. His soft blue eyes were framed by a look of concern.
‘Are you alright?’ he asked her, his hands clasped before him.
Clara continued to look at him with squinted eyes. James had never associated with her before, which made her question his agenda. Sensing her suspicion, he stood up and took a step back. He pointed his thumb towards a motorcycle parked a short distance away.
‘Wanna go for a ride?’ he asked.
After a short pause, she answered, ‘Why would I want to do that?’ Her tone contained an element of scorn, but mostly it simply posed a question.
‘Well, why don’t you come with me and find out?’ James grinned, extending his hand towards her. His smile caused his eyes to twinkle, and, although she’d hate to admit it, Clara thought he looked handsome.
With one hand, she pushed against the tree to lift herself up. With the other, Clara took his outstretched hand.
About the Author: Elyse Harrison
Elyse Harrison is an environmental professional and writer based in Geelong. Her writing explores the connections between people, animals, history and the natural world, often weaving together themes of hope, grief, belonging, love, and environmental stewardship. Drawing inspiration from nature, philosophy, and the enduring relationships between humans and animals, she writes poetry and fiction that seeks to find meaning in the fleeting moments that shape our lives.
https://www.facebook.com/ElyseHarrisonWriter/
