… there she was again. Maybe thirty meters in front and about to round the corner.

Sudden surge forward. I couldn’t miss her this time. And yet there she was at the next corner about to take a right still thirty meters ahead. I was determined this time I would get level. A sprint and quick right, and where was she? Hold on, maybe to the left just the bottom of her long flowing coat. Another sprint and a left, and yes there thirty meters in front she was. I must be catching her as now; I could again see her. And another sprint but still after the next left, well twenty-five meters maybe. I was going to make it after all. Then she took a right. OK another sprint and this time only twenty meters away. I wanted to call out to her but…

A light rain was falling now gently coating all the grimy grey buildings and grimy grey pavements and grimy grey roads and my grimy grey face and grimy grey clothes and grimy grey shoes. But a relief after the bursts of energy. Only fifty meters away now I was closing. Another burst and a left following her, and now down to forty-five meters. The smell of the falling drizzle, and the cooling of it welcoming, but the covering of everything in a mist of grey so nothing really could any longer be sharply made out, not welcome. But I barely noticed this as I ran on. I had to reach her. It was so important because if I didn’t…

And even closer now maybe only sixty meters away I would catch her yet before the now shining sun was obscured in cloud. Somehow this was important but I didn’t know why and I could see her clearly in front with her long coat obscuring all detail of her, and for some reason I couldn’t make out her hair. I thought it had been long but it just didn’t look that way now. Maybe hidden in the coat or…

I needed to get to her as she rounded that corner in front. My lungs panting now and my heart pounding not helped by the oppressive heat of the scorching sun but I’m sure I was closing on her. Not even a hundred meters in it anymore. Soon I would be with her and could tell her what I needed to. Tell her that thing which was so important. That thing that was going to change everything. That thing that once spoken would leave me liberated and free, and happy and fulfilled and make everything all right. I was going to tell her…

And I wanted to call out to her but the distance was too long. And I wanted to call out to her more than anything. And I wanted to call out to her as driven by some passion or need that was beyond explaining, and I wanted to call out to her but didn’t want to shock her with a scream from so close to her. And I wanted to call out to her, and I didn’t even know why or what I should call, and I couldn’t even remember her name but I knew her well. I knew her so, so very well that it hurt she was so far. That it hurt she was so close and yet still out of reach. And I didn’t know her at all, but desperately wanted to know her. And I didn’t know her at all, and feared approaching her for what she may be, or what I may see, or what I may be. And I didn’t know her, and wanted to never see her again, and turn and run as fast as I could in the opposite direction, but I couldn’t as I was pulled on by something which would not let me deviate. I wanted to see her. I wanted to know her. I didn’t want to see her, and I didn’t want to know her. But whether I wanted or not and whether I knew her or not, or whether it would be for good or bad or nothing in particular at all I still had to find her, to reach her, to touch her and to know her.

As she rounded the corner I was almost on her and maybe with one last surge I could do it. Pushing my body faster I rounded the corner, but no she was still maybe one hundred and twenty meters away. But I could still do this. And I wanted to call out to her but when I tried…

*****

… there she was again. Maybe thirty meters in front and about to round the corner.

Sudden surge forward. I couldn’t miss her this time. And yet there she was at the next corner about to take a right still thirty meters ahead. I was determined this time I would get level. A sprint and quick right, and where was she? Hold on maybe to the left just the bottom of her long flowing coat. Another sprint and a left, and yes there thirty meters in front she was. I must be catching her now; I could again see her. And another sprint but still after the next left well twenty-five meters maybe. I was going to make it after all. Then she took a right. OK another sprint and this time only twenty meters away. I wanted to call out to her but…

A light rain was falling now gently coating all the grimy grey buildings and grimy grey pavements and grimy grey roads and my grimy grey face and grimy grey clothes and grimy grey shoes. But a relief after the bursts of energy. Only fifty meters away now I was closing. Another burst and a left following her, and down to forty-five meters. The smell of the falling drizzle and the cooling of it welcoming but the covering of everything in a mist of grey so nothing really could any longer be sharply made out, not welcome. But I barely noticed this as I ran on. I had to reach her. It was so important because if I didn’t…

*****

Lita is an enigmatic story similar in style to The Wedding Party and Twins. If you enjoyed Lita you may enjoy these other two.