Toorak

Elizabeth hastily made her way down the street. The rain soaking her as she walked. Visibly upset, shocked, and confused. Suddenly, through the noise of the driving rain she heard a voice shouting, “Elizabeth, please stop”. She stopped, turned around and saw that Jack had followed her. He pleaded, “Please, give me one minute to speak to you. If what I have to say about John doesn’t interest you, you’ll never see me again”. Elizabeth was desperate to get rid of him, however, found herself curious by his persistence. “You’ve got one minute, what about John”, she said. At that moment the heavy rain subsided and was replaced by sunshine that reflected off the wet floor. Jack composed himself and said, “I’m john”. Elizabeth looked at him, confused and said, “You just said your name is Jack”. “It is, but John William Davies, your ex-fiancée was killed in a traffic accident at ten am on Friday 16^th August 2002”, he said. “How do you know this?” interrupted Elizabeth. “I was born at one pm on Friday 16^th August 2002. I’m the reincarnation of John”. Elizabeth looked at him, confused, shocked, disgusted, “That’s ridiculous, what a load of rubbish. There’s no such thing as reincarnation. Why are you telling me this?” she replied with anger in her voice. “When I was about five, I started telling my parents that I’d lived here before, that my name was John and I used to live in a house that had four apple trees in the garden that my mum used to make pies with” he said. Elizabeth looked at him, the look of confusion on her face now seemed permanent, “This is crazy” she said. “As I got older, I started telling my parents even more details about John, he was born 13^th July 1982, he had a sister called Claire, his mum and dad were called Pat and Mark. They thought it was just me playing up but, they started checking out details of what I was saying, and it was true. Then I told them about you” Jack said. “Me?” replied Elizabeth. “Yes, you were born on 23^rd October 1981, your mum and dad are called Sue and Mark, same as John’s dad. We met at school and started going out on 27^th November 1997. Your house didn’t have a number, it had a name” Elizabeth couldn’t believe it. “This is crazy, I can’t listen to this” she said. Elizabeth walked away from Jack. “You’ve got six freckles on your left thigh that John used to say looked like the numbers on some dice” he shouted to as she walked away. Elizabeth stopped dead in her track and turned to face him. “No, no, you haven’t told me anything that isn’t not known by anyone else. If you want me to believe this, tell me something that only me and John would know” she said. Jack composed himself, “On the morning John died, you were in hospital having an abortion” he said, Elizabeth stared at Jack flabbergasted, a single tear ran down her cheek. “Oh my god” she said. “Elizabeth, this is why I had to find you, I’m, sorry John is so sorry that he didn’t go with you that morning, he hates himself for not going with you. He was being silly, stupid, and immature, he should have respected your decision, he knows you both weren’t in the right place in your lives to have a baby, he’s sorry” Jack said. Elizabeth began to cry. “Oh my god, John, it is you” she said. Elizabeth hugged him and held him tight. “I can’t believe this” she said. “I know the reason I had to find you and I know what you need to ask me,” said Jack. Elizabeth composed herself, “Why did you kill yourself?” she asked, tears running down her cheeks. Jack dropped his head, tears welled in his eyes, “Elizabeth, they told you I drove into that truck on purpose, it’s not true. I was upset that day, I didn’t want you to get an abortion, I refused to come the hospital with you, but I saw sense. I couldn’t let you go through that alone; I was on my way to the hospital to be with you. A cat ran into the road, it made me swerve into the truck. It was an accident, not suicide. I’m so sorry” he said. “I’ve lived all these years, thinking I killed you” Elizabeth said, tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, you never,” said Jack. Elizabeth continued to cry, Jack took hold of both her hands and continued to speak, “The only person who did anything wrong that day was me, I should have been with you. I let you down, I’m so sorry”. “I’ve never been able to move on”, said Elizabeth. “Now you can, and you must. You don’t have to be a prisoner of your grief anymore”, said Jack.

The torrential rain of earlier had now fully given way to brilliant sunshine. Elizabeth and Jack walked the streets, sharing nostalgic memories of their past. Elizabeth, still not quite believing what was going on but so happy it was. The burden of grief that had weighed her down for over twenty years lifted bit by bit with each step walked and each word spoken. “John’s poor mum and dad, never got to know the truth”, Jack said. “They knew the truth”, Elizabeth replied. Jack looked at her confused, “What do you mean?”, he enquired. “They were so heartbroken after the accident, they both died within a year of heart attacks supposedly, they died of broken hearts, but they never ever accepted that John committed suicide”, said Elizabeth. Jack, tears welling in his eyes once more replied, “I didn’t know that. That’s so sad but comforting that they died believing that”. “I agree, they were lovely people and so nice to me”, Elizabeth replied.

Still walking, talking. Elizabeth and Jack reached her house. The house with no name that Elizabeth now lived in alone since the death of her parents. Reaching the driveway they stopped. “This house brings back a lot of memories, especially your mum’s roast dinners”, Jack said. Elizabeth smiled, “She did make a great roast”, she replied. “I have got one thing I would like to know”, said Elizabeth. “What’s that?”, replied Jack. Smiling, Elizabeth asked, “Remember that year I went to Kos with the girls?”. “Sure do, why?”, replied Jack looking confused. “Did you snog Lisa Wilson while I was away?”, asked Lisa with a smile on her face. Jack laughed, “I did, I’m sorry”, he replied looking sheepish. Elizabeth smiled and playfully slapped his arm, “knew it”, she said. “It’s time for me to go”, Jack said. “Can we meet again?”, asked Lisa. Jack looked at her, “I don’t think that’s a good idea Elizabeth. I came here to release you from that burden of guilt”, Jack said. Elizabeth looked shocked, confused, and disappointed, “but, after all these years you’ve come back to me”, she pleaded. Jack sighed, “Elizabeth, I used to be John, but I’m Jack. I came to you so you could let go of John and move on with your life, safe in the knowledge that his death had nothing to do with anything you did. I’ve done that now”, Said Jack. Tears, once more welled up in Elizabeth’s eyes, “I’ve got so much more to ask you, to say to you”, Elizabeth pleaded. “You must move on with your life. I’m dying Elizabeth,” said Jack. Elizabeth, shocked by Jack’s words replied, “What? What do you mean dying?”. “I’ve got a brain tumour, there’s nothing they can be done for me. That’s why it was so important I came and told you the truth about John, before it was too late”, said Jack. Elizabeth looking shocked embraced him, “Jack, I’m so sorry. The hell you’re going through and you’re doing this for me” she said. “It was the right thing to do. Now it’s time for me to leave”, said Jack. They hugged again tightly before releasing and taking hold of each other’s hands. “Goodbye Elizabeth, and good luck. You deserve to be happy”, Jack said. Elizabeth with tears running down her cheeks, “Thank you, for everything”, she said. They smiled at each other. Jack let go of Elizabeth’s hands and turned to leave. Elizabeth watched as he walked down the street and out of view, tears still running down her cheeks. Elizabeth composed herself, turned and made her way up the driveway, past the sign attached to the garden wall instead of a house number, a name, TOORAK. She entered the house, closing the door behind her.

The Past

A young girl is sitting at a table in the school library, outside driving rain pounds the windows, she’s surrounded by textbooks, scribbling down notes in an exercise book. Lost in deep concentration, she hasn’t noticed the young lad approach the desk. “The rain hasn’t stopped since the machines took control”, Said the young lad. The young girl startled, and confused looks up at him, “what are you talking about John?”, she said. “Sorry Elizabeth, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. Andy dared me to come up to you and say that”, said John, feeling embarrassed now. “Andy Wilson dared you to say that to me?”, asked Elizabeth. “Yes”, John replied. “The same Andy Wilson who eats sprout butties for lunch?”, asked Elizabeth. In response John nodded with an embarrassed, wry smile. “Andy Wilson ate his own hair last week for 50p”, said Elizabeth. “I know”, John replied with a laugh. “This is who’s giving you your chat up lines?” asked Elizabeth. Feeling even more embarrassed John replied, “good point, sorry, I don’t know what to say”. Elizabeth looked at John, a broad smile broke out on her face. “Why don’t you just ask me the question that you came over to ask”, Elizabeth said. John smiled back nervously, “Okay, do you want to go to the school disco on Friday? With me?” he asked. “I’d like that”, she replied. Relieved and wearing a huge grin John said, “great, what time should I knock for you?”. “About seven”, suggested Elizabeth. John nodded, “sounds good, see you Friday”, he replied as he turned to leave, still feeling embarrassed by the situation. “John”, shouted Elizabeth after him. He turned to face her. “You’ll need my address, won’t you?”, she asked. John smiled, “It would help”, he replied. “Wethersfield road”, she said. “Posh, what number?”, John replied teasingly with a smile. “Our house hasn’t got a number, it’s got a name, Toorack” Elizabeth replied. Smirking, John replied, “very posh”. He turned and made his way out of the library. Elizabeth watched him leave, a happy smile on her face, she returned to her textbooks. Outside, the torrential rain had subsided, giving way to brilliant sunshine. It felt good on John’s face.

The Future

In a busy coffee shop an older lady has sought refuge from a deluge outside. Sat nursing a cup of coffee she people watched. Couples, young and old, friends, families sit together drinking, eating, and were going about their lives. As she watched on, a gentle smile appeared on her face, she hadn’t noticed a young man approach her table, “The rain hasn’t stopped since the machines took control”, said the young man. A broad smile spread across the lady’s face. She looked up to face him, “Hello Elizabeth”, said the young man. Still smiling Elizabeth replied, “Hello”. The rain outside subsided and brilliant sunshine filled the café.