Elizabeth

It started with the rain. She stood in the driveway, arms spread out next to her and stared up at the sky. The clouds were dark gray and the trees looked black. When the raindrops started hitting her cheeks, she smiled. She felt the cold and the warmth and smiled at the sky.

Her name was Elizabeth and she loved the rain.

Her jeans were speckled darker from the rain and her tank top clung to her skin. But she smiled and continued on, ignoring the thunder and the lightning in the sky.

She was happy.

I fell in love with Elizabeth that day, when it started to rain.

She twirled around, laughing as it poured. She pulled the elastic band from her hair and shook it out, letting the rain seep into it. Elizabeth hadn't a care in the world and when she turned to look at me, I smiled.

She beckoned me to come outside with her, but I was too paralyzed with watching the way she danced as the raindrops hit her skin. It was summer and too warm, but she was ecstatic as the water washed over her.

She toed off her shoes and danced along the grass, stopping to wiggle her toes on the dampened concrete.

She was my angel, my dancing angel that loved the rain.

Elizabeth was beautiful, even as her hair clung to her face and her makeup smeared under her eyes.

I loved her with all my heart and she loved me with all her strength.

Elizabeth turned to look back to me, where I stood in the doorway of the house, watching her.

She smiled at me and spread her arms wide, twirling as fast as she could.

"Elizabeth," I called out, wanting her to stop, wanting her took look at me with those cool, gray eyes.

My voice barely reached above a whisper, but she heard me above the noise of the downpour.

"Timothy," I heard her breath out, before the rain began to wash her away.

I took a step forward, rushing to reach her before she disappeared, but I jerked awake.

I sat upright in my bed, sweating and shaking, Elizabeth's name on my tongue.