The ghost who walks

It was ten years to the day that it happened.

My son Thomas told me ten years to the day before the fateful event.

We were walking on the pavement and stopped at the pelican crossing.

"Dad, said Thomas. You will be dead in ten years."

I turned round and said;

"Where did you get that idea from, Thomas?.

"I don't know dad, it just came to me."

We looked right and left, Thomas held my hand as we walked to the other side of the road.

I was fifty on that day, the day that Thomas had the intuition of my death.

I had split up with his mum and I was renting a room in a house near the centre of town.

Looking back, I suppose I should have taken more care of myself when the twister came calling, but how can you prevent your own death?.

We went home to his mum and I thought nothing more about what Thomas had said. I sat on the kitchen chair and Thomas joined me as we ate our evening meal. I looked out of the kitchen window; Jasper the cat was playing in the garden. Cresta, Ginger and the rest of the guinea pigs were nibbling the grass on the lawn.

In the background, the modern chilled out classical sounds filled the room.

Ten seconds later, the music stopped playing and the announcers' voice came on air.

"Ladies and gentlemen, an unusually fast low pressure system is coming our way."

My head turned towards the radio and I put my knife and fork down on the table as I listened to the announcer.

"Hurricane force winds are coming, the predicted time of arrival is twenty-four hours."

"Is it going to be a twister dad?", Enquired Thomas.

"Maybe, maybe," I said gently as I stood up.

The year of my sixtieth birthday arrived and so did the twisters. The first reported twisters started just after midnight on January the first. Soon after, they became a natural occurrence in the world.

The night of my death was no different from any other night. I was driving Thomas home from college and there was a report of a twister in the vicinity.

"Drive faster dad," said Thomas.

"No need to, we will arrive home in good time," I said as I eased my foot off the accelerator.

"Dad, don't stop. There is a twister behind us," Screamed Thomas.

I looked at the rear view mirror and sure enough, a twister was following in our wake. The tip of the twister touched the road and its funnel shape grew wider as it reached up to the sky.

I pushed the accelerator down to the floor and the car surged ahead.

"Go dad, go." screamed Thomas.

I glanced at the rear view mirror and saw that the twister was still there.

"Listen Thomas, I screamed over the noise of the twister. We will not make it. The twister will overtake us."

I looked into Thomas's eyes.

"I love you Thomas, I said."

"I know dad," he replied.

Tears ran down my cheeks.

"I know what you are going to do dad," said Thomas.

I nodded my head as sadness started in my heart.

"I want to go with you dad," screamed Thomas.

I leaned towards Thomas and the passenger door and as I flung Thomas from the car, I shouted these words to him;

"Thomas, I love you. I will forever walk this earth to protect you."

The nights of the twisters are many. I look around and see them everywhere. Some cause havoc and destruction, the others blow a gentle breeze on the land as they go on their way.

I look out for Thomas and protect him from the twisters.

Now, there is a way in which you can divert the force of a twister. The way you do it is! No! Why should I tell you?. When I meet you, I will tell you.

Anyway, my job is to protect Thomas from the twisters, for I am the ghost who walks.

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