She could feel it descending. Her forehead wrinkled in anxiety. A dark cloud in her perfect blue sky. She drew a steady breath and turned away. It happened sometimes. There was nothing to worry about; they never lasted too long. Eventually, they faded. Besides, she had too much on her mind, and maybe, if she didn’t give it any attention, it would go away. Maybe. It’ll go away, she thought purposefully calm, if I pay it no mind. 

So she continued on, back turned to the dark cloud growing steadily behind her. When it peaked its inky-tendrils into her line of sight she shooed it away. Go away, she thought, I don’t have time for you right now. If she stayed preoccupied, it couldn’t reach her, not with her shield of perpetual business. Don’t have time for you. 

She realized that she could add her other grievances and sorrows to the cloud, casting them over her shoulder and feeding them to her pitch shadow. But now if she peaked out of the corner of her eye, the storm behind her was impenetrable. Don’t think about it, so busy right now… It was so close now. Too close. Busy, so so busy… 

It had reached her. Wrapping around her shoulders, pushing her to her knees. So  busy… Curling over her eyes and dimming her vision.  So busy… It was climbing inside her ears now.  So … too hard…to think… Where had her blue sky gone? The shadow was wrapping around her neck now. And then it was dark. It’s here. 

Her storm cloud smiled,  Hello again…