Tallulah Motion was driving her Jaguar XK 120 along Lamont towards the Kings Park area of the city

She watched as the street lamps passed lazily in sequence

Some of the bars and shops were still open but on the whole the street was quiet

She turned into Graham in the general direction of the city museum

But she knew she had a problem

Why at three in the morning was she driving around the streets of the city when she should have been sleeping in her bed?

When Patrick was away she never went out after dark as she had heard of so many awful things happening

She turned again into Mayfair and intended to take the second left into Lexicon and onwards to her house which she knew to be some ten miles away

As she approached the main storm drain that led out of the city she felt her car lurch then it stalled

She put her foot on the gas but only received a muted response

Why was her beautiful car playing up especially in this part of town?

She stopped opposite the slip road that lead to the vast concrete bowl that was the main storm drain for the city

The engine died

A minute later she started the engine again

Nothing

It was then that Tallulah realised that she was out of gas

She had intended to fill up on the way back from the airport after seeing Patrick off but had neglected to do so

What a place to run out of gas of all the places in Jefferson what a place to run out of gas

She looked at the area around her

It was well lit but menacing and she knew that a man had been shot to death not far from where she was parked a week previously

Tallulah felt nervous but knew that she would have to keep a cool head and not panic

She had three options

1 – just wait until a patrol car came along and flag them down and ask for help

2 – just wait until daybreak which was about three hours away and when it was safe resolve the situation

3- Panic

In the distance Tallulah could hear the loud beat of a ghetto blaster which was getting louder and louder by the second

Fuck fuck fuck why did they have to take this road?

The car swung into view and Tallulah slid deeply into her seat hoping not to be spotted

Nothing happened the car and its noisy passengers just floated by without incident

As she congratulated herself on passing the first test Tallulah noticed rain drops had begun to hit the dashboard

At first there was one then two and then ten then twenty then fifty then one hundred

It was raining hard

Tallulah pressed the release to operate the automatic hood but nothing happened

The car was dead

She remained crouched in the well of her car hoping for some reason to keep dry which she knew to be ridiculous

The rain torrential as it was only lasted about five minutes

Tallulah watched as a small puddle formed in the well

She was soaked and so was her beautiful car everything was soaked

It was as she sat up that she saw a brightly coloured fish in the puddle

What are you doing here?

Writing a best seller what do you think?

You were not here before it rained

Obviously

Are you a clown fish?

No I am an orange and white marlin

What are you doing in the well of my car?

I dunno I was minding my own business in the aquarium with all the other fish when WHAM there was a bang and I ended up here staring at your toe polish

I should not be here you know

No really I thought you had this thing about storm drains

What shall we do?

Tell you what let’s talk for the next ten minutes while this puddle evaporates and you can watch me suffocate

Shall I put down the drain there is one over there?

Wonderful apart from drowning I will die surrounded by turds

What would you like me to do?

Well treat me with respect

I am as scared as you are

What is your name?

Tallulah

Well Tallulah I have plan lift me gently out of this puddle and without squashing me walk down to the storm drain and release me there and I will swim towards the sea

But is so dangerous down there

Look it is so fucking late that all the muggers and rapists have gone home and any junkies you might find are so spaced out that they think they are rose bushes

Tallulah gently picked the clown fish up and climbed out of the car she had moved about three paces when she stopped

What’s up now?

I have forgotten my sneakers I always drive barefoot

You know I have one minute or maybe two left before I suffocate in terrible pain and you are worried that you are not wearing your sneakers

Tallulah crossed the road and walked down the slip towards the wide storm drain but found that she was faced by a high gate which was padlocked

Shall I climb over?

No just bring a pencil and pad and we can both sketch the gate just get a move on Tallulah

There is a gap in the fence over there

Then take it

With difficulty Tallulah squeezed through the fence and found herself in the vast concrete bowl of the storm drain

She crouched and was about to release the clown fish

No not here Tallulah there is not enough water for a gnat to bathe go over there and release me into the main flow

Tallulah walked a few more yards and found herself knee deep in the flowing water

Is this ok?

It will do

She released the fish which swam away at pace

Have a safe journey fish

After a false start Tallulah made it back to her car which had not been stolen as she had feared

The car although damp was drying quickly and Tallulah sat in the driver’s seat

She tried to start the engine again but it was still dead

The first seeds of dawn were breaking over the towers in the business district of the city and this gave Tallulah a warm safe feeling

Although it had rained the air was still quite humid and soon Tallulah’s eyes felt heavy

I must not sleep I must not sleep

Were the last words she remembered saying to herself

When she awoke she found herself in a strange but familiar room

It was the spare room of Mr and Mrs Brunheims house who lived opposite

She and Patrick had helped decorate it when Mr Brunheims had been in hospital

But was she doing there?

As she rose from the bed she suddenly realised she was naked

She looked around the room for her clothes but they were not there

Indeed there was nothing in the room save for a large wooden chest which appeared to be locked

She looked out of the window and could see her house opposite

The Jaguar XK 120 was sitting in the drive where she had parked it

Tallulah considers her options

She had three options

1 – to creep out of the house unnoticed and run across the crescent as fast as she could using the bushes as cover

2- to leave the Brunheims house by the back entrance and cut across the vacant lot towards her house it was more exposed but there was less chance of being caught

3 – Panic

She opened the door of the room quietly

The house seemed empty

Good the Brunheims must be out

Tallulah had decided on option two she would leave the house by back entrance

It would only then be a quick run across the waste ground and she could let herself into her house using the key that she kept hidden for emergencies

She crept down the rear stairs that led to the kitchen from where she could see the rear door

Her plan was going well

Good morning my dear I am glad you are awake we thought we would let you sleep in

Mr and Mrs Brunheims were sitting at their kitchen table having breakfast

They were both as naked as Tallulah

Where are my clothes?

You were not wearing any when you knocked at the door last night

But I was driving and most certainly wearing clothes

No you were as naked as you are now when you woke us up

We kind of figured that you had got scared in that big house on your own and needed company

Did I talk to you?

For a while but you were very tired so we put you in the spare room as you badly needed the rest

Why are you naked?

We are nudists you know we are

Such a relaxing lifestyle we always walk around our house naked

You have always said you would like to try it well here you are in all your glory

I suppose I am

Coffee?