Running Up A Storm

Tanya let her eyes roam the overhead sky as she stretched in preparation for her run.  Slightly grey and hazy, a firm breeze whipping around her body; a storm was definitely on the way.  She set off at an easy jog.  Out here, in the open air, it was just her and the road.  No complications, no histrionics, no hesitancy--just one foot pounding the pavement in front of the other.  Tanya increased her pace, letting the repetitive thunder of striking feet wash over her charged nerves in a soothing flood.  Life was hard, but this--this was easy. 

Lost in the rhythm of flight, she was surprised when the sound of thunder echoed across the sky.  She lifted her eyes to catch a flash of lightening and noted the immediate accompaniment of thunder.  The storm was close.  She kept running.  In her mind, the thump of each foot as it hit the ground resounded ten times as loudly as the thunder in the air.  Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.  With every stride, she released a little more tension, letting the voltaic resonance inside trickle into the pavement below.  She reached her halfway point. 

As she turned, Tanya felt the first drop of rain catch her cheek.  Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.  The thunder overhead was now vibrating the surrounding air as it roared out the arrival of the storm.  The sprinkling skies opened further to allow a steady stream of rain.  Tanya kept running.  The drops felt refreshing on her overheated skin.  She slowly allowed the day's stress to fade from her mind.  What would happen, would eventually happen.  There was nothing she could do now to change the outcome.  Breathe in. Thump. Thump. Breathe out. Thump. Thump. Her lungs protested the effort, but she was almost there.  Cool, earthy air in; stress and worries breathed out.  She slowed to a jog as the clouds above wrenched open and delivered their contents in a deluge of cold, refreshing water. 

Tanya stopped.  She leaned over, hands on her knees, and closed her eyes.  Her heart was pounding.  Breathe in.  Thumpthumpthumpthump.  Breathe out.  Thumpthumpthumpthump.  With each breath out, she exhaled the nervous energy with which she'd been practically thrumming all day.  Finally, her heartbeat slowed, returning to normal.  She stood back up, allowing her head to fall back; she stretched into the rain as it washed over her.  She felt serene.  She felt rejuvenated.  She felt clean.  Tanya opened her eyes and turned to go inside.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Don't give in.  Don't be shut out.  Time to bring the storm. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, this is my first creative piece in nearly 5 years.  I can already see things I need/want to improve on, but the truth is that I am simply too tired to go back and make those changes right now.  Also, I wanted to see how my first piece would go, without editing it.  This is raw and unedited; so I apologize for the grammatical errors.  Please let me know what you think!  I'm not easy to offend, and I'm very open to critique :D  Thanks for even taking the time to read!