The Sudden Appearance of Hope

by Claire North

Feet on pedals, hand on steering wheel, I never passed the test but I can drive, a survival skill, a discipline, my dad would be furious, breaking the law, a child of mine, but my mum would understand. You do what you must, when you cross the desert, she says. The rituals you make, the devotions you perform, they are what binds you to yourself. If you do not have them, if you have not found them within you, you are nothing, and the desert is all. I’m proud of you, says Mum from the passenger seat, smiling at the blurring sky. I’m proud of you, Hope Arden. Thanks, Mum. Hey – Mum? Yes, dear? When you saw the edge of the desert, what did you feel? Honestly? I felt sad to be leaving the desert behind. But I kept on walking anyway.