The Storm

2:20pm Wednesday 16th April 2008

An uncharacteristic gloom descended upon the scene and everything stood still, poised, waiting. To the west a foreboding darkness gathered and moved inexorably closer like an ocean tide gathering strength as it approaches. The air felt intense and an all-encompassing tension was becoming palpable. A lightening signature left its imprint across the distant sky - one, two, three, four ... a rumbling warning was audible in the distance. People hurried shouting, "Batten down the hatches" "Gather in the dog" "Hurry up, it's time." Nature's wrath was approaching relentlessly, determined and uncompromising.

Suddenly a piercing CRACK was heard overhead and a chasm of light shot across a shattered sky. A deep baritone sound resonated and a heavy downpour descended. A howling wind began to play a haunting tune and all vegetation began to move to its rhythm. Slowly the beat increased and the trees began flaying like demonic dancers in the rain, bowing violently to the ground and sharply scattering the gathering debris in all directions. The raindrops fell, swollen, so much so, that they lost their shape, merged and cascaded in torrents pelting, drenching and drowning everything in sight. A tiny dormouse struggled against the onslaught but it was swept away, small, helpless and without hope.

The remorseless tempest raged on without mercy scattering objects, slicing branches, severing cobwebs, lashing out at everything in sight, serving up chaos and destroying nature itself. Through rain drenched lenses one could just make out an impressionistic scene - muted colours merging, haunting shadows dancing wildly, hunched figurines bent against the wind as if begging for mercy. A cacophony of sound erupted suddenly and crescendo-like the pitch grew louder and louder, the wind whistled wildly, the rain pounded painfully, the thunder boomed boastfully. An epic clash of titans was drowning out the sound of humanity's life beat.

Then with purpose the angry deluge began to move on towards the east where helplessly others waited. The great dark shadow was slowly lifted from the sky. The rain subsided drop by drop and the puddles that formed sent children out in to the street to play. Ominous clouds gave way to patches of blue sky where a vanquished sun cautiously peeped through. At the same time the raging wind subsided returning to a mellow autumn breeze allowing the song of the thrush to be heard again. A strong aroma of cleansed earth could be sensed all around and a comforting, harmonious calm enveloped the scene. A spider came out from under eaves and began to weave its web again and a dormouse waded through a mass of golden autumn leaves strewn across the ground and scuttled off towards the garden shed.

Holly
Age 14

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