iguanamountain blog

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED

Blog City Prompt: It was a dark and stormy night. What happened?

It was a dark and stormy night. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Maybe it's going to rain, I thought. Summer storms are so unpredictable. The rain gutters on the south side of the house rattled. More thunder, maybe a little closer. I think the wind is coming up.

Then a big gust of wind hits the house rattling windows. I could hear dry leaves and sand blowing against the glass of the french doors to the patio. A brilliant flash, much closer, sends me to my feet. A sharp crack sends me into a panic. There is a sickening crunch as a tree limb must have fallen on the roof. The dancing shadows of leaves and branches appear in the lightening flashes across the sheer curtains.

I start toward the doors to see the damage, when all the lights go out. Darkness surrounds me. I can feel my heart rate go up. I shuffle my way into the kitchen, fumbling for the utility drawer. The flashlight is heavy, sturdy, been there for years. Slide the button. Nothing! The batteries are dead. More lightening illuminates the rooms for a second or two. The dark is inky black. I feel my way back into the living room, bumping into the couch. I drop the useless flashlight.

The rain strikes with a heavy vengeance. Driven by the wind it streams across the windows. A brilliant flash, the air is alive with static electricity. Bang! The strike is very close! This is not good. Rain on the roof fills the house with an ominous rushing sound. A torrent of water is falling out of the gutters making heavy splashing on the patio bricks.

Another blast of roaring wind and one of the french doors blows into the room with a crash. Glass shatters and wood cracks as the rain pours through the opening across the floor. The wet rug and broken glass reflect the almost continuous lightning of the electrical storm. The sheer curtains billow wildly up into the room like so many writhing ghosts. I  cover my eyes, falling onto the couch..

I curl up, pulling the quilt over my head and wait, listening to the drips and hearing the water flow across the floor as it soaks into the wood and carpets. The couch is an island. The house creaks as the overflow splashes around the foundations. The wind whistles under the roof. Will it ever stop?

The next thing I know---there is utter silence. I think I fell asleep, because I don't remember anything more. I know babies do that when they're stressed. I was stressed! I know this had to be one of those dark and stormy nights we always want to write about, but never want to really experience.

I guess I'll have to write about this storm. That'll be easier than trying to clean up the mess.

Happy dreams...>>>iggy

** Image ID #1264233 Unavailable **