Sudden Storm
Weeks of hot days endlessly parading across the desert
Lulled me into a coma believing the weather would stay that way forever
Mid afternoon I stepped outside to go to the post office
Something was different
Thunder boomed and over White Mountain was a giant thunderhead
Bolts flashed but no rain had fallen yet
The chickens vanished into hiding
The feral cats dashed from under my parked car to find a safer hiding spot
I ran to the clothesline and yanked down the red work shirts and old t-shirts
Into the sack I stuffed jeans and my boyfriend's socks and towels
A quick glance and I realized all the folding tables were still out
So I swooped those up and into the shed they went
Now rain was falling like a maiden's blush
I opened the gate and climbed into the car as harder rain started slashing the windows
I hopped out to close the gate and was tempted to stay home and watch the storm
The forked lightning changed my mind.
Halfway down my dirt road I saw a thick bolt of lightning pummel the ground at the foot of the mountain
Wind whipped papers into the air and trash cans into the street
As the rain gained momentum
Hours later I drove back up the hill
Sand crisscrossing the road was evidence of flooding in a dozen places
Pools of water still stood off the roadway
Sections of the road were washed down into gullies
Part of my driveway looked like a giant had drawn a sharp knife through the sand
The power had been out
A neighbor said one bolt of lightning had hit the ground and out it went
Pretty sure it was the same bolt I saw
Copyright © Theodora Sterling | Year Posted 2016
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