Just Another Stormy Day

Waiting nervously, Ed watched the skies. He could feel an ominous tang in the air, as the clouds took on a jaundiced pallor. Unsettled by the weather, his livestock bayed in the fields, wandering ever closer to the barn. When the sirens roared, his fears were realized. Gathering his wife, Helene, they rushed to the fruit cellar. “This could be a bad one,” he yelled over the clattering hail stones. Concern wrinkled her eyes., but only for a moment “No worse than any other storm before it.” She wrapped her arm around him as he opened the door. Gusting, the wind whipped through the trees. “We’ll get through this. Love you, Ed.” He smiled. “You too, Helene.” As they closed the heavy doors, they said a futile prayer, flipping on the transistor radio. The air grew still outside. Hearing the too-familiar roar outside, they held each other close as a whirling freight train tore through the ground above them. Within seconds, it was all over. Everything was eerily still. Tentatively opening the door, Ed peered outside. The storm had eviscerated several trees, battering their old chicken coop’s roof. All in all, the twister hadn’t done much additional damage. Ed waved Helene up. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she surveyed the damage. “Gotta mend the coop again,” she muttered. “Yep.” She smiled as the warm sun illuminated the pea green sky behind them. “Told you it wouldn’t be too bad.”

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