July 2013

 

I didn’t expect to be in the middle of the war.

We sat out on the deck in our rocking chairs enjoying the warm summer evening with fudgesicles in hand. In the background we could hear the dogs calling to their masters, the children playing with friends. Behind the trees an eerie soft glow lit up the sky, momentarily.

To the south we heard the guns sounding, dull thuds as fire lit the sky. Streams of red and gold streaked into the atmosphere, stars twinkling as they fell towards the ground. The dogs sang their mournful, painful cry.

On the left branches of light bounced off the clouds to the dull thunderous roar. The war had begun.

Warm drops ran down our faces and splattered to the deck. We had been hit.

Fascinated, we couldn’t pull ourselves away from the sight. Green shards of light shot through the edges of red, gold, and blue. Sickles spun through the night, pop, pop, pop! With each explosion an answering roar came from the left, light dancing closer and closer to the crowd.

Finely silence! It was over.

The 4^th of July celebrated.

Nature won.

Cleansing rain drenched

The earth.