I did my best to not embellish my memories, although I did add a little "flavor' to the opening. I wanted to write this as a children's story, but I don't think children would enjoy it much. Too scary. Maybe I'll use my "artistic license" to make this a truly awesome piece of fiction someday. For now, though, I hope you enjoy "The Storm".
The Storm
KatieBelle was having a nightmare. A giant was coming to get her. He was screaming, and every time he took a step toward her, a loud BOOM shook her bed,
And the screams and BOOM's were getting closer together.
Usually, KatieBelle didn't like to be woken up. This time was different. When her mama shook her awake, she was glad. But the BOOMing and screaming didn't stop. And now there were bright flashes of light that lit up her whole room.
KatieBelle flung herself into her mama's chest. "It's a giant, Mama! A giant's coming!"
Her mama wrapped KatieBelle in a hug. "No, KatieBelle. It's not a giant. It's a storm. A bad storm."
The nightmare was fading away, and another loud BOOM woke KatieBelle all the way up. Her daddy lifted her out of bed, and said, "We have to go now."
Before she knew what was happening, KatieBelle was in the back seat of the car. Her mama must have remembered to get her pillow and blanket off her bed, because they were nestled around her as she drifted in and out of sleep.
Thunder BOOM's turned into crackle-snap-POWs, and KatieBelle could feel the car being tossed around like a ship on a stormy sea.
The car stopped moving, and a cold wet wind rushed in. KatieBelle tried to pry her eyes open, but she was just too tired. Then she was in her daddy's arms again, until he set her on her feet was pushing her forward.
"Go!"
KatieBelle was frozen. He wanted her to go, but go where? She was so glad when her mama picked her up.
Her daddy flung open a wood door in the ground and called to them, "Hurry up!"
The steps down into the cellar scared KatieBelle. It was dark, and there were cobwebs and spiders in the corners. The concrete steps were crooked and uneven. She couldn't see the bottom.
Her mama shone a flashlight down the stairs, and took hold of KatieBelle's hand, but she was still afraid she was going to fall.
Then she slumped on a rough bench up against a dirt wall, with a dirt floor under her feet. The air was damp and cold, and smelled of damp, cold earth. KatieBelle knew this smell; she knew this place. She was in Aunt Hilda's root cellar. KatieBelle had been there once before.
Her daddy had lit his camping lantern, and the hissing light made KatieBelle feel safe. She was so cold, though! She was shivering, and she started to cry. She was embarrassed, because there were lots of people in Aunt Hilda's root cellar.
KatieBelle didn't remember seeing her mama ask for her daddy's coat, but when she wrapped it around KatieBelle, it felt like a blanket of peace.
KatieBelle lay down on her mama's lap, and the thunder, the wind, and the hiss of the lantern sang her to sleep.
© 2010
Catrina BradleyWe'd love you to join us for fiction. Friday Fiction! Our hostess today is the cute, multi-talented, inspiring, and inspired, Sara Harricharan at her writing blog, Fiction Fusion. Come on over! Add a link your own link, or just read some AWESOME short fiction.
"God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes."
Psalm 18:24 (Msg)
