The Snowflake Chronicles

Earthquake

Lesson 4 Writing Assignment: Earthquake
Inner visual Exercise Earthquake Storm Written in February 2010

Word Count: 513

The wind carrying the aroma of decay blows through elm trees binding the trees to the ground. Lightning strikes one of the trees splitting it in half, as the tree crashes to the ground, thunder rumbles through the forest rising in pitch as the storm increases and huge rain drops pelt the ground. Raindrops hit green leaves ripping them from the trees.

Thunder shakes the planet and rolls in waves across the plains opening chasms in the earth. The waves strike a distant snow capped mountain, the snow begins to melt pouring down the mountainside and the peak appears to yawn. Its gaping mouth opening regurgitating molten rock, shimmering scarlet in the night as it flows down the mountainsides.

The molten lava consumes everything in its path. Foot by foot the lava flows down the mountain. The heat of the lava precedes it, announces its coming to any living thing in its path. Trees and bushes catch fire, their crackling merging with the roll of thunder and the gale force winds.

Minute by minute the rain increases, the raindrops sizzling as they fall onto the molten rock. The sound of the rain, burning trees, and thunder increase as the lava flows down the mountain onto the plains. Screams rise above the noise of the storm and the earthquake. People emerge out of the night running from the advancing lava and the thunderstorm.

Individuals their eyes focused on the ground ahead run without looking behind or to either side. Families carrying children run together, seeming to help each other as they flee into the darkness ahead. Fleeing individuals and families merge into small groups and then split again as the fastest runners sprint ahead of the others.

Smoke, the stench of burning trees and scent of rain engulf the fleeing people. The thunder increases, as lightning strikes the ground ahead of and behind the fleeing masses. A momentary silence, as if nature is inhaling a deep breath encompasses the scene and in this moment, a woman carrying a baby stops and looks around.

Before she can move again a boulder falls from the sky, hitting the ground in front of her. The force of the boulder striking the ground forces her to step back and almost knocks her off balance. At the point she had stood a few seconds before, a chasm opens. The boulder seems to balance on the edge of the chasm and then crushes into the gaping hole.

The woman, holding the child close to her turns to her right and runs along the rim of the chasm her eyes focused on the ground ahead. More boulder fall from the sky, some crash into the chasm and others strike the ground. Then lightning begins to strike along with the boulders, but the woman ignores the danger and continues to run into the night. She does not seem to notice the falling rocks, the stench of the burning forest, or the lightning as she goes toward an unknown destination. Other people begin to follow her as she runs along the chasms edge.