Heat

Heat

by
Brunosaurs4

Thirty-eight degrees Celsius outside, and it’s only the beginning of the day. Nine o’clock, people set out to go to work, but the crisp ironed shirts and the freshly showered bodies are limp and covered with sweat by the time they get there. God help those who actually have to work outdoors in this heat, they’ll probably end up as little puddles by the end of the day. People in offices fare only marginally better; the weak air-conditioning or fans present do little, but not much to dispel the heat.
The clock strikes twelve- midday- and the temperature goes up. So do people’s tempers. There is irritability, and anger, and fights break out over the most insignificant of things. Everyone is hot and tired. People hurry about from task to task, eager to be done just so that they can sit down and not have to work anymore. Corners are cut, shortcuts taken, improper work is done, which ultimately leads to the fighting mentioned before.
The day goes on… one o’clock… two… three… and the thermostat registers forty- two degrees Celsius outside. The sky is cloudless, the sun blazes down, and the air simmers in the heat. Even the animals have crawled off to find shade. The trees stand still, puffs of wind few and far between, too hot to provide relief. Ice-cold water is the need of the day, bottles upon bottles finished by people in a desperate attempt to stay cool. Those lucky enough to be at home at this hot hour, and fortunate enough to afford air-conditioning, have locked themselves in their rooms, basking in the coolness, shutting out the heat.
As five o’clock rolls by… the heat starts to let up a little. The bright yellow glare of the sun starts turning gold. Six o’clock and it get a little cooler. Children come out of their houses to play. People step out from their work, ready to go home, and are greeted by a golden glaze that is bright, yes, but does not rain down blazing heat on them. The sun starts to set, and small gusts of wind start to blow. The gold gives way to orange, which gives way to the deep blue of twilight. The wind picks up, and it is cooler now, a blessing after the scorching winds earlier. The people drive home eager to get back and enjoy the temporary coolness.
Night falls over the city, bringing respite with it.