Rain Dance

Rain Dance.
By Stephen A Abell
No.of words: 306


“Mother Nature, nice concept old man, but bullshit. Nothin's gonna stop me from buildin' on this land.”

The meeting with the elder had been an hour ago, the old man had smiled at the rich purchaser's outburst, climbed into his jeep and headed off. The buyer had been surveying the land since. It was a large expanse within a forest clearing. Half a mile through the trees was the lake. Twenty high class houses for high class dollars could be built within ten weeks. It would be a nice profit: He had bought the land cheap due to local legends of restless spirits.

Dark grey clouds had rolled in silently covering the summer blue sky. Time to leave.

The first bolt of lightening struck the tree above his truck, the amputated limb smashed through the roof spearing the driver's seat. Thunder clapped in admiration.

Spinning around, he frantically searched for a place to wait out the sudden storm, finding nothing but the trees. A second bolt cut free another branch, this landed only a couple of feet away from him.

The thunder was deafening, the lightening was blinding, confusion held sway. His feet made for the dirt road they had driven in on. The explosion from his truck's gas tank was ear piercing, the heat fierce. He flew backward into a tree. Pain seared its way up his spine. As he fell forward into the dirt the rain started.

He tried to move. No response. Again. Nothing.

Move. Move. Damn it, MOVE. His mind screamed and the rain poured.

Fear reigned supreme as the water around his face slowly rose, forcing its way, first, up his nose, then into his mouth as he gulped for air..

Death resolved everything.

A few miles away the old man danced and chanted around a blazing fire, the way his elders had taught him.


[for the "Struck By Lightening" competition - prompt "Mother Nature."]