In the valley of the shadow

In the still of the night, there was no light from the little village, nor any sound even those that came from the animals that came out at night.  They had already seen what was coming, and it was only the ignorance of the people that let them sleep so soundly.

BOOM

A massive crack of thunder split the air, and some of the people awoke from their dreams, pulled forth by the violent warning that accompanies a storm.  Most went back to sleep, but one young boy did not.  He tip toed from his bed to peer out the window, into the night.

BOOM

The sound came again, louder this time, angrier, though this time most ignored the sound, accepting the storm for what it was and content to slumber.  The boy however did not, he stared wide eyed out the window, unable to move or make a sound.  With that crashing boom there had been a bolt of light, and in that mere second he had seen something which had frozen him so.  His mind raced, telling him to pull away from the window and look no further, but his body refused to listen.

BOOM

The storm was drawing closer now and the force of the thunder was so loud that it caused some of the window’s to shake.  Some people rose from their beds and glanced quickly outside, though none stayed to linger as the boy had, and so with their curiosity sated, back to their beds the went.  And though sleep would not come with the noise, at least they were comforted to be in their beds.  Yet the boy stood still, silent and staring, his face growing with the terror that every crack of thunder and flash of light brought.

BOOM

Walls shook and some items fell to the floor with a crash, shattering into a thousand pieces.  Finally, the boy was able to wrench himself away and he began to scream with all his might, running from his house, yelling for everyone to run, to find shelter somewhere else, and that a storm was coming this night and it brought something wicked with it.  Some people ignored him, some wondered what was wrong with him, but none headed his words. 

BOOM

With tears down his face from the desperation and hopelessness he felt, he screamed and cried out as loud as he could.  But the storm was too close now, the sound of it drowned out any other.  And so, alone, the boy ran off into the night, away from the village, away from the people, away from the storm.

BOOM

Finally a few people came to the windows to look.  And when they did, they saw in that flash of light what the boy had seen.  They saw what he had been trying to warn them about.  They saw what was coming for them, and desperation set it.   However, it was too late.  The storm was upon them, each crash of thunder caused the ground to shake.  Bolts of light ripped into the houses setting them ablaze.  People scrambled about, lost in the chaos, lost in the fire and the smoke.  And the storm raged on.