True Confessions From My Personal "Archives of Yesteryear" (The Storm - Part 1)
Dicing with death seemed to be a regular aspect of my life growing up, as you have seen. From careening my Astra through rain soaked tarmac to threats of physical violence made against me or the friends I hung out with. I assumed it simply came with the territory of the neighbourhood I lived in. There was no other logical explanation for it. Though I did ponder the question. Is it possible for a street to be inherently cursed? Can an inanimate space lined with hovels for resident’s to dwell within, carry with it a burden of bad omens? Well, after I further elaborate on that bold statement below, you yourself may re-evaluate the validity to that eerie quandary…
To justifiably describe the inexplicable and catastrophic nature of this next episode in my life, an ordered sequential first person account of what transpired that day, is in order. So, here goes. It’s early afternoon. Around one, maybe a little later, if memory serves me correct. Just an average overcast day with grey skies and the usual subdued, bland daylight emanating from the clouds above. I’m in my office, typing up a document for work and on the verge of running out the front door to grab some much-needed lunch from up the road. I recall clearly as I prepared to act upon this carnivorous instinctual brainwave, that the dull ambient light pervading through to my office walls, began to fade. Unnaturally fast. This all happened in a matter of seconds. Scrunching my face up at such a sweeping change, I thought it wise to peer out the window to “get a closer look” at what in the hell was going on. The exact same sky that was, just a few moments prior, dreary and grey, had now transformed into an unholy composition of dark and murky gloom. It looked like evening had set in, within a matter of seconds!
I remember audibly cursing out loud at this strange turn of events. Being pretty sure I wasn't caught in the throes of some fantastical dream. Anyways, the heavens lingered like this for a few minutes more. Angry and tormented, overlooking the city below. Then I heard a sharp crack. Akin to a stone being hurled out of nowhere. Again and again, until a hail storm, the likes of which I’ve never seen, battered the ground below. And let me assure you, this was no ordinary hailstorm. The floor outside was awash in a sea of white as I watched on in horror, the weather seemingly taking on a raging personality of its own. I kid you not, this all took place before my very eyes. However it eventually subsided as fast as it arrived, leaving the floor appearing as if someone has poured a tonne of polystyrene spheres everywhere. It was surreal.
”What on earth is next?” I whispered, stunned at the peculiarities unfolding before me. Well, be careful what you wish for, as I was soon to find out… the hard way.
I recall a swift breeze stirring after the quiet following the sudden hailstorm. Only this breeze gathered pace. If fast become a rushing wind and blew a few scant particles high into the air. Mainly those white stones and a little road grit. But it gathered yet more strength. It all happened so fast, I could barely keep track of what was going on. Several more seconds passed and the wind rose to a furious roar. The last thing I observed was the air immediately in front of me, filled with road debris and dust. All blowing in one single direction! I dove under my desk as I hadn’t a clue what in the name of Hades was causing this. But I knew I was terrified beyond belief.
Then it hit. A noise unlike anything I’ve ever heard in my life, up until this very day. The closest description I can liken it to is a combination of freight train and jet aircraft both sounding off right next to your ears. I found myself enveloped by a deafening, high-pitched scream which shook the foundations of my house to its very core. Wooden roof rafters rattled like loose piano keys as the din reached a fevered howl. Fear took hold of me to the point where I was frightened for my life! Then, after some further moments of thunderous cacophony, everything restored back to normality again. God, I was so shaken. Literally. After my mind pulled itself back to the realms of reality again, the first thing that caught my mind's attention was a loud crashing sound in the background somewhere.
I crawled out from the flimsy makeshift shelter of my desk and hurried into the other room. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A huge metal scaffolding pole was protruding into my bedroom through a sliver of broken window. It didn’t make sense. A pole thrown off its perch and into my personal space? I shuffled over to it, somewhat still in temporary disbelief. Through the cracked glass next to me, I heard a man on the phone. A voice as familiar to me as any. Ben, my next door neighbour. Frantic for some rational truth to this unexpected nightmare, I ran downstairs and into the street. He was on the phone, talking fast and looking gravely concerned.
”Ben”. I called out. ”Do you know what just happened a minute ago?” Turning to me, he signalled using a hand gesture toward the adjacent street round the corner. ”Never mind about anything else. Just take a look down there!” Confused, I opted to satiate my curiosity independently than rather stick around for a possible plausible explanation to all this. Peering around the sharp bend forking out to the left of the street, I beheld a sight that would change my life forever…
