What had begun as a bright day had slowly become dark. Where had all the animals gone? None could be found. The wind, which had started as a small breeze, had evolved into dangerous gusts. It was deafening. People had forgotten about the animals, and shut themselves in what they believed to be the “safety” of their homes. All except me. I remained out-side, Determined to find my dog; Twitch. I knew that unless he was hurt, he would never have missed feeding time. The clouds in the sky were black. It looked as though there would be a tornado. I began to consider turning back.
But suddenly, as though it had fallen asleep, the storm stopped. The sky remained black, but all else was normal… well, if you could call utter silence normal in Manhattan. It was eerie. The smell in the air sent a chill up my spine. I could take it no more, I ran in the direction of my home. My heart was beating as though I was being chased by death itself, but then, what was really chasing me? I didn’t know, I didn’t care to know. All I could think of was getting to my house. It was then that I heard it. Whirring, similar to that of a helicopter. Though it seemed to come from somewhere in the distant ocean. It became loud… so loud, that I had to stop running to cover my ears. It went on for several minutes.
All at once, the noise grew quieter until all that could be heard was a faint buzzing. Then, once again, the world went quiet. How long did it last, 1 minute? 10? An hour? I couldn’t tell. The very air seemed to hold its breath. At that moment, a blinding light flashed across the sky, followed by the loudest sound I had ever heard.
Boom!
And then there was nothing.