#148b

This late afternoon, just like that, the storm stopped and was gone. All that was left was dripping guttering, broken roofs, fallen trees and soggy pieces of wooden fencing. Then the most brilliant bright sky opened up, the sun put a sheen on the wet, little rainbows shimmered in puddles and the noises of nature and life returned. Out front, what had been left of my summer window box display was strewn across the yard like seaweed, and out back, the silver birch has been stripped almost bare. The city has taken one hell of a pounding – 151 people are dead. Tomorrow the clean-up operation will begin... I know what I must do.