Story-A-Day #174: Obscured By Clouds

OBSCURED BY CLOUDS

I was on the afternoon shift at the factory so I didn't get into the shower until almost 11am. The day started off as any other work day would: with a steaming cup of coffee and four slice of toast and marmalade. I never had much of an appetite in the morning.

I had been I'm the shower for no longer than five minutes when I noticed the darkening in the bathroom. A minute later, I felt the first rumble.

My first instinct, as I'm sure you can imagine, was that a storm had rolled in. I figured the massaging shower head gave out enough pressure to mute the potter patter of raindrops on the plastic siding outside the small bathroom window. Logical enough, right?

It wasn't until I shut off the water and grabbed my towel from the hanger on the back of the Dior that I realized there was no rain falling.

Maybe the storm is still Rollin in? I thought. It took me a second to realize that the rumble I had mistaken for thunder was still happening.

I had just stepped into the hallway when the explosion happened; a deafening roar that shook my entire house.

I tightened the towel around my waist and ran to the front door, which I quickly unlocked before stepping outside. The rumble was louder there, and I could hear a low droning sound mingled within.

The sky was a crazy shade of purple, a mass of roiling magenta and black. It looked almost like a sunset, but more imposing - and at noon.

There was something else too though, a weird sequencing of lights that flickered beneath that powerful blanket of clouds.

Off in the east, a pillar of black smoke rose towards the heavens, it's base illuminated in the flickering orange glow of flames.

I knew then that this was not a freak storm, or a meteorological anomaly of any sort. There was something up there, obscured by the clouds. Something not likely of this earth.

I felt suddenly exposed, standing there I my frayed towel. I felt exposed, but feared that no amount of clothing or shelter would shield me from what was up there.

Regardless, I stepped back into my house and locked the door. There was no point making it easy, and I wasn't the type to give up without a fight.

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