3. Rude Awakening

KRA-POW!!! The tremendous crash illuminated the whole area and jolted me up so fast I nearly got tangled in the roof of my tent! My heart leaped into my throat and breathing was suddenly laborious. Then again... KRA-POW!!! Another burst of light heated the air and flashed the silhouettes of my rock pile and tools against the tent wall. Just as I regained control of my breathing a third and even more forceful bolt slammed into the ground nearby. It was so close I felt the earth shake. It was as though the gods were hurling their bolts at me. I dared not move, as though any movement on my part would instigate another strike. My pulse slowed a bit and I slowly peered out the fly of my tent. There was a distinct scent. Rain started falling too. I looked around and noticed some of the rocks were glowing and cracked. I started to crawl out of the tent when a fourth lightening bolt gave me no warning of its intention and crashed right next to the hole sending rubble tumbling into the hole. The rain grew heavier. The wind picked up considerably. Despite the wind and rain I could smell something different. Like burnt earth, maybe. The tent started shaking in the wind. One of the corners began flapping in the wind and threatened to loosen all the ties. I laid myself as close to that corner as I could and tried to hold it down with a foot when the opposite corner loosened its tie as well and started fluttering. Now this was a time when I wished I was a bit longer so I could have stretched across to hold that end down. Then another KRA-POW! But this one sounded different. It sounded like a scream. As if a dragon was screeching. Eerie! Immediately following the screeching crash was the sound of rocks and tools falling back to the earth. Some shards were raining on my tent. I dared not move. The hair on the back of my neck rose, stretched out as if trying to break free of its hold. The storm intensified as it moved over. After a short wait there seemed to be no more bolts. I took the chance to look outside again. I was certain that just as I poked my head out another bolt would take my head off. It didn't. The rain was at a steady beat now. The wind departed, for the most part. I looked over to the rock pile and it was scattered. The center of where the pile was rocks were glowing and red cracks were visible in stark contrast to the black night. I stepped out of the tent and cautiously made my way to the hole. As I neared the hole I felt more heat emanating from its opening than I felt all week. So hot that I couldn't approach. There was enough glow from the rocks that I could just see how the heat wasn't allowing the rain to enter the hole. There was something of a dome around the mouth of the hole as the rain was vaporizing before my very eyes! Remarkable!! I had to watch my step. The ground was littered with smoldering rocks and debris. In fact, the ground was warm. Very warm. It was drying almost as quickly as the rain soaked it. My father never told me anything about this! I looked over to the east and saw the break of day just beyond the horizon. I looked skyward and saw only black. Thick clouds were dumping their rain. I imagined large floating giants dumping buckets of water. Slowly the clouds were moving westward, as if fleeing from the day. Funny thing.... there was no more lightening... not even west of me. It couldn't have been more than a moment long, but the storm seemed to linger. As if making sure that I knew it had passed. I knew. As day began to pour over the landscape the rain continued. I could see well enough now and the phenomenal dome over the mouth of the hole persisted. I couldn't get very close for the heat was searing. I have never seen anything like it before! I was stunned. My mouth must have been agape as I circled around the hole. Every so often I would reach toward the hole with an outstretched hand to see if I could find a cooler spot, but the heat was uniform. I looked at it from all angles. It was as though as invisible force was shielding the hole from the rain. It was like an upside down bowl with steamy hair curling back toward the sky. Amazing! I just sat and watched in bewilderment. I couldn't sit in any one place for too long. The ground was hot enough it became uncomfortable after a short while. I don't know if it was a minute or an hour, but for the moment time stood still. It had no relevance. The sun was well into the sky before the rain slowed. The clouds gradually cleared and eventually the heat from the ground abated. But the warmth lingered all day. I still couldn't get to the edge of the hole. I was able to get close enough to reach my hand over the lip, but the heat was intense enough to force me to withdraw after only a brief moment. I started to look around for my tools. I found the handle of my pick. I found half of a bucket. I found another half of a bowl. Most of my tools were intact. Some fragments sailed well over my tent another 50 legs away. One of my ropes was incinerated. Two of my buckets remained in tact. At least the largest one was one of them. My shovel blade was warped, but not to the point that I couldn't use it. After I collected everything (that I could find) I secured my tent again. I was grateful that my tent was unscathed. By mid-day the ground cooled enough that I could sit comfortably without having to shift my weight from one cheek to the other all the time. I felt like one of those lizards in the desert that only stands on two legs at a time when on the hot sand. I was so curious to go into the hole to see how it was. But it was still too hot. I couldn't believe how long it was taking to cool. Most of the debris was cool now, but some of the larger pieces were still glowing. Even at dusk, the largest ones still had a feint red glow. Before all the light was lost I check the traps again. The whole area of the nearby woods was completely dry. It was as if no rain or wind struck here at all. Odd. 2 traps were still untouched. Well, I had a rabbit the previoius night so I would make it though this night without dinner. But greater question loomed..... would I be able to sleep through it?