Suspense+-+The+Storm

=The Storm = = =  The storm was unexpected and devoured everything in its way. Houses crashed to the ground as the storm proceeded up country. It was three miles away from the closest town, Glouster. The townspeople were going on with their usual days when thirty year old Mr. Conner ran into town. "There's a storm coming!" he shouted as he sprinted to the town square, "There's a storm coming!" he repeated. Everyone stopped and stared at Mr. Conner, it went completely silent.

The reason for their silence was that on that day, the sky was a deep blue and the sun shone brightly in the centre of the sky. The only sounds that could be heard were footsteps coming from the town hall. The townspeople waited and watched in silence until the mayor appeared at the door of the town hall. "People of Glouster," started Mr. Lance with his booming voice, "as mayor of this town, I ask you, the townspeople, what we should do about the coming storm." He raised his eyebrows in a kind way and looked over the townspeople.

"Mr. Conner's a bloody liar!" squawked an angry lady, "He just can't face the fact that his farm ain't as good as mine!" The townspeople started whispering.

Most of them whispered ,"What has that got to do with a storm?" or, "She's gone mad!"

"Oh I'll tell you!" she shouted at the townspeople, "He wants us all to go to our homes while he steals our livestock and crops!"

"No, you've got it wrong Mrs. Smith. There //is// a storm coming! I saw it me self!" said Mr. Conner in a calming voice.

"Oh no you didn't! Everyone knows your farm ain't havin' any luck this season," the lady shouted and the townspeople started whispering again.

"The Conner's farm **//is//** havin' a bad season," they whispered. The Conners were known for exceptionally good farming and everyone was shocked that for the first time in nineteen years they were having a bad farming season. Some people used to say that their land was blessed by God.

Benjamin Conner looked around the square; everyone was whispering about his farm. "Mrs. Smith is right," he started and everyone gasped. "After me mum got sick we ain't been havin' too much luck." Everyone gasped and started whispering once again.

"Silence!" shouted the mayor "If you believe the storm's coming, raise your hands." One by one hands went up into the sky; nearly all of the hands in the square were raised. The only hands not raised belonged to the other farmers who took Mrs. Smith's word. "That settles it! We will send some one down country to find the storm and report back."

"But, Mr. Lance, it's only three miles down country!" urged Mr. Conner, "It's takin' everything in its path! We need to leave the town!"

A commotion aroused the crowd as Mr. Lance chuckled loudly, "Dear Mr. Conner, you have got it wrong. It certainly cannot be three miles down country. Why, look at the sky. Do you see a hint of gray or even a white cloud?" Everyone looked up and nodded in agreement. "Mr. Conner a storm is not going to take anything in its path, maybe a few grass blades, but that is nothing to worry about. In fact I would like to assign you and young Paul here, to go down country and to return with information on the storm. Understood?"

Benjamin Conner knew it was a rhetorical question and did not even bother answering or fighting back.

"You will leave when the clock strikes two!" the mayor shouted as he returned to his office.

Paul walked over to Benjamin; he must have been twenty years old at the most. Paul offered his hand to Benjamin and they shook. "Paul, Paul Lance." Benjamin just nodded and smiled; he knew there was no use for him to tell his name, when he realized what Paul had said.

"Paul Lance? You're the mayor's son?"

Paul nodded guiltily, "Never mentions me does he, I live mostly with me mum. He doesn't like to talk about family stuff, does he?" Benjamin just shook his head.

Two minutes later Paul and Benjamin assembled in the town square. Benjamin arrived with a bag filled with water and some food. Paul on the other hand carried one bag with clothes, one with food and drink and one with soap and other important utilities.

"It's three miles away!" said Benjamin looking at all the bags Paul was carrying.

"Dad, I mean, the major, insisted on me taking all these."

"Fine then, let's go," said Benjamin, as they started walking out of town.

"You know, if it is three miles away how did you see it? Where were you when you saw it? Do you have any proof?" asked Paul, " I know! Was there anyone there with you?" Paul had been bombarding Benjamin with questions ever since they started walking.

"For the love of Mary! Stop asking me questions!" shouted Benjamin, as Paul hushed up. Benjamin felt the guilt on his shoulders and saw Paul's sad face. "Sorry Paul didn't mean it like that," he said softly.

"No problem." Paul shrugged.

After three hours of walking, the sky above Paul and Benjamin started turning a dark, sickening gray. "We're getting near," said Benjamin briefly for they had not talked for three hours. Paul just nodded and sighed. "Let me take that for you," said Benjamin, reaching over for one of the bags that Paul was carrying.

"No!" shouted Paul as he snatched it away from Benjamin, "I mean, I am fine." Benjamin nodded, still in shock from the sudden shout.

"Paul, look." Said Benjamin pointing ahead of him as they both came to a stop. Paul's gaze followed the direction of Benjamin's finger. It was pointing at remains of a house that had crashed to the ground and there was no sign of life anywhere near it. "The storm is here!" shouted Benjamin; they both took that as an order to run. They both sprinted along the road but Paul started lagging behind. "Forget the bags!" shouted Benjamin as rain drops started shooting at them like tiny bullets. They both threw their bags to the ground and continued sprinting. Many times they fell down due to the wet cobblestones. Thunder and lighting started crashing all around them.

"Under that tree!" shouted Paul pointing towards a large tree. They both ran towards it and sat down. Their clothes clung tightly to their bodies and they were both fighting back tears. "Let's stay here till the storm gets better," suggested Paul but Benjamin shook his head.

"It's not going to get better," said Benjamin, as both of them started to cry. When Benjamin reached in to give Paul a hug he saw something that he did not recognize but he knew it was a bad sign. It looked like a spinning top but it was sucking in everything in its path. "Get up!" shouted Benjamin as he tugged on Paul's shirt, "Get up!"

Paul looked up at Benjamin with bloodshot eyes from crying, "Leave me." He whispered.

"No! Now get up!"

"My father will not care and I have no mother."

"No! Get up!" shouted Benjamin as he started to cry.

"Leave me," Paul whispered as lighting knocked down the tree onto his body.

"Get up!" cried Benjamin but Paul's body lay lifeless under the tree. Benjamin started sobbing and looked back to the storm. The spinning top was coming closer and closer. Benjamin left Paul's body and ran through a field with the spinning top chasing after him.

The tremendous sound of the spinning top whirled in his ears. He was nearly out of breath and the spinning top was coming closer. He gulped down a breath and started running again. The rain drops felt as strong a bullets, he rubbed the back of his neck where the rain drops seemed to be attracted to. The spinning top was coming closer and was slowly dragging him in from a few metres behind. Benjamin kept trying to fight it but he knew eventually it would pull him in.