shouts and laughter still coming from the pool. “There’s a storm coming,” David called as he burst into the clearing. All activity in the pool ceased, and David saw half a dozen heads turn toward him. “Benjamin, you need to get these kids home.” As if to punctuate his words, thunder cracked in the distance. “It’s coming up fast.”
The light that had been shining through the leaves overhead dimmed and the area darkened quickly. A breeze kicked up, rustling the leaves overhead, and then continued to grow into wind that shook the branches. Benjamin got out and began helping the kids get dressed. Thunder sounded again, closer and louder. Some of the kids began to whimper, and Benjamin calmed them as he helped them into their clothes. David dropped what he’d been carrying and hurried down the path and over the log bridge, coming around to the other side of the pool.
Benjamin had most of the younger kids ready. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, much closer this time. Whatever was coming was moving fast, driven by the wind, which continued to build. “This must be a squall coming through,” David said. “We need to get everyone to shelter.”
“Go on home,” Benjamin told the kids, and the older ones hurried down the path after grabbing what they could carry. Benjamin lifted Adam into his arms, David picked up a kid whose name he didn’t know, and they hurried down the path after the others. David heard a crack as a large branch broke off from one of the trees and crashed to the ground behind them. It was unnerving, and David had to force his feet to continue. They reached the edge of the path closest to the road, and David looked up.
Clouds roiled and hurried across the sky. David thought he might have seen some twisting, but he wasn’t sure. All he knew was this was going to be one hell of a storm. Looking ahead, he saw the other kids racing across fields with adults rushing toward them. Benjamin and David crossed the street, and David saw Benjamin’s father and a man he didn’t know running toward them. The man lifted the boy, who was now nearly in tears, out of his arms, and Benjamin’s father took Adam from Benjamin as they ran toward the house. David didn’t quite know what to do. He wasn’t sure if he’d be welcome there, so he turned toward home, but stopped when he felt a tug on his hand as large drops of rain hit his skin. “This way,” Benjamin said, leading David through the cluster of buildings and into the house.
The door closed behind them just as the storm seemed to slam into the house. It sounded almost like gunfire as the rain pelted the building. “Look, it’s snowing,” one of the little girls said as she peered out the window.
“That’s hail,” Mr. Killinger said and pulled his daughter back and into his arms. The window shattered a few seconds later. David watched through the broken glass as the white chunks continued coming down and then tapered off and turned to just rain. “Is everyone here?” Benjamin’s mother asked, and David could see her counting children as the younger ones clung to her. “Yes.”
“It came up so fast,” David said, and Benjamin’s parents nodded. Mr. Killinger opened the door and stood in the doorway as the rain came down in sheets. When he turned around, David saw a very worried look on his face, but he didn’t understand the source. Everyone was here and they were all fine.
“The Lord is unhappy about something,” Benjamin’s father muttered as they continued watching the rain pelt the earth. Rain that hard never seemed to last very long, and that was true of this storm too. It passed through just as fast as it had come up.
“I should be heading home,” David said to Benjamin as the rain tapered off. “I’d better see what damage there is.” He knew his mother would be frantic, and he’d left his phone on the kitchen table.
“Thank you for helping get the children back safely,” Mr. Killinger said, and David
The light that had been shining through the leaves overhead dimmed and the area darkened quickly. A breeze kicked up, rustling the leaves overhead, and then continued to grow into wind that shook the branches. Benjamin got out and began helping the kids get dressed. Thunder sounded again, closer and louder. Some of the kids began to whimper, and Benjamin calmed them as he helped them into their clothes. David dropped what he’d been carrying and hurried down the path and over the log bridge, coming around to the other side of the pool.
Benjamin had most of the younger kids ready. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, much closer this time. Whatever was coming was moving fast, driven by the wind, which continued to build. “This must be a squall coming through,” David said. “We need to get everyone to shelter.”
“Go on home,” Benjamin told the kids, and the older ones hurried down the path after grabbing what they could carry. Benjamin lifted Adam into his arms, David picked up a kid whose name he didn’t know, and they hurried down the path after the others. David heard a crack as a large branch broke off from one of the trees and crashed to the ground behind them. It was unnerving, and David had to force his feet to continue. They reached the edge of the path closest to the road, and David looked up.
Clouds roiled and hurried across the sky. David thought he might have seen some twisting, but he wasn’t sure. All he knew was this was going to be one hell of a storm. Looking ahead, he saw the other kids racing across fields with adults rushing toward them. Benjamin and David crossed the street, and David saw Benjamin’s father and a man he didn’t know running toward them. The man lifted the boy, who was now nearly in tears, out of his arms, and Benjamin’s father took Adam from Benjamin as they ran toward the house. David didn’t quite know what to do. He wasn’t sure if he’d be welcome there, so he turned toward home, but stopped when he felt a tug on his hand as large drops of rain hit his skin. “This way,” Benjamin said, leading David through the cluster of buildings and into the house.
The door closed behind them just as the storm seemed to slam into the house. It sounded almost like gunfire as the rain pelted the building. “Look, it’s snowing,” one of the little girls said as she peered out the window.
“That’s hail,” Mr. Killinger said and pulled his daughter back and into his arms. The window shattered a few seconds later. David watched through the broken glass as the white chunks continued coming down and then tapered off and turned to just rain. “Is everyone here?” Benjamin’s mother asked, and David could see her counting children as the younger ones clung to her. “Yes.”
“It came up so fast,” David said, and Benjamin’s parents nodded. Mr. Killinger opened the door and stood in the doorway as the rain came down in sheets. When he turned around, David saw a very worried look on his face, but he didn’t understand the source. Everyone was here and they were all fine.
“The Lord is unhappy about something,” Benjamin’s father muttered as they continued watching the rain pelt the earth. Rain that hard never seemed to last very long, and that was true of this storm too. It passed through just as fast as it had come up.
“I should be heading home,” David said to Benjamin as the rain tapered off. “I’d better see what damage there is.” He knew his mother would be frantic, and he’d left his phone on the kitchen table.
“Thank you for helping get the children back safely,” Mr. Killinger said, and David
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