Aisthesis      Volume 7,  201651

A War in the Sky
by Tahnee Trenberth

 A fierce rumbling begins in the distance; it 
feels as though the entire universe can hear it. 
Massive cumulonimbus clouds suddenly begin to 
swallow up the baby-blue summer sky, casting an 
eerie shadow of gloom over every bit of land that 
it engulfs. Howling winds begin to swirl: breezily 
at first, but growing more blustery as the storm 
approaches.
 The trees, once such prominent, seemingly im-
movable towers, now bow down and wither in 
the wrath of Mother Nature. Their sturdy boughs 
surrender to the intensity of the incoming beast. 
Their leaves, weightless and powerless against 
these gusts, are sent dancing across the ground. An 
unearthly, electric aura takes over the surrounding 
atmosphere, sending tingles through every fiber 
in my body; it is as if the air could give me a static 
shock at any moment. 
 Next, as if on cue, drops of rain plunk down 
from the increasingly blackening clouds. The 
thirsting land greedily drinks in this gift from 
above. Plunking turns into pouring, as these water-
warriors unite to attack the earth’s surface, showing 
no mercy. The soothing tapping transforms to a 
noise as deafening as bullets. My senses become 
overwhelmingly overloaded, attempting to absorb 
the plethora of feelings infiltrating my body.
 It is in the same moment that I see the vein-
like lightening cut through the now doom-black 
sky, temporarily blinding me with their white fury. 
Within five seconds, the tumultuous, atomic bomb-
like thunder has made its grand arrival. A heart 
stopping vibration surges through every being in 
its war-path; it is so stunning that it sends a chill 
through every bone. In perfect rhythm, the opera 
is finally complete. The clamor seems inescapable, 
banging uproariously—it refuses to be ignored.
 A thunderstorm is such a remarkable phe-
nomenon; one cannot help but to marvel at the 
power of the event, which is far beyond human 
control. The vicious tempest seems to be stretched 
out over far more than just a mere couple of miles; 

it seems to blanket eternity. The elements work to-
gether chanting their battle cries and dancing with 
one another, just as they have since the beginning of 
time.
 Like clockwork, the pattern continues with the 
two-headed beast. The electric bolts, heating the air 
thousands of degrees in thousandths of a second, 
and contracting and cooling immediately following. 
These events act like a trigger on a gun, the waves in 
the air sending the mighty explosion of thunder. 
 Zeus and Thor seem to be using their powers 
in unison, pummeling our world with their energy. 
Petrified creatures hide away, seeking security and 
shelter whilst waiting for the passing of the violent 
storm.
 After its tears and screams are shed, the roars 
return to rumbles. The churning clouds begin 
to break apart, letting slivers of sunrays peek 
through them. The dark blanket slowly unravels to 
show proof of an open sky. The white flashes have 
ceased, and the sheets of rain are now nothing but 
a memory; the damp earth being the only reminder 
that it had just been quenched. The wounded trees 
are recovering from their bullying, bruised and 
beaten in the aftermath. 
 Somehow, through the disturbing intensity and 
ferocity of such an occurrence, I find an indescribable 
beauty. The air is no longer electric; instead, it is 
perfumed with the fresh scent of petrichor and 
plant oils. A comforting coolness wraps me up as I 
inhale the purified air deeply into my lungs. It feels 
as though the earth had been thoroughly cleansed 
of all impurities. It seemed to be breathing… alive. 
 Animals and humans alike begin to come out of 
their safeguard to enjoy the newly nourished planet 
bestowed upon us. These brilliant downpours re-
plenish us with the most critical substance sus-
taining our existence. Thunderstorms are a blessing 
in disguise; their true beauty hidden beneath a 
nightmarish exterior. 
 I close my eyes, relishing this moment of pure 
euphoria.



Aisthesis      Volume 7,  201652

A War in the Sky
Tahnee Trenberth