Fire Lit Veld

The bush veld was full of wild animals gently grazing on the dry grass and shrubs, birds were relaxing in the few trees which loomed over the unquenched plain. The air smelt of dust which was filling the atmosphere due to a small whirlwind which at one second was created and in a minute was gone, as if it couldnt find a meal in this barren land. The hot, desiccated atmosphere tasted of fine powders of dust. The animals seemed content until one point when they unusually left the plain one by one in a slow leisurely pace as if they didnt have a care in the world. The birds then started to cheep for an hour and then sang louder in a perfect crescendo. A slight breeze could be felt in the plain and the grass started to sway ever so slightly. The temperature lowered by a few degrees, the coolest its been in weeks. An arising storm could be heard in the distance and could eventually be seen approaching the plain over the hills and valleys on the horizon. As it grew and grew the black features of the thick, heavy cloud became eminently visible. It seemed like ages until the cloud from hell advanced passed the last mountain and boasted its considerable power. The cloud seemed to stop moving as if it had picked the innocent plain as its first victim. The occasional blinding flash of light was enough to create every creature on the planet to beg for mercy. The deafening clap of thunder added to the fear. The cloud absorbed all light and converted it to pitch black dark, as if the sun was switched off by a single switch. The cloud seemed to be building up energy as no more claps of thunder were heard for minutes. Suddenly, an unexpected bolt of lightning shot out of the beast towards the ground. The lightning bolt was a jaggedly straight line with hundreds of smaller bolts spurting out of the sides of it. One of the taller trees on the plain suddenly exploded into a bright red and orange blur. The lightning bolt seemed to cling onto the tree for ages as all of its energy was dissipated into the ground. The earth around the tree glowed for just an instant and then it was gone, sucked into the depths of the underworld. Even as the bolt vanished, the full force of the strike started to show on the tree as it became engulfed into flames. The grass in the surrounding area of the tree caught fire and the flames rapidly spread over the entire plain, destroying everything in their path. They swallowed all the shrubs and veld, the only resistance being the trees which were fighting a losing battle as the tips of the flames reached towards the very top branches. The orange flames flickered and danced as if a restless beast had just broken free from Hades gates. The inferno was hell itself gaining revenge for its imprisonment. The plain lost the battle, and all that was left was a black ash field. An hour later, the rains fell and a small stream started to wind its way through the scorched veld.
Dylan Adlard 9S