I stood upon the shores of the beach.
While the cool waters lapped against my legs
I could only stand in
shock
at what was displayed before me.
My jaw hung loose from my mouth as my eyes locked on
the magnificent, yet horrifying
plume towering in the sky.
It loomed ever higher,
promising all but
Armageddon.
The volcano’s huge eruption
sent billowing ash clouds rolling through the skies.
It then rained down the Earth itself,
as if the world had suddenly
tipped over.
Yet all I could do was stand and watch,
petrified
at the might of this
goliath.
Vulcan, with all his mighty fires,
could not measure up to this occurrence.
The ground trembled
and quaked as
liquid fire
rolled down the hills.
Still, I stood in the panicked waters,
which now sent waves careening against the shore and myself.
I am ashamed to say that I did not think of my wife,
of my children.
No, they were behind me now.
In front of me were the gates of
Hell itself.