The air seemed to shake as the sky rumbled loudly. She looked up and saw a jagged glowing light crack the sky in two with a loud, shocking sound. She started running, but realized the flash of light had gone away as quickly as it came and the sky was put back together again.

Back home there were no storms. It never rained, it never thundered. And she certainly had never seen a zig-zag glowing white light escape from the clouds. She started walking back slowly while keeping her eyes trained on the sky above. Her heart’s pace quickened in anticipation for the next crack and the uncertainty of when it would happen again-if it would happen again-made her walk faster.

She glanced at the people around her. They were in a rush, but nowhere near as frightened and disoriented as she was. Was this normal? A common occurrence? She straightened herself up and tried to mimic the reactions of the people around her. The shattering light had seemed to have passed by now, though the sky was still grey and dark and drops of rain were still falling.                                                                                         
It was quiet for a moment but she heard the loud rumble again, almost as a warning for the next flash of blinding light. She jumped as she heard the cracking sound again and saw the light coming out of the sky again like a broken sword. She started running again.