Jeaunice T. Burnette

Alternate Reality

A cool breeze lifts then releases the curtains. On the daybed, Mother and I indulge in binge-watching episodes of a mindless reality show. The guilty pleasure of Bring It lulls us into a blissful stupor.

With a roar, the tornado hits, making the house shudder and rock. We retreat to a hallway far from any windows. Although the onslaught lasts only a few minutes, its impact is overwhelming. Out in our yard, countless trees lie on top of each other, like fallen soldiers. Powerlines are down, neighboring homes decimated. We have no electricity or drinkable water. We are trapped in our neighborhood.

buzzsaws
through the night
the drip of candles