Martha stopped in her tracks as thunder rumbled it’s way into existence somewhere in the distance. She looked up at the sky through the patchwork of pine trees above her, hairs on her arms standing on end. She’d always loved thunder storms. The electricity, the primal power of them, she always felt most alive when exposed to the elements in this way. When you were in a storm nothing else mattered, whether you were embracing it or running to get out of it, you weren’t worrying anymore about the work presentation or the grocery shopping.

She could feel the electricity in the air, smell the ozone. The sky was grey, but no rain yet. She paused for a moment in anticipation, savouring the feeling of expectation within her body. She definitely wasn’t dressed for a storm, jeans and a shirt, but then rain never really hurt anyone.

She felt the wind pick up on her face, the noble pines above her started to sway as if in dance. The gentle creaking of their movement spoke of the years they had endured such storms. Patient, immovable, permanent.

Martha perched on a large rock, the sweater wrapped around her waist acting as a cushion for her behind against the cold stone. She leaned back with her hands supporting her weight against the rock and felt the first tentative drops of rain fall on her face. They were small, inconsequential things, but a portent of the greater squall to come.

Lightning crackled suddenly, close by. She jumped slightly, not expecting it so soon. It was close, powerful. Her vision danced slightly as the image burned off her retinas. The thunder rumbled again, this time a herd of giant celestial buffalo charging over the top of her. It encompassed her, flattened her, illustrated to her the total lack of importance she held within the universe. She embraced it.

Then the heavens opened. Fat drops of beautiful mineral filled water fell from the sky, splashing her like tiny cannonballs. It felt cold at first, goosebumps rose over her body and suddenly she felt a few degrees colder. She held her arms out as she was overtaken by the storm. This was nature at its finest.