The Storm

tops of the cypress trees. It was really something to see, and I began to understand why folks called this home. Without the storm, there was peace and serenity, with the beauty of nature in full-color 3D. The sun was just setting as we came around a large bend in the river. In the distance I could see the yellowish glow of light from Henry’s house glinting through the trees. Henry always left a light on to discourage intruders. When out on his guide trips he always parked his pickup truck beside the house, making it look like someone was home. It was strange, but I felt as if I were coming home too. The light was welcoming us both back. It was just like that. I never felt that way coming home to my own apartment. The Jon Boat light pierced the darkness and shined upon the dark waters under an indigo sky. There were no stars or even a moon, as they were completely covered over by the gathering storm clouds I had seen earlier. Henry skillfully guided the boat to the dock and shut off the motor. And then silence. Henry stepped out first to tie a cleat knot that would hold the boat tight to the dock, a knot that I could never have tied in a million years. I crawled out onto the dock to get my “land legs” back under me. A brilliant lightning streak raced across the canopy of the dark sky, illuminating the menacing storm clouds just above our heads. A loud, reverberating thunderclap then exploded into our ears, which signaled the release of heavy rainfall. The downpour began hitting the river's surface, leaving ever expanding rain circles in the water, and darkening the old, weathered deck timbers with moisture. We quickly ran towards the welcoming light from the window that illuminated the wooden pathway to the house. That

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