Highly Commended Story - The Ghastly Thunderstorm

“The Ghastly Thunderstorm” by Krupali Sharaf, Rustomjee Cambridge International School, India, is the Highly Commended story in the sub-junior category of the first biannual Short Story Contest 2020.

The Ghastly Thunderstorm

Thunder grumbled across the sky while Jasmine was sleeping in her shacks. It was a threatening night. The weather was extremely windy and was giving signals to her that a ghastly thunderstorm was approaching. It would create havoc, in the city of Mumbai!

Jasmine heard the news alert that the thunderstorm was in New Delhi which was moving to Ahmedabad and soon would be approaching Mumbai. The night already belonged to the howling wind and the next morning it kept on going. When Jasmine was drawing open her sandy coffee brown cloth which was used for the purpose of a curtain, she was frightened. As she saw the trees swaying from side to side as if they would be uprooted from the ground.

The weather was the worst Jasmine had ever seen. The poor people’s shacks would be destroyed. They were devastated as their houses would be washed away. Jasmine was frightened as her shack was also amongst these homes. Jasmine wanted to help but she was helpless as this was mother nature’s work.

Soon the thunderstorm had appeared, and Jasmine was impotent and at the very same time she was afraid. Jasmine had no hopes left, she had nothing to do now. The weather was so breezy that Jasmine’s stacks roof started to knock the road. Jasmine was all wet and couldn’t find anything to cover her. Jasmine looked around for shelter, but she couldn’t find any luck. Shivers ran down her body as the cool wind swayed through her hair. Jasmine managed her way to her friend’s stack and started to wonder as to what to do next? Seeing her friend’s confused expression, Jasmine knew that they were on the same boat. Their brain had stopped working and they couldn’t think of any idea. They sat still amongst the loud confusion. Time passed by and the thunderstorm began to cool down but no sooner did it start to pour cats and dogs.

Rains showed no signals of stopping. Slowly and steadily the water level began to rise. Jasmine was surrounded by dirty water from all four sides. Jasmine and her friend climbed up the tree as it was no longer safe for them to stay close to the ground.

Hours passed but they could see no one around them. Just a few minutes later, Jasmine was surprised to hear the noise of a few people chattering, near them. To her surprise a group of rescue team members had arrived. Jasmine exclaimed in joy and was finally relieved after seeing them. She called out to them in her loud booming voice. “HERE, HERE, HERE”, she exclaimed! The rescue team members safely held Jasmine and her friend and dropped them off to a safe place. Then the water started to drain away, and everything began to fall in place. Now, Jasmine and her friend began to look for all the necessary materials to build their shack all over again and the same chaotic life began once again.