Suddenly there was unrest, a hint of urgency had crept into the agitated crowd. Everyone appeared to have switched into a frantic mode, running around hastily in search of shelter. Mothers and gaurdians could be seen clutching tight on the wrists of their various wards, their legs quick while their troubled eyes scanned for the nearest refuge. Mayhem was in the air. Everything under the sun was at alert. Light weights trembled accordingly, quivering at the presence of the fierce wind. Anything whose stamina could not hold out against the strong current in the air, gave in. Its intimidation was palpable. The look from the changing dark sky heralded the inevitable arrival of the rain cloud.
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Catch me if you can was the game playing before our eyes as some of the hawkers were spotted chasing after their unfortunate wares that had fallen victim to the strong breeze. The breeze seem the be enjoying the game as it gave wing to the wares.
Their heads fell off, arms, hips and legs disconnected from their weak joints as soon as they crashed against the concrete floor. I am talking about the mannequins in their different gender and complexion, clad and unclad were without the required grit to withstand with the erroding breeze. Plastic chairs and tables told a grim tale too. Irreverently, they were swept off the ground and tossed about, displaced from their former root of origin to someplace new and unknown.
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All the while, clouds of thick fierce dust rose as a result from ground zero to tall fahrenheits with a harsh blend of tiny stones. They moved with a mandate, at the mercy of the ferocious wind. Rattling against whatever it is that stood their way. Peeled eyes squeezed shut. High up the sky were different types of nylon being blown about. They testified to the greatness of the whirl wind.
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Within minutes, available shelters were bristling with refugees of the wild wind. Tricycles, motorcycles including automobiles who were not well fortified against the whirl wind, surrendered. They breeze momentarily stole their ignition. The wheels activities on the street gradually narrowed to a few healthy automobiles who had audacity enough to confront the marauding impact of the mean breeze. From their supposed corners of refuge, the shelter seeking individuals watched, their faces lined with wrinkles of worry and fear at the unpredictablility of what was coming next.
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Repeatedly the thunder clapped, shooting apprehension straight into the hearts of many. Their wails could be heard of babies whose small hearts could not contain the angry storm. The loud roar of the thunder had them on edge.
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As time slowy dragged by, thick darkness began to close in, engulfing the atmosphere. Friday noon suddenly turned night. The street corners became inevitably littered with frayed nerves who silently wished in their fearful hearts that the stormy cloud could loose its frenzy. But no such luck. The unrelenting cloud continued its grumble and all of a sudden, a remarkable ear shattering rumble was heard, annoucing the arrival of the heavy down pour.
Rain drops came down hard on the roofing sheets like projectiles, instantly working up a soothing melody that induced sleep to the safe and secluded. Just as expected the fierce wind's potency went up a couple of bars, stoking fire to the rain. Its impact visibly devastating. It slapped loosed open windows against its frame, and some of the loosed zinc sheets in a trembling state who had joined the chorus.
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Strange noises could be heard from different corners by virtue of a feared authority. An authority with a mandate.
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Within minutes, it was bucketing down, driving empty gutters to the brink of a tip over. Without mercy, the mucky waters moved with a valid license to clean and displace whatever it was that stood in its path. Intermitently, a flash of lightening is reintroduced across the skyline which is strapped with an expected roar from the clouds. A clue of desperation looked to have found its way into the clouds and it seemed as though the heavens were trying to get it all out before the end. Torrential rainfall.
