Watching the destruction

I have been watching the news, watching the destruction that has swept through the south. The news videos of the tornadoes hold my attention. The pictures of foundations swept clean of their buildings, apartment building collapsed onto themselves, cars lying upside down or on their sides.

A record number of tornadoes haves swept a path of destruction across the southern states. It is only April; May is the month when most tornadoes are born. I wonder what May will bring. Will more tornadoes sweep across the south or the middle states?

i The only thing we can do is help the survivors. Those of us who live in other parts of the country can sent help and needed supplies to the survivors of these storms.

It was as if …

Daily writing practice prompt for Saturday, July 11, 2009: “It was as if ...”

It was as if a giant hand had swept all the houses off their foundations and scattered their contents across the city. I'm not sure how old I was when the tornado struck Blackwell, Oklahoma. I know I was in grade school. I remember huddling in our storm cellar as the tornado passed.

The tornado didn't touch down on my side of town. It touched down around Aunt Ida's house. Aunt Ida was my grandmother's sister. Grandpa took us to see the destruction and visit Aunt Ida. I remember the house next door was completely destroyed; the only thing left of that house was the foundation.

Aunt Ida and her husband rebuilt. The foundation of the house next door remained empty and weed covered. I don't know why the family never rebuilt, I don't think Aunt Ida ever said.