Misadventures of A Windy Day

The clouds in the distance grew darker and more ominous. They gathered conspiratorially over the ocean and rain began to fall gently. Wind should not go play with the rain and the ocean. The three caused great mischief together but today a little mischief might be just what the wind wanted. Plunging from the top of the cliff, wind sped off to join the rain as it danced gracefully atop the deep blue waters.

At first, the wind just glided across the waters feeling the ocean stretch up toward the sky in ever growing waves. The wind swayed through the droplets of rain spinning them in different directions. The dance slowly grew more violent as wind brought the ocean up to crash into the rain, and twisted the drops together creating large wet torpedoes that smashed against the dark sea. Wind raced faster and faster, spinning in circles, jumping high into the clouds and plummeting down into the waves. The rain seemed intent on catching the wind, falling faster and faster, smashing angrily into the water below. Finally, the rain caught the tail of the wind and no longer had to fall monotonously in one direction. Droplets swirled about, slicing through the air at increasing speeds. Wind soared around and around in dizzy circles, howling with glee. The ocean jumped eagerly into the air, hanging onto the wind as long as it could before crashing back down. Waves leapt almost as high as the clouds, swallowing raindrops in giant gulps.

The three raged on, unaware of the little ship struggling to outrun them. Rain got there first, splattering across the deck and sails with such force it ripped a hole through the white billowing fabric. Ocean picked the ship high into the sky, taunting wind with its new toy, before dropping it violently. Wind rushed down across the hull, swallowing the terrified shouts of the men on board. It twisted around the tallest mast until it shuddered with a deafening crack that sent the top half crashing down into the sea. Ocean swallowed the mast gleefully, whetting its appetite for more.

Ocean began wrapping its greedy tendrils over the sides of the ship, but wind did not want to let go of the new treasure. It yanked on the wooden bobble, pulling it free from ocean’s grasp. But rain pummeled the ship, making it slippery and too heavy for the wind to hold long. It crashed back into the sea, the ocean waves quickly tightened their hold. Wind heaved furiously on the ship, roaring in anger. Ocean crashed over the top, sweeping horrified men off the deck and gulping them down whole. Rain pushed down on the ship, filling it with water, weighing it down, so the ocean could suck it in easier. Wind sliced across the top of the ship, sluicing the water off the sides as quickly as rain could fill it. With all the power it possessed, wind swirled about the wooden hull, lifting it forty feet into the air, but still ocean clung to its prize, ripping it from wind’s grasp and tossing it viciously away. Wind raced to reclaim the toy, as the ocean began wrapping its tentacles around the ship, pulling it under the surface. In one final act of desperation, wind pulled ferociously at the surface of the water, tossing ocean around in a thousand directions, but the ship was beyond wind’s reach.

Satisfied with the tasty snack, ocean calmed down settling in for an afternoon nap. Rain seemed to be losing energy, the droplets fell lazily onto the surface of the water and ignored wind as it twisted about. Finally, rain, too, slipped off to sleep, leaving wind to soar alone across the still waters of the snoozing ocean.

Wind came across six soaked men sprawled in exhaustion in a small boat. There was nothing else around for miles and miles. Wind flew past them, circled back around to gather speed, then whooshed down to push the boat across the still waters until land came in sight. The ocean would not get to enjoy these leftovers anytime soon. Exhausted, wind climbed back into the sky and settled on the edge of the cliff with a long wailing moan. Without the rain and the ocean, there was again nothing to do, and worse, no reason to do it.