A SHORT STORY PART (1)

<p>THE 5TH DEMENTION..By Andrea Bradford</p> <p>Chapter 1</p> <p>SPRING EVENINGS IN ARIZONA ARE USUALLY CHILLY AND STILL, BUT THIS PARTICULAR EVENING THE SKY WAS FULL OF CLOUDS THAT WERE AS DARK AS NIGHT AND THE SKY SEEMED TO HAVE SWALLOWED EVERY OUNCE OF BLUE THAT THE HEAVENS NORMALLY HOLD. THE WIND WAS AT AN UPROAR. THE TREES WERE TOSSED THOUGH THE AIR FRANTICALLY AS IF THEY WERE BEING SHAKED BY THIER TRUNKS. IT SEEMED AS IF THE WORLD WAS ABOUT TO END . THE STORM HELD HEAVY AND STRONG FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS. AND WHEN THE RAIN BEGIN TO POUR DOWN, IT CAME DOWN AS HARD AS IT COULD .WITHIN AN HOUR, THE GROUND OUTSIDE WAS FLOODED UP TO THE ANKLES. <br><br>I HAD A BAD FEELIN THAT MORNING AN OVER WHELMING FEELING OF CHAOS. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN......... BOOM!!! THE LOUDEST SOUND I EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE. IT SOUND LIKE THE EARTH HAD CRACKED AND SPLIT OPEN.&nbsp;IT MADE CAR ALARMS GO OFF FOR MILES AROUND . I HAD RAN TO THE DOOR IN THE MOMENT OF PURE CURIOUSITY,TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. AND ONCE I OPEN THE DOOR , I GASPED. THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS DROP TO MY KNEES. THE SKY WAS ENGULPED IN FLAMES THAT BURNED THE BRIGHTESS ORANGE I EVER SEEN. THE HEAT WAS EMINENCED&nbsp;THE FLAMES SWIRLED VIOLENTLY AROUND THE CLOUDS AND TO MY SURPRISED, NO SMOKE WHATS SO EVER. AND STRANGELY ENOUGH, THE SILENCE. I MEAN DEAD SILENCE. NOT A SOUND. NO CAR ALARMS, NO WIND, NO PEOPLE, NO TRAFFIC NO NOTHING.I SAT THERE ON THE GROUND ON MY DOOR STEP FOR AWHILE, STARING UP AT THE AMAZING SIGHT, BEFORE I REALIZED IT I&nbsp;WAS IN THE MUD. THE HEAT FROM THE FIRE HAD DISSIPATED NOW, AND THE SKY WAS NO LONGER RED AND ORANGE. MORE OF A CLOUDY PINK. I STOOD TO MY FEET, AND MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO SEE IF ANYONE WAS AROUND. TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE WITNESSED THAT SCARY EVENT. </p> <p>AS I WALKED UP TO THE FENCE AT THE END OF MY YARD I NOTICED A TALL MAN MAYBE&nbsp;IN HIS LATE 20&#39;S, LYING ON THE GROUND ACROSS THE STREET NEXT TO A FIRE HYDRANT. HE LAID THERE MOTIONLESS AND SOAKING WET. I WATCH TO SEE IF HE WAS GOING TO MOVE . HE DIDN&#39;T. I FELT IN ALL FAIRNESS, I SHOULD CHECK TO SEE IF HE&#39;S OK, BECAUSE IF IT WAS I WHO LAID THERE, I WOULD WANT THE SAME RESPECT. SO BARE FOOTED, MUDDY AND CONFUSED, I JOGGED CAUTIOUSLY OVER THERE,TO THE YOUNG MAN AND HOPED I COULD BE OF SOME ASSISTANTS. I WAS PRAYING TO <strong><span style="TEXT-DECORATION:underline;">GOD ALMIGHTY</span></strong> THAT HE WAS ALIVE. I COULDN&#39;T SEE HIS FACE AS I APROACHED HIM, BUT I COULD SEE THAT HE WAS BREATHING VERY SLOWLY, ALMOST AS IF HE WAS RELAXED. HIS BACK WAS TURN TO ME. AS I NEARED HIS BODY, I SPOKE SOFTLY AND SAID, &quot;Hey are you ok sir?&quot; NO ANSWER. SO I SAID IT AGAIN. STILL HE SAID NOTHING. SO MAYBE HE WAS KNOCKED OUT. I FELT TO SCARED TO TOUCH HIM. SO I MUSTURD UP ENOUGH COURAGE TO JUST NUDGE HIM WITH MY BIG TOE KINDA FIRMLY. AND STILL NO RESPONSE. BY THIS TIME I&#39;M LOOKING AROUND IN A NERVOUS SWEAT, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT TO DO. I&#39;VE NEVER BEEN PUT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS BEFORE.</p>