Creative Writing: Summer Night In Michigan

The evening was hot, typical of summer nights in Michigan; the fervid air left moisture clinging to my skin as I unrolled my sleeping bag inside the stuffy, crowded tent. Blinding flashlights cut through the duskiness of twilight as four girls struggled to gain comfort. Laying my head down on a makeshift pillow of clothing, a wave of exhaustion crashed over me: compliments of a day of kayaking and hiking. I listened to the gentle rustle of leaves and let the melody of crickets lull me to sleep. The vicissitude of weather came suddenly, unbeknownst to our small sleeping company. Thunder boomed. Lightning cracked and split the sky. Clouds formed overhead, rain began to fall, and the wind grew unpropitious. Clamoring voices pulled me from unconsciousness and I worked to rouse the others. Water pooled at the base of our tent, our rain fly and tarp did little to protect us from the raging storm. Our counselor, Jane, ripped open the zippers of the neighboring tent and emerged. Her voice barely carried over the harsh drumming of the rain, coaxing us out of our saturated …show more content…
Occasional bursts of lightning ignited the dark with a bright white light. I felt an inexplicable feeling of wonder as if we were the only people in the world; everyone else seemed unaware and undisturbed by the beating raindrops. The rough sand and grit embedded in the fabric of my sandals rubbed the tips of my toes and the back of my ankles as we jogged down the road. Laughter pierced through the crescendo of rain and thunder and we realized the quirkiness of our situation. Our plight would be enough to destroy the spirits of most people, yet no vulgarities spilled from our mouths. The only sound against the symphony of rain was a soft incantation: an old camp song. Beginning with one person, it crescendoed and became more