The Day the Ash Rained Down | Teen Ink

The Day the Ash Rained Down

March 10, 2013
By IAmDana BRONZE, Falls Church, Virginia
IAmDana BRONZE, Falls Church, Virginia
4 articles 1 photo 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
&ldquo;If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.&rdquo;<br /> -C.S. Lewis


The mushroom cloud rolling across the sky looks peaceful, almost. Like a small drop of dye in a clear glass, spreading into intricate designs with grace and ease. Ash falls slowly from the sky. It looks just like snow, only gray, and it isn't cold to touch. A small girl ran out of a shop to try and catch a bit on her tongue, but a frantic grandmother pulled her back inside quick as a snap, scolding her with fear in her eyes.
I think it's beautiful. Everything is coated in a layer of gray. It's like God decided that the only thing more serene than a snow day or a gray rainy day would be a gray rainy snow day, everything matching the color of Grandpapa's beard. No one dares to go outside, so there is not a single footstep marring the fire-born snow.


The author's comments:
I recently learned about the massive and disastrous failure of the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl in 1986. Many of the townspeople there were not evacuated until several hours after the accident, exposing them to fatal doses of radiation. This piece is my account of a boy in the town, watching the town's death unfurl.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.