The Explosion – Sunday Photo Fiction

AnElephantCant write very good English
He is guilty of ungrammatical slang
And whatever he pens
Is always in the present tense
But he hopes this cracker goes off with a bang

This is a weekly invitation to write a short piece of fiction (c. 150 words) based on a photo prompt (below) provided by Alastair.
Just click on the link to see a display of sparkling stories in response to this week’s excellent prompt.
But please first cast an eye over AnElephant’s damp squib.

Copyright Al Forbes

The Explosion

The explosion shakes the ground.
It is some miles away, over the headland to the east.
The sky is streaked with smoke and light, an awesome sight.
We look at each other, knowing the truth.
She takes my hand, to give or to get comfort, I am not sure.
Do you think they are still okay, she asks.
I shrug my shoulders, indicating uncertainty.
Which way, she asks.
I shake my head.
There is no point, I say, that was too close.
The second explosion tears the mountain apart.
It is only 10 minutes later, perhaps 3 or 4 miles away.
Walls rattle, windows break.
We are walking towards the beach, no buildings are safe.
Although it is already dark, all the lights are out.
There has been no electricity for several days.
We thought about running, but where to?
The sky is surprisingly clear.
The moon is bright, Orion majestic overhead.
And the stars are winking, as if understanding.
The beauty of the night seems somehow incongruous.
We drink it in, arms around each other.
The third explosion is the worst.