A Rainy Day

         As the storm pounded the ground with millions of grape-sized drops of rain, the subterranean lair of a host of various underground creatures was deluged with warm summer water. Struggling to the top of the muddy mess, hundreds of earthworms and insects squeezed to the soaked above ground, taking in air before seeking some sort of shelter nearby.
         From her window, Cindy watched the sky and jumped back in fright with every flash of lightning, covered her ears with each crash of thunder. Occasionally she would peek out, haunted by the weird shadows being cast by the light from the window. Her mother should be back any minute.
         Cindy slowly took her hands from her ears after she felt the rumbling of the last explosive boom of thunder fade. She shuffled to the window to see if her mom had returned and noticed that the rain was slowing and the clouds were beginning to clear up. As a bit of light began to illuminate the ground, she noticed movement along the edges of the yard.
         Still waiting for her mother’s return, Cindy ventured out the front door to check out what had caught her eye from the window. Cindy stood in shock as the squirming mass of slimy creatures wriggled seemingly in her direction. Just then, something gripped her shoulder, forcing out a piercing scream that had lodged in her throat. Did the worms sneak up on her to take Cindy to their slithering, watery mess?
         “Cindy,” her mother calmly addressed the shivering daughter. Suddenly all was right with the world, and the last of Cindy’s fear-gripped half hour began to fade from memory.
         Meanwhile, the ground began to dry and the subterranean animals found their ways back to their homes where eventually all would be right with their world.