Irma-Warrior Princess

IRMA-WARRIOR PRINCESS


Irma was restless and bored. Lying on her back in the calm Atlantic waters, she lazily blew a ring of air towards the sky. The sudden gust created a small wave that frightened a school of tiny fish. Irma giggled as they scuttled away. She sighed loudly. It was again the hurricane season, yet there was so little for her to do.
Many wind forms had left the ocean for the long trip up the islands. Irma enjoyed moonlit nights on the beach, listening to the tales about their adventures. Mama Ocean recounted with pride the fame of her children. The entire Ocean family was proud of the accomplishments of names like Hugo, Katrina, David, and the new star, Harvey.
Every year, Irma dreamt of taking the trip, and every year, she was informed that she was not fully-developed as yet. Mama Ocean named her children alphabetically. Maybe, just maybe, this year, she would be chosen. Since the new storm, “Harvey” was named, next in line was a storm that begins with the letter, “I”. Irma bubbled excitedly with hope at this. Mama Ocean had scheduled a meeting for sunset that evening to name a new wind form that will follow Harvey up the islands. Hope sank in Irma’s heart, when she remembered that she was not one who always played by the rules. She was rebellious, defiant and a stormy force to be reckoned with when she was crossed in any way.
Irma sighed.
“Maybe I should just slip away this evening” She mused. “It’s not as if anyone will notice anyway, they never really did, except when I am bad”.
The thought enraged her! Blowing one mighty gust that crashed a huge wave far up the shore, Irma angrily swam out to sea.
“I will show them”, she sputtered. “No more stupid bedtime stories for me”.
Her mind whirled a thousand storms as she remembered the whispers among the rocks. The whisper on every breath was, “Harvey”.
The Atlantic buzzed with the news of his adventures. The pride that constituted the recounting of Harvey’s job in a place called Texas was unsurpassed. To everyone in the ocean, he was a giant among storms. If only Irma could excel in strength, fame and devastation-she would be happy.
Lying on her stomach, she violently splashed the salty water into huge waves. Colorful buoys bounced dangerously against each other. A shrill whistle from the distant shore signaled the commencement of the meeting, but Irma paid no heed to the call. She laid on her back and looked up at the twilight, her mind whirling madly.
“Come on, Irma!” shouted José, as he and Maria rushed madly by, pushing huge waves before them.
“I am not going this evening”, she sputtered angrily.
A colossal wave rose straight up out of the water as José skidded to a halt.
“Why, Irma?” He queried in a horrified whisper.
“It doesn’t matter”, Irma mumbled. “Every year, I am overlooked for travelling, no matter how hard I try”.
“Tonight may just be your night”, encouraged José. “Remember, your name begins with “I”, and that’s the letter that would be chosen tonight”.
“Whatever”, Grumbled Irma obstinately. “Go on without me”.
“Well suit yourself, Mama Ocean is not going to be very happy, you know how she feels about disobedience”, warned José.
He loved his sister, even though she was violent and stubborn. Many times, he had defended her against the wrath of Mama Ocean. He remembered that two years ago, long after the season had past, she had capsized a small fishing boat. Two young men had died as a result. Mama Ocean was livid with rage. Irma was severely punished. She was prohibited to make waves of no more than five feet.
José sighed a small wave.
“Okay, see you later, I hope you know what you are doing”.
​Irma felt badly for José, but at this point, she didn’t care. Her mind was made up. If she wasn’t chosen for the trip tonight, she vowed to run away from her ocean home!
​She slowly pushed out to sea, warm salty tears dribbled down her cheeks, she knew that she was a difficult one to contend with. She hated rules, and loved life on the edge. While other wind forms were content to push the waters of The Atlantic gently along, Irma hurled big waves against the rocks. She had a nasty temper, and she knew it! This temperament earned her the nickname, “Irma-Warrior Princess”.
​The warm waters lapped the shore as the wind forms eagerly waited for the meeting to commence. Restless waves ebbed and flowed, reflecting the pale moonlight. Pulses of excitement trickled along the soft sand. Tonight, just maybe tonight, Harvey’s successor would be named. The winds lined up in alphabetical order. There were several forms with the same initial sound. The other wind forms with names beginning from “A” to “H”, were asked to move to the back of the line. Harvey was the last of the H-line. The nervous I-liners moved to the front. Irma was not in her place.
“Where is Irma?”
The whispers were heard along the lines.
​José kept quiet. He was not going to tattle. Everyone knew what happened when Mama Ocean’s orders were disobeyed.
“Shhh”, whispered the tiny breezes.
Some of them were born not too long ago, and this was their first meeting. They were eager to listen to big tales of great storms. Mama Ocean pushed gentle waves ahead as she moved forward to face the crowd. The soft, pristine waters lapped the distant shore as all waited with bated breaths. This was it! Tonight, Harvey’s successor would be chosen, and the “I’s” had it. Who would replace the famous Harvey?
​“I call this meeting to order”, splashed Mama. “Tonight, we choose another wind form for the journey up the islands”. “Places everyone, and let’s be…”
Mama’s voice trailed away as her piercing eyes scanned the crowd. Something was not right, someone was missing!
​The breezes held their breath. No one dared to move a ripple.
Mama swelled to an alarming height. She was furious! How could someone dare to disobey her orders? How dare a little wind snippet defy her mandate?
The wind forms huddled together, not daring to breathe.
Mama was angry!
Everyone knew what happens when she is angered. Her moist, salty eyes slowly scanned the assembly again. Each shuddered under her furious gaze. José wished that he could hide his flushed face, but Mama saw all.
​She didn’t mince words!
“Where is Irma?” She hissed angrily, cornering José.
“G-gg-gone”, José stammered, his breath coming in short gasps.
Mama’s anger burned.
“Gone where?” She smoldered.
“I-I-I don’t know. She said she wasn’t coming to the meeting tonight”, José helplessly gulped.
“When were you planning to reveal this to me?” Mama probed, her terrible form towering high above the rocks.
José lay very low in the warm water. Big salty tears welled up in his eyes. He was scared both for himself and his sister. The other wind forms murmured softly in sympathy. Mama raised herself about sixty feet above sea level.
“Let me say this only once. No one, absolutely no one will defy my orders and get away with it. Do you all understand?” She screamed loudly into the night air.
The wind forms murmured softly in affirmation.
Then without any warning, Mama Ocean rose even higher than sixty feet and thundered, “IRMA!”
The sound ricocheted off the moist rocks and crashed from shore to shore. Irma, lazing on a distant shore heard the call, and knew what that meant. She had had enough time to think, and was no longer afraid of any punishment that Mama Ocean could mete out to her. She knew exactly what she had to do. She had made up her mind.
It was now or never!
She would exceed that thunderous call of the ocean. She would show them all. Irma took a deep breath and puffed her cheeks until they felt on the verge of bursting. Pushing out her chest, she blasted across the seabed like a runaway locomotive. Gigantic columns swelled in height as she angrily pushed them along.
“I don’t have to wait to go up the islands to show everyone what I can do. I will show them right now! Tonight!”
The huge waves crashed into the meeting place. Everyone shifted themselves and wondered at this phenomenon. Even Mama Ocean briefly forgot about why she was angry, as a huge wave of over one hundred feet bulldozed itself towards land.
“YOU CALLED, MAMA?” Irma bellowed. “WELL HERE COMES IRMA-WARRIOR PRINCESS!”
A thunderous wave hurtled on to land, pushing aside boats, rocks, buildings and people in its wake. Everything in its path was washed out to sea, as the wave ebbed and flowed across the land.
The other wind forms held their breaths with a mixture of horror and admiration. How would Mama handle this situation? Would Irma be punished, maybe even banished from the ocean forever?
Everyone waited! It was a tense moment in The Atlantic!
​Mama slowly lowered herself from her previous height. She eyed Irma. There was a new gleam of admiration in her eyes. Irma had always been a rough rebel, but this behavior was entirely new, and she admitted to herself-courageous!
“Wow!” Maria breathed.
Mama turned to look at her, but this time, her look was not as glaring as before. Regaining her composure, she was ready to resume the meeting that was interrupted with such a spectacle.
​“Everyone, to their places”, she snapped out the command. “I think I have seen it all”.
Shifting excitedly to their places, the wind forms rustled Mama’s billowy skirts with their soft breaths. They were all ears, they anticipated a very exciting turn of events, but what?
​“I have made my decision”’ Mama began. “I am certain that all will agree with me that after such spectacular performance, that the new wind form to trek the islands this time of the year, is indeed Irma!”
Every breath was hushed in amazement. For a couple seconds, no one dared to breathe or move. How should they react to this announcement after such blatant disobedience by Irma?
Mama surveyed her children with a warm smile. They relaxed.
“It is real”, she said. “You can now celebrate”.
José giggled causing ripples to pulse through the warm waters, eliciting giggles from the wind forms. They excitedly lapped the water around Irma.
“Three cheers for Irma!” shouted Maria, glancing shyly at Mama.
Mama nodded her approval, and the wind forms burst out in hoots and whistles that echoed across the distant shores. They had a champion storm! She, they believed was going to make the ocean proud.
Irma was shocked speechless! Was this for real? Was she really going on this coveted trip?
“What are you going to pack Irma?” quipped Maria.
“I am not sure”, replied Irma, still in awe.
Then she remembered that she did not thank Mama Ocean. She pushed tiny ripples forward as she shyly approached Mama.
“Thank you, Mama,for believing in me”, she whispered breathlessly. “I am sorry that I have been bad, but I will make up for it and make you and everyone proud. You will see”.
“I know you will, Irma”, replied Mama. “Now go and get packed. Your trip begins tomorrow”.
Irma squealed with glee. Right then and there, she vowed to break the record of every storm to ever hit land. She would show everyone. She would make history! She would live up to her name! And she did!
On September 6th, 2017, packing winds of nearly 200 miles per hour, Irma ripped through the Caribbean region and The United States, causing major devastation in her wake. Her fame spread especially across The Leeward Islands. She broke the record for any land storm. Way past a category 5, she slammed the land with her fury. The first hurricane to cause tornado, earthquake and fire, Irma forced meteorologist to extend the Saffir-Simpson Scale. She made her mark! Her name was the topic of conversation long after she had passed. “Irma” became the epitome for hurricane. Whenever anyone speaks her name, it conjures up dread. Whenever a storm threatens, the islanders would remark, “I hope this one is not as bad as Irma”. Time in the Caribbean is now measured on the time-line: Before Irma and After Irma. She proved that she was indeed- The Warrior Princess!