power up!

The water of the pond is as smooth as glass, with an occasional nip of water by the Dragonflies and Water Skaters. The buzz of tiny wings can be heard all around. Butterflies flitting from bloom to bright bloom, as the bees play a game of tag, darting from one flower to the next, gathering the succulent pollen to take home to the family.

Tall thin grass accents the wildflowers, as Cattails stand tall, creeping from the land out into the edges of the water. Lily Pads float peacefully on the surface acting as landing pads for the Dragonflies.

The croaking of frogs sing in harmony with the Cicadas, as their chorus joins the myriad of song birds in the Weeping Willow trees.

A gentle breeze rolls through the grass, making the surface of the pond ripple ever so slightly. A tuft of white fluff frees from a cattail and dances in the air on its journey to its new destination. A piece lands ever so softly on the water to be met by a fish that pops up thinking it's a delicious treat, and the water stills once again.

The sky is a clear blue with small wisps of white clouds that lazily hang in place. Birds dip and soar in a ballet of beauty.

The scene is perfect. Beautiful, colorful, quiet, nature just being nature.

A bright light appears in the sky. A great ball of fire, followed by a trail of rolling black smoke. A loud roaring can be heard as the birds take flight in a rush of wings and screams of upset.

The surface of the water splashes violently, as a loud thunderous crash is heard. A popping and crackling blend with a loud hissing. A rush of air plows through the grass and weeds singeing everything in its path. The Willow tree is instantly stripped of its thin elegant leaves as the Lily Pads curl into themselves.

The vibrations in the ground settles as complete silence of the pond is accompanied by the hissing.

4:37 p.m.

A small town is enjoying their Saturday at a Baseball game, the Bangers against the Billers. It's just a town ball game that happens every couple of weeks between the laborers and the business people of town. Just something to do on a long summer day.

It's all in fun and the winner gets free ice cream. The women have prepared a huge picnic for everyone as the children run free playing. Just a simple peaceful day.

It's the fourth inning, bases loaded for the Bangers. The score is six to seven, Bangers favor. The batter is up and getting settled for the hit, when a bright light appears in the sky, followed by black rolling smoke. A loud roaring is heard.

Everyone directs their eyes to the fire ball as it descends. A loud crash is heard and the ground vibrates violently, enough to slosh the drinks in their cups on a table.

"Whoa!"

"Cool!"

"What was that?"

"Oh my god!"

Various exclamations erupt from the crowd.

"Lets play ball!" the umpire shouts.

The game is back on.

The Billers take the win by one point.

Everyone returns to town. It's still light out. Most of the town converges on the ice cream parlor in high spirits, joking and prodding about the game.

As Tom scoops mounds of ice cream, he starts to notice the ice cream is softening very quickly. But when he goes to make a milkshake, he realizes something's not right.

He excuses himself and goes to the back room, finding the breaker box, he flips it several times. He flips the lamp on that sits on his desk, there's no power. He frowns and goes back up to the counter.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" he shouts over the rush of the room.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot make milkshakes, the power seems to be out. But there is plenty of ice cream to go around."

"I'll have a look," Bill, an electrician calls out, and steps around the counter.

The more ice cream that Tom scoops, the softer it gets, but luckily it holds out until the last customer.

Bill steps up. "There is no power coming into the building. Did you pay your power bill?"

"Yes I paid my power bill! Can you not fix it?"

"I'm sorry, we need to find out where the service has been interrupted," Bill replies with a shrug.

"Fine, I'll check into it tomorrow," he scoops them a bowl of ice cream milk.

People all over town realize they do not have power when they get home. The hotline to the power company was overloaded with the calls, all getting the same message.

"We are aware of the issue. Technicians will be there to investigate the problem as soon as possible. Please be patient.

It was a long hot night for everyone in town and Sunday promised blistering heat for sure.

Sunday afternoon, several Power Company trucks were seen going by. Children naturally being curious, followed the parade of trucks. The men from the power company stopped abruptly.

Ahead was a large substation that directed the power to the small town. What was left of it anyway. The great ball of fire that came through the day before, had completely crushed everything in sight.

Metal was blackened and melted, twisting in the eeriest manner. Smoke and steam were still rising, and the hissing could still be heard. They scratched their heads and cocked them to the side in awe.

"Okay, so how do we handle this one?"

All the men turned and looked at the man as if he had grown a second head.

"You're the supervisor, you tell us!"

"Well, first we...." the man turned red because he had no clue.

He returns to the truck and picks up the radio calling headquarters.

"Truck nineteen here. The main power supply needs to be cut. This place is a real mess.

"Copy that nineteen, cutting power now," the static voice replies.

"Uh, nineteen. There is no power going to that power station."

"There is, it's shooting crazy out here!" the supervisor shouts.

"No sir. It indicates that there is currently no power going to that station," the voice on the radio replies.

Everyone turns to look at the electric chaos. Sparks flying, wires whipping, pops, cracks and zings of electricity on the loose.

"So, what do we do?" the supervisor says under his voice.

"Harold! Why have you moved the fridge?"

"I haven't."

"Mom! Why is the dryer in the dining room?"

"Do what?"

"Honey! Why is the toaster in the bathroom?"

"It's not."

"Oh yes it is."

People voice different strange things throughout the town. Electronics not being where they should be, as if someone just moved them about.

Across town, at the ice cream parlor, Tom is pouring the liquid ice cream into the drain in the floor, while Bill follows him back and forth talking, not helping mind you, just talking.

"I just don't get it. I've been an electrician for twenty years! I've never seen anything like it!"

"They can't cut the power out there?"

"No, it's crazy!"

"So when are they going to get the power back on?" Tom grunts, pouring another bucket down the drain.

"That's just it, they can't, not until they get it turned off," Bob replies following Tom.

After three days without power, things are getting pretty bad in the small town. People are filling the trash with tons of food that has spoiled, what hasn't spoiled, they are cooking up.

They have cleaned the store out of batteries, bottled water, dry goods and canned goods. There is a green, funky, odorous haze about town from all the garbage that has backed up waiting on the trash services to run, including the spoiled food from the grocer.

Children spend their days in any water source they can find, and what adults that can't work, are apt to be found right alongside them. Those that can work, or desperately try to, understandably do not wear uniforms or customary attire. The preacher was seen wearing Speedos and flip flops.

Jon Keller made a run into the next town over to pick up supplies. When he gets back, he meets several of the town folk at the park.

"You know they didn't even know what had happened?" Jon relays.

"You're kidding?"

"Do they still have power?"

"They didn't see it?" the group questions.

"Nope, yep, nope," Jon answers.

"What are we going to do?"

"Every morning I wake up to find my whole house rearranged!"

"This morning I found my food processor sitting on the coffee table!"

"My TV was in the bathroom!" someone exclaimed.

"Could it be someone sneaking in and messing with us?"

"Who would do such a thing?"

"It's happening all over town, it would have to be more than one person!"

The Mayor walks up wearing floral swimming trunks and a white wife beater stretched taut over his robust gut.

"Good afternoon good people of Oxbox. How is your day?" he scratches his gut.

"Mayor, you have to do something about this!" a citizen exclaims.

"I assure you everything is under control, I am on top of it," he smiles with his electoral smile.

The crowd mumbles with discontent and walks away.