wake up call

12 july 2008
the rains last night were engulfing. i fell to sleep with ease, surprising because of the crickets who have staked their claim on the wall nearest my headboard and have proven themselves indestructible. also, this easy to sleep phenomenon came as a self control booster shot - i can control my life in this foreign environment - though it was only my second night and i've got 27 months to go. anywho, while sleeping soundly, my E.T. pillow cushioning my chest against the fluff less mattress and the slight tick tick tick of the overhead fan (something i will soon greatly miss) there was a sudden and alarming CRACK! then the metal deadbolt'd door flew violently open and my Training Roommates and i were sure this was the end! SLAM! the door whacks the outside, breaking off a chunk of the wall, leaving a dent and a hole and fear all around. the hut shaking with either fear or shock, hannah, megan and myself fly out of bed, only to be caught in our mosquito nets, which was equally terrifying.
wide awake yet still without full consciousness, mostly due to the fear blurring our vision and the deafening static noise coming from above, below, all around; our ears cried out as did we. feeling as if i'd been stuck between two giant speakers spouting out static and white noise at concert levels, we look around for light, for consolation, for each other and flash! through our wide open door we see a flash of lightening and see the cause of this drowning noise - rain. white, giant sheets of rain are lit up and shimmer as they plummet to the ground.
the rains had come and with great fury. tree branches fell, upon our tin roof and all around outside; we three lit our headlamps, finally able to decipher what was happening inside and out, allowing for the white beams of light to reassure and comfort us in our times of terror. "at least the roof is still intact" was murmured in between crashes of light and noise.
even though we sit and sleep less than 3 feet apart, no words could be heard unless perfectly timed. curiously after hiding myself under a sheet and burying my face into the ET pillow, safety overwhelmed me, calmed me, released the fear. just like when i was 5. a deep sleep ensued.