End of Summer

On a humid Sunday afternoon, the stale air refuses to move, and the heat builds up. Along the coast of Florida, sits an affluent neighborhood. The residents include a well off newlwed couple, a husband and wife going through marriage problems and a wealthy family from Russia staying at their beach house. In the distance off the coast, the sky is dark, and ominous. This paradise is about to be shaken to the core. Although the scene around the neighborhood is menacing, no one takes notice. The first couple, the newlyweds, have spent the whole day painting their new house and moving in furniture. The honeymoon phase is ongoing, and nothing can seem to part the two. The problem plagued married couple have spent most of the morning arguing, and now sit and wait in silence as they wait for their marriage counselor. The Russian family have spent the whole day packing up, it's the last day of their trip, and the plane to back to Moscow leaves at 7:30. Outside, the rain starts to fall, not out of the norm for a Florida coastal town, and the rain thins the air. The breeze picks up as a strong line of wind passes over. The palm trees sway and seagulls and pelicans take off. The thunder arrives with booming force over the area, and lightning strikes randomly at sea. By now, all the families have taken notice to the storm, nothing but a "rainy afternoon" in their minds. The rest of the street that was quiet at the beginning of the day is now busy with cars of families leaving with their belongings. By now, the paint is dry, the counselor is a no show, and all the bags are packed. In the distance, a small wave gathers up steam and rolls toward land. The newlyweds decide after a long day working, it's time to go out to dinner. The bickering couple leave in hopes of finding their counselor, and their money... and the visiting family leave for the airport. That small wave in the distance has become a twenty foot tall wall of water, and crashes into the beach. It sweeps past the high swaying palms and the expensive sports cars and into the neighborhood. Gone are the mailboxes and street lights, the fresh cut grass and fresh painted walls. This end of summer storm rids of the old, and brings in the new.