Wood-Row Street - an incredible sight.
The street was named after the long rows of stout (1) trees that lined the edges of the footpath. It was truly a sight that resembled peace and tranquility (3) but it almost became a scene of a tragic loss of human life...
next
Wood-Row Street - 2nd January 2006
next
As always, the evening period was the most crowded as many people were returning home from work. I was driving back from work, eyes lazily snapping (4) close from exhaustion. Ahead of me was a husband and wife driving a slow-moving van which was as 'fast' as a lawn-mover (2) ! Sore, irritable and hungry , I angrily punched my steering wheel. But my displeasure quickly turned into sheer terror.
next
A large oak tree directly beside the van emitted a queer, creaking sound and started tilting. "Something is wrong. A thousand-pound tree does NOT tilt!!" I thought wildly as the creaking became more and more pronounced. Shards of bark snapped free from the trunk with a crackle of joy. Then out of the blue, the tree dropped and crashed onto the van!
next
It was horiffic. The hood of the van bent and buckled under the pressure of the seemingly iron-clad tree. I dashed out of my car and instantly sprinted to the van. Several passers-by helped the couple out of the van. Just as a man could not lift an elephant, the van could not take it anymore and got crushed like a lump of tin foil.
next
As I was about to return to my car, the van erupted in a ball of billowing flames. The warmth of the flames greedily feasting on the tree was quickly chased away by the cold rain. "Like a funeral pyre," I thought grimly as I returned to my car. Luckily, someone had called the fire brigade which then proceeded to quench every last glowing ember.
next
Life is unpredictable. Life can as easily reward you as it can curse you! Yet life has a flavour that only someone who has nearly lost it can experience.
next
Please note:
(1) red: adjectives that tell me more
(2) green: similes make effective visuals by comparing one thing to another
(3) pink: feelings - here even the tree has feelings
(4) purple: verbs that create strong visuals and are action packed
No comments:
Post a Comment