“The Cold, Hard Plague”
The darkness cast its bold, fierce face across the hazy sky. The sudden drop in temperature heightens the awareness of those in witness to the devastation they are about to behold. The first stones hit the ground with a thud and others begin to fall with them. Within seconds, small pings are heard as the miniature ice chunks pelt the metallic tops of the vehicles. The pressure builds with intensity and the air feels heavy and moist. Without warning, the small pings grow louder and the ice becomes larger. The first car window explodes, shooting shards of glass and ice everywhere.
When it’s all said and done with, the damage is irreversible. Vehicles are mangled with pock marks and their windows busted out. Crops are bent and snapped, ruining any chance of a good yield. Homes and businesses are injured to the extent of financial hardship. Dime to softball size hail litters the ground and turns the summer green grass into a field of ice packed stones. Accidents steeply climb during the ensuing storm and insurance claims skyrocket into oblivion.
The worst of this plague, this malicious intent from above, was not the harm that was caused, but the lack of understanding and warning of this attack. Hail storms do not prejudice their surroundings, they do not pick and choose when and where they will occur. It is not something we can prepare for which makes the destruction that much worse. We have warnings that we may see some hail, but nothing can organize us for what could ultimately rain down to meet us.
When one thinks of a plague, hail may not be what comes to mind. However, a common definition of “plague” is a sudden invasion of devastation or upheaval from a divine source such as God. After a hail storm, look around at the possibilities of demolition caused or spared by this awesome power. Built from the simplicity of water and wind, these stones are far more than simple. The suddenness or immediateness of the attack gives this cold invasion a persuasive force. A power to be reckoned with that radiates the title, “Hail: The White Plague.”
