Storm Rolling In - Rockaway Beach

We were there for a birthday party. As soon as we got to Rockaway Beach, the air felt thick, electric, uncomfortable. There was food spread out on the picnic table, people playing lawn sports.

The clouds rolled in slowly and then all at once. The wind picked up. The birds came down, seemingly from inside the clouds, and made quick work of anything that wasn’t covered.

Then the real wind came, blowing sand all over the place. It felt like daggers in the skin. Everyone was running, screaming, but the screams hid beneath it a kind of bewildered, excited laughter. Everything quickly fell apart.