Creative Poetry - The Wind (Part1)

Hello peoples, This guy I know Norm (who's wife writes really awesome stuff) Refered me here. Anyway Hi Joy and Norm sent me. I have had several poems published and 1 short story many , many years ago in the before time. So I thought after about 20 years to put pen (fingers to keyboard) to paper again and have a go. Norm suggested posting it here to obtain your thoughts. So please be forthright and open, yet do not stab too deep. Here is the first post.

When Jason awoke that morning he knew things were going to be different. As he gazed across the wheat field, he noticed even it bowed to the new direction of the wind. It was a hot humid wind, a wind that made your sweat, sweat. He could now smell the salt in the air as well. He looked back toward the east and wondered just how close the Atlantic was to his farm now. As he gazed to the east a flicker caught his eye, he turned to see what it was. There coming in from the south, out of Oklahoma, was a Thundercane. He recalled the first time he heard the term used by the local weather station. It was a cross between a deadly thunderstorm and a hurricane, hitting land mass was no longer an issue for hurricane's since so much moisture was in the air, they now had the ability to draw from the top of the storm as well as the bottom, once they reached land and lost the moist warmth of the ocean they turned upward and drew from the moist air skyward, thus the name thundercane, this one looked bad, hopefully it was a fast mover. Hurriedly he looked for the boys, he knew they had gotten up early to see the red, it was one of the best two times to be up, coolest as well. The early morning in late evening, when the suns rays hit what was left of the ozone it looked as if fire was dancing across the sky. However by midmorning the temperature got too warm for the young boys so inside they went. Looking at his watch he noticed it was just 8:30, still plenty of cool air time left, the boys must still be outside somewhere. He walk around to the back of the house to see if perhaps they were on the swing set. As he passed the porch he caught a glimpse of the thermometer and noticed it was already 98 degrees, the thundercane must be pushing in more moist air then he previously thought. He quickened his pace to find the boys.

as he cleared the corner of the house he begin to hear laughter and the shrills of delight, he felt his blood pressure decrease. Soon the boys came into vision and he himself was relieved to see what was left of his family. The four of them had taken a trip to the capital last year with Mark's 2nd grade class to visit the White House and see President Clinton. It was a historic trip for the class and they had worked hard at raising the funds to go. It was the countries first Woman President and the class was doing a detailed study of the Presidents of the United States, and the trip was the reward for all their hard work.
Jason, Emily, and Brian were following Mark's school bus to Washington DC, as well as many other parents.
They had just left Knoxville Tennessee when Jason saw the bus's break lights turn suddenly red. He heard the squelching of tires as the bus tried in vain to stop its massive weight. Then came the crumple of steal to steal. Before he realized what had happened he found himself looking at the blackness of a twisted bus bumper. Thinking only of Mark he unbuckled and bolted for the bus. Stepping upon the landing of the bus he quickly turned his head to expel the contents of his stomach at catching the site. The driver had been impelled through the neck with what may have been the railing on someones future home. About the bus children lie in pools of blood screaming in pain. His eyes were fully alert and darting quickly around the bus looking for Mark. Among the cries for mom or dad he picked out Mark's voice. Being careful not to inflect more pain upon the small children he picked his way to the back of the bus to where his son lay. He looked down and under the seat and saw Mark in the fetal position crying. Reaching out to him he picked him up and held him close to his chest. With tears of relief in his eyes he looked his son over for any injuries, finding only wet jeans he realized his son had survived unharmed. Turning his attention toward the other children he begin to see if there was anything he could do. On the farm he had birthed many animals and attended to their needs perhaps he could apply some of that knowledge here. With Mark at his side he begin to remove the children that was unhurt or that could make it off the bus. Once the less injured were parted from the others he looked back through the bus, by now other adults had come to assist and some were trained in the medical field, he begin to follow instructions from those who knew best how to render aid. When all the living had been removed he took one last glance at the bus and counted only seven children and the bus driver that had not survived. It was not as bad as it looked. Stepping off the bus he grabbed Mark by the hand and looked around to see if he could see Emily, she was no where to be found, he begin to think the worse. He never did look toward her after the impact, he was thinking of Mark. He ran toward the back of the bus to where the car was still part of the carnage.
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As he approached the back of the bus he noticed a group of people gathered around the passenger window of his car. One person was leaning in and speaking softly, comfortingly. He swallowed hard he knew it had to be bad. As he approached the front of the car a clearing of people occurred and he caught sight of his wife through the wind shield. Her hair was matted and blood was dripping from the corner of her right eye. A bystander gently wiped her red runny nose. She blinked in pain and looked at her husband. He read her quivering lips. He mouthed that Mark was alright and pick him up to show her. She mustered what she could of a smile, lay her head back and closed her eyes in peace. Jason felt moisture flowing down his cheeks then a tug at his leg. He looked down to see Brian starring up at him in wonder. As he bent down he placed Mark next to his brother, took them both in his arms and fell to the ground with them. All the while telling them he would never let them go, he would never let them go the way their mother did.

The sun begin it's daily dip beneath the sky and still Jason remained with his sons sitting on the pavement in front of the car. The three together sit crying, wondering what to do. A stranger came to them and offered bottled water which they took and drank among muffled tears. Jason looked at Brian and brushed the hair from his eyes. Mark looked at his father and asked about the trip and if it was off now and if it was his fault. The corner of Jason's lips begin to curl upwards. He looked at his son, touched his cheek and replied that it was just the way things were, it was not his fault. Mark managed a crooked smile but the question remained in his eyes. Jason asked if it was alright if the trip could be postponed, Mark nodded his head yes.

The boys, Mark now 9 and Brian now 6, saw their dad as he came around the corner of the house and ran to meet him. They knew that it was the thundercane that caused the urgency in their dad so they made no fuss about going into the storm shelter for protection. At least it would be cooler then being in the house. As the three raced to the storm shelter that Jason had built behind the house the wind begin to blow the rain sideways. The boys took the steps by two and were soon at the bottom of the shelter, Jason struggled to get the heavy metal door latched. As soon as the latch feel into place he begin to hear the heavy pounding of hail stones hitting the door. He let out a deep sigh of relief. Reaching the floor of the shelter he found the candles and let two of them to see by. Then sit down on the floor with the boys to sit out the storm. They sat in a circle and held hands and begin to rock back and forth all the while singing Camp Town Races. By the time they had completed the song Row Row Row Your Boat the storm had died down enough to leave the shelter. Jason climbed to the top of the stairs, released the latch and opened the door. Once their eyes had adjusted to the bight sun they climbed to the top of the stairs and left the safety of the ground.

Once Jason was clear of the shelter he looked at his watch, it was now 10:32 the storm was indeed a quick mover, less then 2 hours, he was relieved by that knowledge. He walked around the farm to ensure that the damage was not too bad. Looking over the house he noticed the roof had taken on some dents but the ten held tight. He had long ago removed the windows so there was not going to be any broken glass. He headed out to the barn to check on the livestock. He noticed a few chickens would need to be plucked but other then a few shaken nerves the rest of the animals were fine. He then turned his eyes to the wheat fields, he saw what he expected to see, it had been beaten down to the ground. Yet he was hopeful, this new wheat germ that he was given to grow had always bounced back after each storm, he was just as expectant this time as well.

Well here is the first part. Please let me know what you think
Thanks.
Gregory D. Watts