Alarming Elements by Jane Claire Jackson

 

 Earth

Terracotta tiles cover ochre buildings. Earthenware pots adorn fenced terraces. Dusty soil. Parched vegetation. Sunbaked land.

 

Fire

A match dropped from a car window, still glowing. Sparks crackle, smoulder and spread. Rapidly flames ignite. Tongues licking, hungry for more. Smoke choking, billowing out of control.

 

Air

Wind fanning, encouraging, heating. Sirens echoing for miles around. Planes taking off, flying, circling, assessing the situation far below. Relatives holding their breath whilst rescuers debate options. Hot air

 

passes from mouth to mouth. Orders shouted. More planes soar full speed to the coast.

 

Water

Hosepipes spraying, depleting emergency sources. Rivers acting as barriers. Planes splash down, filling tanks with seawater. As this artificial rain pours from the sky, slowly the blaze is dampened and squelched.