Descriptives and Narratives(IGCSE English)

Village after heavy rainstorm (Descriptive)

Original question: Describe a town or village after a heavy rainstorm.

The first, golden rays of sunlight broke through the horizon, illuminating the tranquil sea and warming the pearly water droplets with it's kiss. The quaint cottages and crimson mud huts felt the sunlight invigorate their polished surfaces — a reward for surviving the destructive night and the terror it brought. The sturdy structures seemed to have roots that reached the core, for it held on to the crusty soil even when humongous trees fell prey to the tenacious claws of the howling wind. Leaves and straw roofs lay jumbled in the mud— remnants of the plethora of items that were stolen in the dark and carried far off into the dense forest.

At one corner of the market square lay splintered remains of a bull cart — the bull nowhere to be seen. Baskets, once a cornucopia of fruits, were scattered on the gooey mud with little more than vestigial bits and pieces of delicacies. A patter of rain drops could still be heard dripping from the roofs and breaking into a splash as they struck the ground. A monotonous repetition — reminiscent of the rain of bullet-drops from last night. The sweet petrichor began to waft. It was bitter-sweet. The same scent brought news of the year's first rains but also reminded people that what gives life, can take it as well. As the sun rose higher, creaky doors were forced open and the villagers began to gather outside. Formal greetings were commonplace but these were accompanied by harsh curses and pleas of mercy from the gods after seeing their valuables mangled and disintegrated in the soil. Hearts were fraught with sorrow as they cleaned up their belongings and in the distance a man picked up the half-broken pieces of his bull cart. His teary eyes glistening in the light yet desperately scanning the land through the haze for his bull.

The petrichor slowly began to dissipate due to the commotion. Farmers came out holding scythes and machetes, preparing themselves to harvest whatever remained of the crops they had invested sweat and blood in. Innocent children — unaware of the losses — cavorted in the mud, jumping in puddles and giggling wholeheartedly. The farmers' eyes shone with little hope that they would reap a good amount to feed their mouths. Soon the commotion faded as the sun rose higher up and the cool breeze was driven away. The folks have survived the cold night to witness another day.