Ice Storm

 I first noticed the sound of the ice the night before. My daughter and I were making a last minute run to Kroger’s. I was surprised at how loud it was. I could hear the trees creak and clap over the sound of the car’s engine as it warmed. Stronger winds made the claps louder. Spooky in the dark. The sound was back the next day. The cold overnight temperatures had kept the ice glued in place. In the morning sun, the trees appeared like they had LED lights in the tip branches. And the sound. Each tree clacked and squeaked with the breeze. I found myself turning quickly with each breeze, trying to figure out which tree was making the different clacks. It was like standing in the middle of a bunch of randomly playing percussion instruments.