Once, long, long ago, and an age before that, there once was a god called Estrago. Each and every day he stepped down from the heavens and into Spain. The Spanish tried their best to please the bad tempered god, but as always he raged and raged at them. He screamed and stomped. Day after day the villagers of Spain brought him all kinds of treasures with hopes of easing his rampage. Night after night, he continued. Then one day, the volcano was going to erupt. One villager, Seandra, stood up to Estrago and demanded that he stopped immediately. At this, laughter boomed deep from the god's throat. "What can you, a puny little human, do to stop me?" Estrago said. Seandra bowed her head, red hair falling in front of her face. "I can do more than you think." was the reply she gave. Estrago thought, and thought. When the sun was about to set, he finally said "Alright, then. Let's have a little challenge. If I win, I seal you inside the volcano. If you win, you get a wish. Deal?" Seandra stood still, a cold expression on her face. "What is the challenge?" she asked. "Whoever can cross the volcano faster than the other wins." Estrago said with a sneer. The young girl smiled. "It's a deal." she said, grabbing the god's hand and giving it a shake. So they went up to the volcano. With a clap of his hands a rope strung itself up across the interior of the volcano. "I'll go first." he growled. After five minutes of the villagers' secret hopes that he would fall into the flames below, Havoc had prevailed. "YOUR TURN!" Estrago bellowed so loud it caused a flame of lava to jump into the air, singing the only way across. Taking a deep breath, Seandra stepped onto the rope. Step by step she delicately crossed. When she finished, she politely asked what her time was, it was 4:59. "I. Win." Seandra said, emphasizing both words. Estrago stomped his foot. "GRRRRR!! Fine. A deal's a deal. What is your wish." His words were barely audible through his clenched teeth. The girl's eyes narrowed. "I WISH THAT YOU FOREVER LOCKED AWAY IN THE HEAVENS!!" was the wish that was hollered loud and proud. With flashes of lights, Estrago was sealed, and the sun and moon shone once again. But Estrago refused to be forgotten. Ever since then his rampage came out in bolts of lightning with the occasional clap of thunder. When this happed, Seandra looked up into the sky and smiled. 'You will not be of worry in our minds anymore.' she would think, before walking away with the storm at her back.
Now you know why lightning strikes and how it came to be.
By: Michelle Bonga