The Storm

(This event happened at a time when Amanda, Laila and I were still learning the effects and reaches of our powers, and did not yet know that Becca, Mary, and Willa had accrued some strange abilities as well. We were all studying in Amanda's living room, in front of the fireplace, because even though it was almost summer and there was no fire, the comfort of the sentiment remained.)

Amanda's house has a really long driveway that goes over a creek at one point, surrounded by lots of very tall trees. The water is usually almost nonexistent by this point, and the little fish that spawn and grow in the creek have to ford their way to bigger streams to develop.

Anyways.
Amanda is working on her math homework, and getting very frustrated with a particular problem, which is of course the last one preventing her from finishing so we can commence with our planned Indiana Jones movie marathon. She begins doodling a large and furious cloud looming over the half-written equation.
Laila comes over to check on her, and, fascinated by the drawing, runs her finger over the swirling yet violent lines practically carved into the paper.

'This would be a really pretty storm," she remarks-- and at that moment a crack of thunder shakes the room, knocking us all off our feet.

Caspian starts cawing and shrieking loudly in his cage, as bolts of energy fizz and pop throughout the room.

We all stare, aghast, as a sheer mountain of water rises from the creek and crashes toward the house. Toward the three big, beautiful windows on the second story, which we happen to be standing behind.

"Run!" I yell, trying to offer a useful course of action, but at this point all we can do is leap out of the way as a pine tree, uprooted by the maelstrom, crashes straight into the room and through the brick fireplace, poking into the kitchen on the other side. We, however, are too busy to think about this particular development, as we are currently being swept out to sea...

Later, sopping wet and wrapped in towels on the Coast Guard boat which rescued us, we ponder the reason for our predicament. It was obviously Laila's touching of the drawing which made the storm come to life, as she has shown minor control of weather in earlier instances. However, it is the drawing which created such a powerful storm in the first place, embedding in itself in Amanda's residual frustration against the math problem...and so, the finest word of wisdom we learn from this escapade is:

Don't doodle on your homework.