Stresses and Strains

The sky darkened overhead as the last traces of twilight scurried over the horizon. I sat in calm serenity gazing up into the endless infinity of space. A scattering of stars shone like quicksilver on a black velvet cushion. The crescent moon smiled at me, intensifying the feeling of a celestial benevolence. 

Somewhere in the distance the hoot of an owl disturbed the silent tranquillity.
'Concentrate!' I admonished for allowing myself to become distracted.

I strained hard, but to no avail.

Mother Nature would not be hurried by a mere mortal. As beads of sweat rolled down my forehead from sheer exertion, swift cumulonimbus clouds gathered overhead, devouring the starlight hungrily. The cheerful smile of the crescent Moon appeared more a grimace as it too became obscured by the ominous clouds.

The sky was illuminated with forked lightning and the accompanying clap of thunder gave me a start. Then a lesser but remarkably similar sound reverberated around the confined space. This sound was music to my ears, but quickly forgotten as the foul stench permeated the air and wafted uninvited up into my nostrils.

The relief at the sudden release of pressure was short lived as the sudden torrential downpour beat down on me. I looked towards the Heavens again, rain hitting my face almost painfully. I shook my head and made a mental note.
'I really must fix the roof on this outhouse'