A minor disturbance

There was a massive crash in the night, shortly after midnight. I jumped out of bed shouting ‘God!’, fearing an earthquake. Dogs were barking and birds called out in alarm. I learned next morning from Brenda, who is married to teh Bishop and who works as an environmental consultant in a mine nearby, that it registered 4.7 on the Richter scale and was one of the biggest explosions for some time. It was apparently a ‘natural’ explosion in the extensive mines beneath us in Klerksdorp. No wonder there are cracks in the walls.