On the night of July 19, a vicious thunderstorm hits Bridgton, Maine. David Drayton lives beside Long Lake outside the town. He spent July 19 with his wife Steff and his five-year-old son Billy. Worried about the weather, David warned Steff that they might need to huddle in the basement. David’s family has lived near Long Lake for generations, and he knows how damaging a storm can be, describing such storms as “mother nature’s way of cleaning house periodically” (7). That night, the family sits together and waits for the storm to come.

When the storm arrives, David is surprised by its intensity. He sends Steff and Billy into the basement while he fetches candles and other supplies. They listen to the storm together, occasionally venturing upstairs with their candles in hand. They hear trees falling, the lake churning, and the wind roaring. They return to the basement during the final, most intense squall. David hears a tree crash through an upstairs bedroom. He tells Steff not to worry because “it’s insured” (9). When the storm passes, David leaves his family and goes upstairs to inspect the damage. The old tree beside their house has fallen. David returns to his family, and they sleep in the basement.