Intro to Augustus continued

The wind starts to settle. He lowers his arms to his sides and opens his eyes and all the wind and weeds become calm. He takes a deep long breath. He raises his arms out again. His expressionless and angelic face becomes one of intense focus and concentration. He brings his hands together in a large defening clap that shakes the earth to its core. A thick dust storm erupts tearing the surface of the earth in its wake.

Ten miles away the town of Smithton, Nevada is leveled by a freak storm. There were no survivors.