Rain

• Celeste Burke, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2008

I can sense it coming.
The fresh smell of serenity and cleansing hitting the air is growing stronger with every rolling cloud that comes in this direction.
There I stand in this lonely paddock, staring into the gloomy grey above me.
Then it falls. Just like a solemn tear rolling down the cheek of a burnt soul, the crystal clear droplet hits my shoulder.
The long, green, overgrown grass sways rougher, faster and harder as the breeze becomes more cunning, pulling it in the direction of the falling rain. With each blade of grass that hits my legs, I feel another droplet land on my dry body.
I stand, staring up into the mournful clouds, watching as they weep down on me. Their teardrops land against me, and suddenly I feel at home.
Their cold heart pours down on me.
I felt like I had never been so alone. I curl into a ball on the soft, cushioning grass. The tall blades surround me, making me feel as if I am enveloped, trapped.
The rain pours stronger with every breath that I take. That is when I know I am not alone. The rain consoles me through the sorrow. It lets me know that it is there for me, even when I thought no one was. We can share our sadness with each other.
Just from that, I know that we can get through this together. It holds a beacon of hope that no other can possess, and it graciously holds out its hand for me to accept it.
I now know that the rain can understand my unbearable loss. We cried together that night, praying to each other for a splash of hope.