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Description
Off the coast, of the Gulf of Mexico, hot air rises. Clouds gather and thunder mumbles. The day is sent in to a premature night and a sort of hush falls over the land. The people and animals quietly seek shelter.
Lightning strikes and the thunder yells, the lights go out. As if God doesn’t want man’s electric bulbs interfering with his light show. Only candles are permitted to keep the humans from stubbing their toes as they fumble around.
The adults gather up candles and crowd around a table for a game of cards.
“Do you want to play with us?” one asks.
“No,” replies a young girl.
“What are you going to do, then?” another inquires.
“I’m gonna watch the storm.”
“All right…have fun.”
The girl takes a seat by a wide window. As the rain pours, an overhang keeps it from blurring out her view. Still, the outside is so dark that it is hard to tell what is happening. The backyard is the heart of a jungle, dark and mysterious.
A flashbulb goes off and a giant claps his hands. The world is lit up in a white light. The strong wind and rain is frightening and she worries about the damage it might do, especially to the hibiscus bush.
Yet, part of her doesn’t want the storm to stop. How often is the world lit up in such white light? There’s a thrill in feeling the thunder reverberate through her chest. She wishes she could go outside and yell with the thunder.
The storm dies down. The clapping giant seems to walk away, leaving the land wet and beaten.
“Can I go outside?” the girl entreats.
“Wait until you can’t hear thunder,” answers one of the adults.
So, she waits, staring at the hibiscus bush. The rain has torn at the flowers and the girl hopes that there is an undamaged one left. She becomes rapped in her thoughts when her mother comes into the room.
“Are you going outside?” her mother asks.
“Huh,” says the girl, snapping out of her dream world. She looks around for a moment, “Oh.” Jumping off of the couch she begins to head towards the door.
“Get your shoes on, you don’t want chiggers.” Her mother chides her.
The girl huffs and runs off to her room. She comes back wearing sandals which her mother gives a disapproving look.
“I’ll be careful.”
“Fine.” Her mother says, sliding the door open for her.
The girl walks slowly to the hibiscus bush, making sure not get mud in her sandals. She searches the plant for any unsullied blossom. She finds one under the skirt of leaves, full and beautiful.
She reaches out to pluck it, but stops. Staring at it, she wonders if she should. She smiles, no she’ll leave it. It will be her secret.
She wanders around the yard for a bit, exploring her drenched and muddy world. Coming back, every now and then, to see her blossom till a feeling of hunger drives her inside.
“Mommy, can I have something to eat?” She called from the door.

“We’re about to have dinner.” Her mother answered from the kitchen.
“But, I’m hungry now.” The girl whined.
“You’ll have to wait. I’m not letting you eat a snack when we’re about to eat.”
“Please?”
“I’m counting to three.” Her mother responded, annoyed.
“Aww,” the girl groaned.
“That’s one.”
“Okay.” The girl said dejectedly.
She went back outside, closing the door behind her.

Description
Off the coast, of the Gulf of Mexico, hot air rises. Clouds gather and thunder mumbles. The day is sent in to a premature night and a sort of hush falls over the land. The people and animals quietly seek shelter.
Lightning strikes and the thunder yells, the lights go out. As if God doesn’t want man’s electric bulbs interfering with his light show. Only candles are permitted to keep the humans from stubbing their toes as they fumble around.
The adults gather up candles and crowd around a table for a game of cards.
“Do you want to play with us?” one asks.
“No,” replies a young girl.
“What are you going to do, then?” another inquires.
“I’m gonna watch the storm.”
“All right…have fun.”
The girl takes a seat by a wide window. As the rain pours, an overhang keeps it from blurring out her view. Still, the outside is so dark that it is hard to tell what is happening. The backyard is the heart of a jungle, dark and mysterious.
A flashbulb goes off and a giant claps his hands. The world is lit up in a white light. The strong wind and rain is frightening and she worries about the damage it might do, especially to the hibiscus bush.
Yet, part of her doesn’t want the storm to stop. How often is the world lit up in such white light? There’s a thrill in feeling the thunder reverberate through her chest. She wishes she could go outside and yell with the thunder.
The storm dies down. The clapping giant seems to walk away, leaving the land wet and beaten.
“Can I go outside?” the girl entreats.
“Wait until you can’t hear thunder,” answers one of the adults.
So, she waits, staring at the hibiscus bush. The rain has torn at the flowers and the girl hopes that there is an undamaged one left. She becomes rapped in her thoughts when her mother comes into the room.
“Are you going outside?” her mother asks.
“Huh,” says the girl, snapping out of her dream world. She looks around for a moment, “Oh.” Jumping off of the couch she begins to head towards the door.
“Get your shoes on, you don’t want chiggers.” Her mother chides her.
The girl huffs and runs off to her room. She comes back wearing sandals which her mother gives a disapproving look.
“I’ll be careful.”
“Fine.” Her mother says, sliding the door open for her.
The girl walks slowly to the hibiscus bush, making sure not get mud in her sandals. She searches the plant for any unsullied blossom. She finds one under the skirt of leaves, full and beautiful.
She reaches out to pluck it, but stops. Staring at it, she wonders if she should. She smiles, no she’ll leave it. It will be her secret.
She wanders around the yard for a bit, exploring her drenched and muddy world. Coming back, every now and then, to see her blossom till a feeling of hunger drives her inside.
“Mommy, can I have something to eat?” She called from the door.

“We’re about to have dinner.” Her mother answered from the kitchen.
“But, I’m hungry now.” The girl whined.
“You’ll have to wait. I’m not letting you eat a snack when we’re about to eat.”
“Please?”
“I’m counting to three.” Her mother responded, annoyed.
“Aww,” the girl groaned.
“That’s one.”
“Okay.” The girl said dejectedly.
She went back outside, closing the door behind her.