The rain fell lightly, beautifully, like tiny shards of glass dripping from the sky. It dripped down my nose and chin, causing my to shiver from the coolness. I breathed heavily, taking in the smell of a new rain.


I tore off my heavy leather jacket and lay in the vibrant green grass, giving up to the downpour and letting it soak me all the way through. A car drove by, it lights bright and shining, making dark shadows. My heart raced dangerously- was it him?


But it passed, splashing through the mud covered road. I sighed in relief, trying to block my brain of the thoughts that now ran through it. The rain could barely hold my attention now.


I watched the windows of the house on the other side of the street. The lights were on, and figures walked back and forth in it. Were there kids in there? Were they being punished for wrong doings? Were they eating birthday cake and crying because they couldn't have their party in the rain? Were their parents telling them goodnight and kissing their foreheads?


A single tear floated down my cheek, and my throat tightened in a sudden emotional spasm. I desperately wished I could turn back time and have a happy childhood, where my parents were always there and I never feared anything but spiders and the bogeyman under my bed. But I knew that was impossible.


Suddenly I heard some quiet humming coming from next door. I turned my head, just an inch, and saw a little girl swinging. There was a slight squeak coming from the rusty swing as she soared through the air, her dark hair blowing behind her. She was humming some lullaby, a sweet, nurturing tune. She didn't look mad, or sad, or happy for that matter. She was just peaceful.


The back door of her house opened, and I crawled over to a closer bush, trying to get a closer look.


A tall, lean figure stood in the door frame.


“ Come on, Marie, get out of the rain.” said the man. It sounded like he had just been crying, his voice soft and desperate.


Marie looked up, her eyes big and full of young wonder.


“ Ah, come on Max, just alil' longer, pleaaassseeee?” She asked, her voice dripping with the sugar and honey of manipulative little kids.


I knew that Max smiled a sad smile right then, I just knew it. I could tell that stuff about people, especially big brothers. My brother made that smile too, when he knew he had to pretend that everything was OK. I gulped suddenly, tears coming to my eyes, remembering my brother, Seth. Gasping I clutched my stomach, trying to breath. Would I ever forget that torturous day of blinding colors and sharp pains, both physical and emotional?


Just then Max looked up, his eyes looking like they could see my soul, as pained as they were. Right now, looking back, I wondered what I had looked like, a small, tan figure with wet black hair and shy, brown eyes. A figure that was probably muddy and had her hair up in a messy bun, too. But that doesn't matter now.


I stood up cautiously, looking at the ground, noticing that the rain was trickling to a stop, and the dark sky was trying to lighten.


“ Hey.” Was all he said.


“Hey” Was what I said in return. This was horrible, a feeble attempt at conversation. And it was the best we both could do? I sucked in some air, gathering some strands of trust.


“You like the rain?” I asked.


“ Yeah.”


I looked down at my shoes again, sighing.


“ Come swing with me!” Marie yelped. Max blushed in embarrassment for his sister. He opened his mouth to apologize, but I walked over and plopped my self into the swing before he could speak. I pushed off from the ground and felt myself fly through the air.



Max cam over and took the swing on the other side of Marie, and we all swung in silence. There was no asking of my name, or why I was out in the rain like a lunatic. We all just swung in peace, feeling the tingling in our stomaches.



I looked over and saw Max grinning, a real, true smile that pulled apart his face in happiness. I grinned too, inspire of my usual sad demeanor.



Turning my eyes back to the sky, I saw a colorful rainbow stretched across the sky. It splashed hope through me, and I swung higher, higher into the daring, mysterious sky.



(That night, I had thought that I would never remember any of this, so I didn't dwell on it. But now, writing this story, I remember every detail. Today, seeing the faces of my true friends that will always stand by me, I know that something has changed inside me-into something pure, like the smell of fresh rain on an unforgettable night.)