Dark raging clouds blotted out the once blue sky and steady rain pattered down on the slate rooftops of Paris. The stomach of the storm gave a loud hungry groan, blinding light fell, and struck the hard ground with such force that the bright city rumbled and quaked at the blow. The pouring water hammered down upon the strong black umbrella of the newspaper boy and he desperately clutched the papers to his chest, trying to keep them dry. Sarah sat at the window seat in the parlor and watched her city sparkle as the lightning lit it up and the rain made it shine. Her mother was fast asleep on the divan, snoring like a bear. Despite her deafening grumbles, Sarah stared out the window in a trance; her face blurred to all of the pedestrians out on the streets because of the heavy rain that streaked the window.



Sarah wished the storm would cease. She wanted to run outside and skip rope or eat ice cream or ride bikes with her friends. Sarah dreamed of the beautiful summer days when the sun shone majestically on Paris and off in the distance, the rolling hills gleamed like pure gold, the parched yellow grasses waving back and forth in the wind. The days when she and her little sister would play hide-and-go-seek in the park or climb up tall maple trees till they were so high that going any farther would frighten them to death! However, now the mornings, afternoons ,and nights were cold and dark, definitely not days for fun. It would only get colder from then on.


The old building creaked and shook from the stress of the lightning that slapped the earth. Sarah was thoroughly surprised that it didn’t collapse at the first blow. She gazed out the cracked window, sipping her cocoa absentmindedly. The pitter-patter of the falling rain-drops began to make her feel drowsy and Sarah slouched on the cushion. Her eyes closed and her long black eyelashes rested against her rosy cheek. Sarah fell into a deep peaceful sleep, encouraged by the splashing water.



Sarah dreamt of a lovely field off in the country. The sun was shining on the little valley, and Sarah rolled in the daisies with pleasure. Tall gorgeous sunflowers grew off to the side and she gazed with wonder into their centers, counting all the black and white seeds.
Sarah wore a soft elegant dress of butter yellow and she twirled like a ballet dancer, laughing with delight. She leapt up and down the valley, her thin legs flying outwards like a gazelle. The gentle wind blew in her face causing her chestnut hair to perform a complex and elegant tango. Sarah joined in and danced with an imaginary partner of great skill. She supplied the music, humming the dramatic rhythm soulfully. Sarah and her partner tangoed in and out of the sunflowers, pulling all the classic stunts and tricks with precision. She fell into the grass and laughed until her stomach burned. It was all so perfect, so beautiful, so glorious, so………
And she awoke.


Sarah was still sleepy went she awoke from her dreamland. She wondered what had woken her. Had her little sister come home from skating? Was her mother making a racket in the kitchen? Sarah sat up and opened her eyes, just a crack. A golden glimmer of light shone magnificently and her eyelids immediately wrenched wide open. The storm had passed and the sun was high in the sky. The street vendors were out, offering sweet-smelling baguettes to everyone who came near them.

“Come and get ‘em! Come and get ‘em while they’re hot!” They shouted out over and over again in fluent French.

Bright-eyed children chased each other up and down the streets and jumped in puddles, spraying dirty water everywhere. Proud floral-smelling old women peered curiously into the windows of boutiques, the colorful feathers on their fancy hats tipping to the side as they pondered over the new dresses and shoes. A sun-kissed Italian man was selling beautiful sunflowers on the cobblestone street, shaking them in the faces of all the starry-eyed lovers he saw; the flowers waved to Sarah,

Welcoming her……

Beckoning her to join them out in the shining sun.

Their black and white seeds almost seemed to form a smile and Sarah smiled back. She stood up and pulled on her boots. Sarah flew down the stairs and stepped out into the golden afternoon. She bought a sunflower from the tanned man and gazed into its center,

Counting all the black and white striped seeds,

As the hot sun shone on her chestnut hair.