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Where is Manbhavan ?

Feb 13th 2016

“Where’s Manbhavan?” Nitya cried. Her pudgy face showed great surprise.

“Where is Manbhavan?” repeated Bhavna, peering into Nitya’s cupboard. he

cardboard bo! in which he "ived was wide open # and # abso"ute"y e$pty% Bhavnaginger"y pic&ed up the b"ouses and s&irts that "ay arranged in neat pi"es on the she"f

and po&ed around the$ with a hesitant finger. “H$$ # he’s not here, that’s for

sure,” she said.

“My cupboard was shut%” Nitya cried indignant"y. “'o$eone sto"e hi$ # orde"iberate"y "et hi$ go. (’$ going to report it%”

“Wait a $inute,” Bhavna interrupted at once. “( don’t thin& you can.”

Nitya stared at her, then sighed # a "ong whooshy sound "i&e air escaping fro$ a ba""oon. “)ou’re right,” she

said g"oo$i"y, “( can’t, can (?” she sounded c"ose to tears.

he ru"es were *uite c"ear # no pets in the hoste". here was no way that Nitya cou"d actua""y begin an officia"search for Manbhavan.

“Who cou"d have been that $ean to ta&e hi$ away fro$ $e?” she wai"ed. “+veryone &nows how $uch ( "ove

hi$%” 'he tugged distracted"y at the springy cur"s f"opping onto her forehead. Her chee&s, that were so soft and

"oo&ed ust "i&e pudding that one fe"t "i&e pushing a finger right through, now drooped sad"y.

“( was ust wondering,” Bhavna said thoughtfu""y, screwing up her pointy "itt"e face. “-ou"d it be?” she

paused hesitant"y.

o put $atters straight # Manbhavan was a frog. /rigina""y Nitya had ac*uired hi$ for a rather 0ugh’ reason.

'he wanted to dissect hi$. 'he &new this was what peop"e did to find out about $ore about a frog’s insides #so$ething she was *uite curious about after "earning a"" about a$phibians in the Bio"ogy c"ass.

“1fter a"", ( intend to be a scientist,” she had to"d Bhavna. “( shou"d &now what the inside of a frog "oo&s "i&e%”

But Bhavna had shrie&ed. he sound, which was as "oud and piercing as the whist"e of a train on a si"ent,

s"eep"ess night, had sha&en Nitya.

“No, you’re not%” Bhavna screa$ed. “( $ean you’re not going to cut up the poor, "itt"e creature%”

2or a $o$ent Nitya gaped at her # the poor gir" was sti"" in a state of shoc&. 'he’d never rea"ised that Bhavnacou"d shrie& that "oud"y% hen Nitya had pee&ed at Manbhavan again. He was f"opping about in the paper bag in

which she’d captured hi$. here was so$ething appea"ing about his "arge, popping eyes # so$ething sad and

sou"fu".

'udden"y Nitya underwent a change of heart. “We3e"",” she said, “suppose ( &eep hi$..and..ust study hi$? Howabout that?” “)ou can’t do that% )ou &now you’re not a""owed to &eep ani$a"s in the dor$,” Bhavna said

fir$"y. “)ou &now the ru"es4 No pets 1 155%”


2/12

Nitya’s "ower "ip stuc& out in a stubborn pout. 'he dec"ared, “hen ( definite"y a$ going to &eep hi$%” When

Nitya sported that e!pression Bhavna &new there was no way you cou"d $a&e her budge an inch%

But Bhavna sti"" tried, of course. “How are you going to &eep a frog in the dor$?” she as&ed. “)ou’"" be caught

in no ti$e. +ven if he is not discovered, so$ebody’s bound to snitch.”

1 hard, straight frown appeared between Nitya’s bushy eyebrows. “We’"" see about that,” she said.

Bhavna’s heart san&. 2or a"" her soft, pudding3y "oo&s Nitya cou"d be a terror when provo&ed. 1ctua""y, $ost ofthe gir"s were a "itt"e scared of her. Hard"y anyone wou"d dare to ta&e her on by obecting to the frog or evenris& going behind her bac& to snitch.

But Bhavna tried to reason with her again. “How and where wi"" you &eep hi$?” she as&ed.

“(’"" find a way,” was Nitya’s instant rep"y.

)es, that was the troub"e with Nitya # she a"ways found a way%

'ure enough, she found a cardboard bo!, "ined it with paper nap&ins and $ade a bed for Manbhavan. 'he even

&ept a basin fu"" of water near her cupboard so he cou"d have a swi$ when he wanted. 1nd, of course, therewere p"enty of f"ies around, so feeding hi$ was not a prob"e$%

1ctua""y, the gir"s too& to Manbhavan right away. He did have a fair"y good persona"ity for a frog. 1nd apart

fro$ his a"ar$ing habit of hopping around sudden"y # which $ade so$e of the gir"s hop too # there wasnothing obectionab"e about hi$. “6ust a ref"e! action,” as the dor$ prefect 7unita e!p"ained, when she found

herse"f u$ping. “We’re not scared of frogs, are we?”

“-ertain"y not%” everyone chorused bac&. “($agine being scared of a "itt"e frog in this day and age%”

“He’s *uite a sweetheart, actua""y,” Nandita said in her soft, f"ute3"i&e voice. 'he na$ed hi$ Manbhavan.

“Because he’s won our hearts,” she said. he dor$ poet, Nandita, often read her creations a"oud to the othergir"s on 'aturday afternoons when they "ounged about feasting on toothpaste sandwiches, a de"icacy that Nitya

8who e"se?9 had discovered. Washed down with 'wadishta, a de"ectab"e concoction $ade up of poppins

disso"ved in water, the snac& and drin& added a pecu"iar :ing to those "a:y afternoons.

1nd further add the thri""ing e!perience of "istening to Nandita’s so$eti$es sad and so$eti$es funny poetry

that was *uite un"i&e any that they were forced to study in their +ng"ish "iterature c"ass.

“(s he going to turn into a prince?” Mithu had as&ed one day about Manbhavan, the frog. 'he was the youngest

of the group of twe"ve gir"s who shared the dor$ and she sti"" $issed the fairy ta"es her $other used to read outto her at bedti$e. 'he had re*uested the other gir"s to read out fairy ta"es to her at night, but they a"ways

refused, saying, “;row up, &id, you’re not in &indergarten any "onger%”

(n rep"y to Mithu’s *uestion about Manbhavan turning into a prince so$e day, Nitya’s pro$pt rep"y was4 “)es,

that’s why (’ve &ept hi$%”

+veryone roared with "aughter, of course, because Mithu’s eyes grew so wide%

hey "aughed so $uch that they a"$ost $issed what Mithu said ne!t, “)ou’"" have to &iss hi$ then.”

“


3/12

“Never $ind these gir"s, Mithu,” Nitya said with a straight face. “When he turns into a prince and carries $e off

on a white horse, (’"" re$e$ber to ca"" you for $y wedding.”

“Wi"" you?” Mithu as&ed, a"" e!cited. “1nd er, where did you find hi$?”

“N/%” 7unita, the prefect, ye""ed. “/n"y one frog is a""owed in the dor$. hat’s $y ru"e%”

Mithu’s face fe"". But no one noticed it because the be"" had rung for tea. 1nd Nitya didn’t attach too $uch

i$portance to the fact that Mithu a"ways hung around Manbhavan, ta"&ing to hi$. /r that she swatted f"ies and brought the$ for hi$ to eat, even though Nitya had infor$ed Mithu irritab"y that he preferred to catch the$ forhi$se"f.

But now that Manbhavan was $issing “(t has to be%” Nitya cried out. 'he u$ped up, “Where is Mithu?”

“'sh, don’t be so hasty,” Bhavna cautioned. “his is ust your suspicion.”

“Where is Mithu%” Nitya insisted.

“Who # Mithu?” said Nandita who had ust $ade an entrance. “( saw her going out to the p"ayground, but

hey%”

Nitya was a"ready running out the door when Nandita ca""ed out to her, “By the way, she’s got Manbhavan. 'he

said she was ta&ing hi$ out for so$e fresh air”

“2resh air%” Nitya e!p"oded

“=e"a!,” Bhavna cried, puffing and panting to &eep up with Nitya. Mithu $eans we"", (’$ sure.”

“How dare she ta&e Manbhavan away without $y per$ission,” Nitya f"ung the words over her shou"der, as sheraced down to the p"ayground.

he p"ayground was deserted. Most of the gir"s were sti"" busy washing up after c"asses.

“here she is%” Nitya cried. hey cou"d see Mithu at the far end of the p"ayground beneath the >eodar trees that

bordered it. Mithu was right at the edge in fact, where the hi""side s"oped down to a va""ey fu"" of shrubby p"antsand wi"d f"owers.

“Wait, wait for $e%” Bhavna e!c"ai$ed.

But Nitya had a"ready strea&ed across the p"ayground and was standing over Mithu who was spraw"ed on the

ground in an utter state of shoc&.

“Where’s Manbhavan?” Nitya de$anded.

Mithu stared bac& at her and a vague gurg"e escaped her throat as she pointed a sha&y finger.

“Here ( a$%”

(t was now Nitya’s eyes that popped out% 1 boy? (n the p"ayground? hat was definite"y against the ru"es%


4/12

Butwas so$ething vague"y fa$i"iar about hi$perhaps the "arge, sou"fu" eyes or was it the faint greenish

tinge to his s&in or $aybe it was the way he reached out to catch a..25)?

'ource4 http4www.pitara.co$

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Ha"o $e$baca "overs.. Bagai$ana ceritanya? Menari& bu&an? 4>

'e&arang, yu& &era&an a&tifitas dibawah ini4

• -ari"ah @erb A dan @erb dida"a$ cerita “Where is Manbhavan?”

• Mini$a" C buah @erb A dan C buah @erb .

• u"is dibagian &o$en $asing # $asing verb beserta contoh &a"i$atnya dida"a$ bacaan..

The Scholarship Jacket

18th Feb 2016

he s$a"" e!as schoo" that ( went to had a tradition carried out every year

during the eighth3grade graduation4 a beautifu" go"d and green ac&et 8the schoo"

co"ors9 was awarded to the c"ass va"edictorian, the student who had $aintained

the highest grades for eight years. he scho"arship ac&et had a big go"d ' on the

"eft front side and your na$e written in go"d "etters on the poc&et. My o"destsister, =osie, had won the ac&et a few years bac&, and ( fu""y e!pected to a"so. (

was fourteen and in the eighth grade. ( had been a straight 1 student since thefirst grade and this "ast year had "oo&ed forward very $uch to owning that

ac&et.

My father was a far$ "aborer who cou"dn’t earn enough $oney to feed eight chi"dren, so when ( was si! (

was given to $y grandparents to raise. We cou"dn’t participate in sports at schoo" because there wereregistration fees, unifor$ costs, and trips out of townD so, even though our fa$i"y was *uite agi"e and ath"etic

there wou"d never be a schoo" sports ac&et for us. his one, the scho"arship ac&et, was our on"y chance. a (n

May, c"ose to graduation, spring fever had struc& as usua" with a vengeance.A No one paid any attention in

c"assD instead we stared out the windows and at each other, wanting to speed up the "ast few wee&s of schoo".

( despaired every ti$e ( "oo&ed in the $irror. 7enci" thin, not a curve anywhere. ( was ca""ed “beanpo"e”

and “string bean,” and ( &new that’s what ( "oo&ed "i&e. 1 f"at chest, no hips, and a brainD that’s what ( had. hat

rea""y wasn’t $uch for a fourteen3year3o"d to wor& with, ( thought, as ( absent3$inded"y wandered fro$ $yhistory c"ass to the gy$. 1nother hour of sweating in bas&etba"" and disp"aying $y toothpic& "egs was co$ing

up. hen ( re$e$bered $y 7.+. shorts were sti"" in a bag under $y des& where (’d forgotten the$. ( had to wa"&

a"" the way bac& and get the$. -oach ho$pson was a rea" bear if so$eone wasn’t dressed for 7.+. 'he hadsaid ( was a good forward and even tried to ta"& ;rand$a into "etting $e oin the tea$ once. /f course

;rand$a said no.


5/12

( was a"$ost bac& at $y c"assroo$ door when ( heard voices raised in anger as if in so$e sort of

argu$ent. ( stopped. ( didn’t $ean to eavesdrop, ( ust hesitated, not &nowing what to do. ( needed those shortsand ( was going to be "ate, but ( didn’t want to interrupt an argu$ent between $y teachers. ( recogni:ed the

voices4 Mr. 'ch$idt, $y history teacher, and Mr. Boone, $y $ath teacher. hey see$ed to be arguing about

$e. ( cou"dn’t be"ieve it. ( sti"" re$e$ber the fee"ing of shoc& that rooted $e f"at against the wa"" as if ( weretrying to b"end in with the graffiti written there. “( refuse to do it% ( don’t care who her father is, her grades don’t

even begin to co$pare to Martha’s. ( won’t "ie or fa"sify records.

Martha has a straight 13p"us average and you &now it.” hat was Mr. 'ch$idt and he sounded very angryMr. Boone’s voice sounded ca"$ and *uiet. “5oo&. 6oann’s father is not on"y on the Board, he owns the on"ystore in town4 we cou"d say it was a c"ose tie andE” he pounding in $y ears drowned out the rest of the

words, on"y a word here and there fi"tered through. “. . . Martha is Me!ican . . . resign . . . won’t do it . . . . ” Mr.

'ch$idt ca$e rushing out and "uc&i"y for $e went down the opposite way toward the auditoriu$, so he didn’tsee $e. 'ha&ing, ( waited a few $inutes and then went in and grabbed $y bag and f"ed fro$ the roo$. Mr.

Boone "oo&ed up when ( ca$e in but didn’t say anything.

o this day ( don’t re$e$ber if ( got in troub"e in 7.+. for being "ate or how ( $ade it through the rest of

the afternoon. ( went ho$e very sad and cried into $y pi""ow that night so ;rand$other wou"dn’t hear $e. (tsee$ed a crue" coincidence that ( had overheard that conversation. b he ne!t day when the principa" ca""ed $e

into his office ( &new what it wou"d be about. He "oo&ed unco$fortab"e and unhappy. ( decided ( wasn’t goingto $a&e it any easier for hi$, so ( "oo&ed hi$ straight in the eyes. He "oo&ed away and fidgeted with the paperson his des&. c “Martha,” he said, “there’s been a change in po"icy this year regarding the scho"arship ac&et. 1s

you &now, it has a"ways been free.”

He c"eared his throat and continued. “his year the Board has decided to charge fifteen do""ars, which sti""

won’t cover the co$p"ete cost of the ac&et.” ( stared at hi$ in shoc&, and a s$a"" sound of dis$ay escaped $ythroat. ( hadn’t e!pected this. He sti"" avoided "oo&ing in $y eyes. “'o if you are unab"e to pay the fifteen

do""ars for the ac&et it wi"" be given to the ne!t one in "ine.” ( didn’t need to as& who that was. 'tanding with a""

the dignity ( cou"d $uster, ( said, “(’"" spea& to $y grandfather about it, sir, and "et you &now to$orrow.” ( criedon the wa"& ho$e fro$ the bus stop. he dirt road was a *uarter $i"e fro$ the highway, so by the ti$e ( got

ho$e, $y eyes were red and puffy. “Where’s ;randpa?” ( as&ed ;rand$a, "oo&ing down at the f"oor so shewou"dn’t as& $e why (’d been crying.

'he was sewing on a *ui"t as usua" and didn’t "oo& up. “( thin& he’s out bac& wor&ing in the bean fie"d.” (went outside and "oo&ed out at the fie"ds. here he was. ( cou"d see hi$ wa"&ing between the rows, his body

bent over the "itt"e p"ants, hoe in hand. ( wa"&ed s"ow"y out to hi$, trying to thin& how ( cou"d best as& hi$ for

the $oney. here was a coo" bree:e b"owing and a sweet s$e"" of $es*uite fruit in the air, but ( didn’t

appreciate it. ( &ic&ed at a dirt c"od. ( wanted that ac&et so $uch. (t was $ore than ust being a va"edictorianand giving a "itt"e than& you speech for the ac&et on graduation night. (t represented eight years of hard wor&

and e!pectation.

( &new ( had to be honest with ;randpaD it was $y on"y chance. He saw $yshadow and "oo&ed up. He waited for $e to spea&. ( c"eared $y throat nervous"y

and c"asped $y hands behind $y bac& so he wou"dn’t see the$ sha&ing

“;randpa, ( have a big favor to as& you,” ( said in 'panish, the on"y "anguage he

&new. He sti"" waited si"ent"y. ( tried again. “;randpa, this year the principa" saidthe scho"arship ac&et is not going to be free. (t’s going to cost fifteen do""ars, and (

have to ta&e the $oney in to$orrow, otherwise it’"" be given to so$eone e"se.” he

"ast words ca$e out in an eager rush. ;randpa straightened up tired"y and "eanedhis chin on the hoe hand"e. He "oo&ed out over the fie"d that was fi""ed with the tiny green bean p"ants. ( waited,

desperate"y hoping he’d say ( cou"d have the $oney. d He turned to $e and as&ed *uiet"y, “What does a

scho"arship ac&et $ean?” ( answered *uic&"yD $aybe there was a chance. “(t $eans you’ve earned it by having


6/12

the highest grades for eight years and that’s why they’re giving it to you.” oo "ate ( rea"i:ed the significance of

$y words.

;randpa &new that ( understood it was not a $atter of $oney. (t wasn’t that. He went bac& to hoeing the

weeds that sprang up between the de"icate "itt"e bean p"ants. (t was a ti$e3consu$ing obD so$eti$es the s$a""

shoots were right ne!t to each other. 2ina""y he spo&e again as ( turned to "eave, crying. “hen if you pay for it,

Marta, it’s not a scho"arship ac&et, is it? e"" your principa" ( wi"" not pay the fifteen do""ars.” e ( wa"&ed bac& to the house and "oc&ed $yse"f in the bathroo$ for a "ong ti$e. ( was angry with ;randfather even though (

&new he was right, and ( was angry with the Board, whoever they were. Why did they have to change the ru"es ust when it was $y turn to win the ac&et? hose were the days of be"ief and innocence. (t was a very sad andwithdrawn gir" who dragged into the principa"’s office the ne!t day. his ti$e he did "oo& $e in the eyes. “What

did your grandfather say?” ( sat very straight in $y chair. “He said to te"" you he won’t pay the fifteen do""ars.”

he principa" $uttered so$ething ( cou"dn’t understand under his breath and wa"&ed over to the window.

He stood "oo&ing out at so$ething outside. He "oo&ed bigger than usua" when he stood upD he was a ta"",gaunt $an with gray hair, and ( watched the bac& of his head whi"e ( waited for hi$ to spea&. f “Why?” he

fina""y as&ed. “)our grandfather has the $oney. He owns a two3hundred acre ranch.” ( "oo&ed at hi$, forcing

$y eyes to stay dry. “( &now, sir, but he said if ( had to pay for it, then it wou"dn’t be a scho"arship ac&et.” (stood up to "eave. “( guess you’"" ust have to give it to 6oann.” ( hadn’t $eant to say that, it had ust s"ipped out.

( was a"$ost to the door when he stopped $e. “MarthaEwait.” ( turned and "oo&ed at hi$, waiting. What didhe want now? ( cou"d fee" $y heart pounding "oud"y in $y chest and see $y b"ouse f"uttering where $y breastsshou"d have been. 'o$ething bitter and vi"e tasting was co$ing up in $y $outhD ( was afraid ( was going to be

sic&. ( didn’t need any sy$pathy speeches. He sighed "oud"y and went bac& to his big des&.

He watched $e, biting his "ip. “/&ay. We’"" $a&e an e!ception in your case. (’"" te"" the Board, you’"" get

your ac&et.” g ( cou"d hard"y be"ieve $y ears. ( spo&e in a tre$b"ing rush. “/h, than& you, sir%” 'udden"y ( fe"tgreat. ( didn’t &now about adrena"inC in those days, but ( &new so$ething was pu$ping through $e, $a&ing $e

fee" as ta"" as the s&y. ( wanted to ye"", u$p, run the $i"e, do so$ething. ( ran out so ( cou"d cry in the ha""

where there was no one to see $e. 1t the end of the day, Mr. 'ch$idt win&ed at $e and said, “( hear you’regetting the scho"arship ac&et this year.” His face "oo&ed as happy and innocent as a baby’s, but ( &new better.

Without answering ( gave hi$ a *uic& hug and ran to the bus. ( cried on the wa"& ho$e again, but this ti$e because ( was so happy.

( cou"dn’t wait to te"" ;randpa and ran straight to the fie"d. ( oinedhi$ in the row where he was wor&ing, and without saying anything (

crouched down and started pu""ing up the weeds with $y hands. ;randpa

wor&ed a"ongside $e for a few $inutes, and he didn’t as& what had

happened. 1fter ( had a "itt"e pi"e of weeds between the rows, ( stood up andfaced hi$. “he principa" said he’s $a&ing an e!ception for $e, ;randpa,

and (’$ getting the ac&et after a"". hat’s after ( to"d hi$ what you said.”

;randpa didn’t say anythingD he ust gave $e a pat on the shou"der and a s$i"e. He pu""ed out the cru$p"ed red

hand&erchief that he a"ways carried in his bac& poc&et and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Better go see ifyour grand$other needs any he"p with supper.” ( gave hi$ a big grin. He didn’t foo" $e. ( s&ipped and ran bac&

to the house whist"ing so$e si""y tune.

8By Marta 'a"inas, source4 http4www.$rswaterseng"ish.co$9

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7/12

'udah dibaca ceritanya? Berusaha untu& per"ahan $eni&$ati cerita.


8/12

“)es, yes %”

Margot stood apart fro$ the$, fro$ these chi"dren who cou"d ever re$e$ber a ti$e when there wasn’t rain andrain and rain. hey were a"" nine years o"d, and if there had been a day, seven years ago, when the sun ca$e out

for an hour and showed its face to the stunned wor"d, they cou"d not reca"". 'o$eti$es, at night, she heard the$

stir, in re$e$brance, and she &new they were drea$ing and re$e$bering go"d or a ye""ow crayon or a coin

"arge enough to buy the wor"d with. 'he &new they thought they re$e$bered a war$ness, "i&e a b"ushing in theface, in the body, in the ar$s and "egs and tre$b"ing hands. But then they a"ways awo&e to the tatting dru$, the

end"ess sha&ing down of c"ear bead nec&"aces upon the roof, the wa"&, the gardens, the forests, and their drea$swere gone.

1"" day yesterday they had read in c"ass about the sun. 1bout how "i&e a "e$on it was, and how hot. 1nd they

had written s$a"" stories or essays or poe$s about it4( thin& the sun is a f"ower,hat b"oo$s for ust one hour.

hat was Margot’s poe$, read in a *uiet voice in the sti"" c"assroo$ whi"e the rain was fa""ing outside.

“1w, you didn’t write that%” protested one of the boys.

“( did,” said Margot. “( did.” “Wi""ia$%” said the teacher. But that was yesterday. Now the rain was s"ac&ening,and the chi"dren were crushed in the great thic& windows.

“Where’s teacher ?”

“'he’"" be bac&.”

“'he’d better hurry, we’"" $iss it %”

hey turned on the$se"ves, "i&e a feverish whee", a"" tu$b"ing spo&es. Margot stood a"one. 'he was a very frai"gir" who "oo&ed as if she had been "ost in the rain for years and the rain had washed out the b"ue fro$ her eyes

and the red fro$ her $outh and the ye""ow fro$ her hair. 'he was an o"d photograph dusted fro$ an a"bu$,

whitened away, and if she spo&e at a"" her voice wou"d be a ghost. Now she stood, separate, staring at the rain

and the "oud wet wor"d beyond the huge g"ass.

“What’re you "oo&ing at ?” said Wi""ia$. Margot said nothing.

“'pea& when you’re spo&en to.”

He gave her a shove. But she did not $oveD rather she "et herse"f be $oved on"y by hi$ and nothing e"se. hey

edged away fro$ her, they wou"d not "oo& at her. 'he fe"t the$ go away. 1nd this was because she wou"d p"ay

no ga$es with the$ in the echoing tunne"s of the underground city. (f they tagged her and ran, she stood b"in&ing after the$ and did not fo""ow. When the c"ass sang songs about happiness and "ife and ga$es her "ips

bare"y $oved. /n"y when they sang about the sun and the su$$er did her "ips $ove as she watched the

drenched windows. 1nd then, of course, the biggest cri$e of a"" was that she had co$e here on"y five years agofro$ +arth, and she re$e$bered the sun and the way the sun was and the s&y was when she was four in /hio.

1nd they, they had been on @enus a"" their "ives, and they had been on"y two years o"d when "ast the sun ca$e

out and had "ong since forgotten the co"or and heat of it and the way it rea""y was.

But Margot re$e$bered.

“(t’s "i&e a penny,” she said once, eyes c"osed.

“No it’s not%” the chi"dren cried.


9/12

“(t’s "i&e a fire,” she said, “in the stove.”

“)ou’re "ying, you don’t re$e$ber %” cried the chi"dren. But she re$e$bered and stood *uiet"y apart fro$ a""of the$ and watched the patterning windows. 1nd once, a $onth ago, she had refused to shower in the schoo"

shower roo$s, had c"utched her hands to her ears and over her head, screa$ing the water $ustn’t touch her

head. 'o after that, di$"y, di$"y, she sensed it, she was different and they &new her difference and &ept away.

here was ta"& that her father and $other were ta&ing her bac& to +arth ne!t yearD it see$ed vita" to her thatthey do so, though it wou"d $ean the "oss of thousands of do""ars to her fa$i"y. 1nd so, the chi"dren hated her

for a"" these reasons of big and "itt"e conse*uence. hey hated her pa"e snow face, her waiting si"ence, herthinness, and her possib"e future.

“;et away %” he boy gave her another push.

“What’re you waiting for?” hen, for the first ti$e, she turned and "oo&ed at hi$. 1nd what she was waiting for

was in her eyes.

“We"", don’t wait around here %” cried the boy savage"y.

“)ou won’t see nothing%” Her "ips $oved.

“Nothing %” he cried.

“(t was a"" a o&e, wasn’t it?” He turned to the other chi"dren.

“Nothing’s happening today. (s it ?” hey a"" b"in&ed at hi$ and then, understanding, "aughed and shoo& their

heads.

“Nothing, nothing %”

“/h, but,” Margot whispered, her eyes he"p"ess.

“But this is the day, the scientists predict, they say, they &now, the sun”

“1"" a o&e %” said the boy, and sei:ed her rough"y.

“Hey, everyone, "et’s put her in a c"oset before the teacher co$es %”

“No,” said Margot, fa""ing bac&.

hey surged about her, caught her up and bore her, protesting, and then p"eading, and then crying, bac& into a

tunne", a roo$, a c"oset, where they s"a$$ed and "oc&ed the door. hey stood "oo&ing at the door and saw it

tre$b"e fro$ her beating and throwing herse"f against it. hey heard her $uff"ed cries. hen, s$i"ing, theturned and went out and bac& down the tunne", ust as the teacher arrived.

“=eady, chi"dren ?” 'he g"anced at her watch.

“)es %” said everyone.

“1re we a"" here ?”

“)es %” he rain s"ac&ed sti"" $ore.


10/12

hey crowded to the huge door. he rain stopped. (t was as if, in the $idst of a fi"$ concerning an ava"anche, a

tornado, a hurricane, a vo"canic eruption, so$ething had, first, gone wrong with the sound apparatus, thus$uff"ing and fina""y cutting off a"" noise, a"" of the b"asts and repercussions and thunders, and then, second,

ripped the fi"$ fro$ the proector and inserted in its p"ace a beautifu" tropica" s"ide which did not $ove or

tre$or. he wor"d ground to a standsti"". he si"ence was so i$$ense and unbe"ievab"e that you fe"t your earshad been stuffed or you had "ost your hearing a"together. he chi"dren put their hands to their ears. hey stood

apart. he door s"id bac& and the s$e"" of the si"ent, waiting wor"d ca$e in to the$. he sun ca$e out. (t was

the co"or of f"a$ing bron:e and it was very "arge. 1nd the s&y around it was a b"a:ing b"ue ti"e co"or. 1nd the

ung"e burned with sun"ight as the chi"dren, re"eased fro$ their spe"", rushed out, ye""ing into the springti$e.

“Now, don’t go too far,” ca""ed the teacher after the$.

“)ou’ve on"y two hours, you &now. )ou wou"dn’t want to get caught out %” But they were running and turning

their faces up to the s&y and fee"ing the sun on their chee&s "i&e a war$ ironD they were ta&ing off their ac&ets

and "etting the sun burn their ar$s.

“/h, it’s better than the sun "a$ps, isn’t it ?”

“Much, $uch better %”

hey stopped running and stood in the great ung"e that covered @enus, that grew and never stopped growing,

tu$u"tuous"y, even as you watched it. (t was a nest of octopi, c"ustering up great ar$s of f"esh"i&e weed,

wavering, f"owering in this brief spring. (t was the co"or of rubber and ash, this ung"e, fro$ the $any yearswithout sun. (t was the co"or of stones and white cheeses and in&, and it was the co"or of the $oon. he chi"dren

"ay out, "aughing, on the ung"e $attress, and heard it sigh and s*uea& under the$ resi"ient and a"ive. hey ran

a$ong the trees, they s"ipped and fe"", they pushed each other, they p"ayed hide and see& and tag, but $ost of a""they s*uinted at the sun unti" the tears ran down their facesD they put their hands up to that ye""owness and that

a$a:ing b"ueness and they breathed of the fresh, fresh air and "istened and "istened to the si"ence which

suspended the$ in a b"essed sea of no sound and no $otion. hey "oo&ed at everything and savored everything.hen, wi"d"y, "i&e ani$a"s escaped fro$ their caves, they ran and ran in shouting circ"es. hey ran for an hour

and did not stop running. 1nd then # (n the $idst of their running one of the gir"s wai"ed. +veryone stopped.he gir", standing in the open, he"d out her hand.

“/h, "oo&, "oo&,” she said, tre$b"ing.

hey ca$e s"ow"y to "oo& at her opened pa"$. (n the center of it, cupped and huge, was a sing"e raindrop. 'he began to cry, "oo&ing at it. hey g"anced *uiet"y at the sun.

“/h. /h.” 1 few co"d drops fe"" on their noses and their chee&s and their $ouths.

he sun faded behind a stir of $ist. 1 wind b"ew co"d around the$. hey turned and started to wa"& bac&

toward the underground house, their hands at their sides, their s$i"es vanishing away. 1 boo$ of thunderstart"ed the$ and "i&e "eaves before a new hurricane, they tu$b"ed upon each other and ran. 5ightning struc&

ten $i"es away, five $i"es away, a $i"e, a ha"f $i"e. he s&y dar&ened into $idnight in a f"ash. hey stood in

the doorway of the underground for a $o$ent unti" it was raining hard. hen they c"osed the door and heard thegigantic sound of the rain fa""ing in tons and ava"anches, everywhere and forever.


11/12

“Wi"" it be seven $ore years ?”

“)es. 'even.” hen one of the$ gave a "itt"e cry.

“Margot %”

“What ?”

“'he’s sti"" in the c"oset where we "oc&ed her.”

“Margot.” hey stood as if so$eone had driven the$, "i&e so $any sta&es, into the f"oor.

hey "oo&ed at each other and then "oo&ed away. hey g"anced out at the wor"d that was raining now and

raining and raining steadi"y. hey cou"d not $eet each other’s g"ances. heir faces were so"e$n and pa"e. hey

"oo&ed at their hands and feet, their faces down.

“Margot.”

/ne of the gir"s said, “We"" ?”

No one $oved.

“;o on,” whispered the gir".

hey wa"&ed s"ow"y down the ha"" in the sound of co"d rain. hey turned through the doorway to the roo$ in

the sound of the stor$ and thunder, "ightning on their faces, b"ue and terrib"e. hey wa"&ed over to the c"osetdoor s"ow"y and stood by it. Behind the c"oset door was on"y si"ence. hey un"oc&ed the door, even $ore

s"ow"y, and "et Margot out.

8'Iurce4 http4staff.esuhsd.org9

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