Colours of Rain

By Jenni Clarke

A magical adventure full of colour and fairy tales.

 

April, a whimsical young hero, is determined to complete her Grandma's quest of restoring colour to the world. She belives her Grandma's story of a Rain Wizard who stole the colours and sets out, on her tenth birthday, to find the Rain Wizard's tower.

 

A great story for reading loud to a child and enjoying as an adult. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jenni Clarke
• Release date: Sep 2, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393024644

Jenni Clarke

Jenni Clarke lives in a quiet corner of France where she indulges in her love of reading, writing and her forest garden. When not binging on words or plants you may see a flash of blue or pink lycra as she explores mountainous roads on her bicycle and stops to admire stunning views (not because she is out of breath.)

Book preview

MIDNIGHT STORY

APRIL SAT UP AND RUBBED her eyes. She was so tired, but she couldn’t sleep. Climbing out of bed, she picked up her Grandma’s photo album from her bedside chair and looked around her perfectly square room, the grey colours soft in the light from her bedside lamp.

Everything looked normal. The shelves crammed with storybooks, her wooden table covered in half-finished projects and her soft toy collection nestled in a basket. But the world didn’t feel right without Grandma in it. April heard footsteps and jumped back into her bed, hiding the photo album under the bed covers.

‘April, it’s almost midnight.’ Mum pushed April’s door open. ‘You should be asleep. What are you looking at?’ She pointed to the square lump in April’s bed.

April looked away and bit her lip. ‘Grandma’s photo album.’ She pulled it out and opened it.

Mum sat down on the chair next to April’s bed. ‘I know today was hard. Funerals always are. And you were very brave. But Grandma wouldn’t want you to get ill from not sleeping.’

April didn’t want to think about the day. She pointed to a black-and-white photo. ‘Do you remember this?’

Mum smiled. ‘I remember. Her top was orange, her trousers were red and this belt...’ she touched the picture, ‘... was purple. She always could embarrass me.’ Mum pressed her fingers against her lips before saying, ‘She said it was a mother’s job to embarrass her child.’

‘You don’t embarrass me, Mum.’ April closed the album.

‘Not yet.’ Mum’s gently pulled tear-glued hair from April’s cheek. ‘Wait until you’re a teenager.’ She prised the book from April’s fingers and laid it on the bedside table. ‘You don’t have to come with me to Grandma’s house if that’s what’s worrying you. Ruth, Patrick, and Katie would love you to stay with them next week. I’ll be back Friday night, in time for your birthday.’ She sat on the edge of April’s bed. ‘You know Ruth loves having you to stay.’

‘I want to come with you,’ April said. ‘I miss Grandma.’

‘I know my angel. I know.’ She kissed April’s cheek. ‘Do you want me to stay until you are asleep?’

April nodded.

‘Move across then,’ Mum said.

April wriggled across her bed and Mum squeezed onto the edge. She wrapped her arm around April’s shoulders and pulled her close.

‘Can you tell me a story?’ April asked.

Mum looked towards the overcrowded bookshelves.

‘Not a book, Mum.’ April snuggled under her elephant-grey bed cover and lay her head on her raincloud of a pillow. ‘Can you tell me the Weather Wizard’s Tale?’

Mum sighed. ‘April, you know that story better than I do.’

‘Please.’ April pulled her hands back out from under the cover and pressed them together as if in prayer.

‘Okay.’

The ticking of a clock filled the silence while April waited for the story to begin.

‘Once upon a time, before you or I were even a twinkle of thought in the universe, there were three Weather Wizards: Sun, Wind and Rain. For thousands of years, they worked together keeping the world in balance, and all was well. Food grew in abundance and fresh water filled everyone’s cup. The people were happy. Sun and Wind were happy, but Rain was sad.

When Sun walked through the land, people smiled and laughed. Children ran outside to greet Sun and play in the warmth and light. Families swam in the rivers and lakes Rain created, but they praised Sun for their fun. Parents made picnics and picked fresh fruit from the heavily laden bushes. They opened their doors and windows, allowing Sun to warm their homes. People whistled on their way to work, knowing it would still be light when they finished their day’s labour.’

Mum stopped, just like Grandma always had.

April swallowed the lump in her throat before saying, ‘People were happy when Sun passed their way.’ 

Mum nodded and continued. ‘When Wind blew across the land, people smiled and laughed. Children ran outside with kites, ribbon streamers, and bubbles, giggling and dancing as Wind teased and tugged their hair. Adults chattered with their neighbours while they hung their washing on the lines, crisscrossing their gardens like colourful flags. They opened their doors and windows, allowing Wind to blow away cobwebs and dust from neglected corners. They rushed to their boats, trimming the sails to catch Wind. They skipped across Rain’s seas and oceans to reach the richest fishing grounds far from the land, and they thanked Wind for their safe journey.’

April struggled to keep her eyes open, but she spoke her part. ‘People were happy when Wind passed their way.’

‘But when Rain splashed down upon the land, people ran inside and shut their doors. They huddled under umbrellas and frowned. Children were cold, wet, and dirty, returning inside to angry mothers and unwanted baths. Mothers grumbled while wiping mud from their floors and watching the pile of dirty clothes grow ever higher. Fathers growled at the dark mornings and their aching joints, shaking their fists at the dampness which seeped into their souls.’

‘People were not happy when Rain passed their way,’ April said and snuggled closer to Mum. ‘I can’t imagine not loving the rain.’

Mum shook her head and continued. ‘Rain called a meeting, but Sun and Wind ignored Rain’s words. All was as it was supposed to be. The world was in balance. Sun and Wind did not see the thunder in Rain’s head or the tears in Rain’s eyes. They only saw happy people.

Rain built a tower of raindrops, froze the door shut and refused to open it. The land became dry. Crops failed, lakes shrunk, and the people were hungry and sick.

Sun and Wind pleaded with Rain to come back out into the world, to shower life-giving water across the land. They said they were sorry. Rain was needed. They promised the people would be happy to see Rain.

Rain looked out from the tall tower across the parched land and heard the cries from hungry, sick, children. This was not what Rain wanted.

Rain came out from the tower and people danced, laughed, and played. They shouted their thanks to Rain, with arms flung wide, mouths open to the clouds above. Children jumped in puddles and no-one scolded them. People chattered with happiness, watching Rain fill their buckets and bowls. Farmers smiled as they ploughed their fields and sowed their seeds. Food was plentiful once more.’

‘People were happy when Rain passed their way,’ April said and yawned.

Mum smiled.

‘Rain was happy until people forgot the dry years, and Rain was once again a time for grumbling and frowning. Wind could be destructive, and Sun could burn, but they were still loved more than Rain.

Rain listened and watched the people. Why did they love Wind and Sun? People smiled and talked about the blueness of the sky when Sun passed their way, the golden tones of sun-ripened crops, the colours of the autumn leaves when Wind swirled them around the dancing children, the shimmering green of breeze-quivering grasses. They loved the colours of rainbows too, but that was a combination of Sun and Rain, and Sun rarely co-operated.

Rain had an idea.

It took years for Rain to perfect the spell, but one day, it was ready. The spell flashed across the world in a wild and fearsome storm, colours flaked and fell like autumn leaves only to swirl higher and higher into the sky, leaving shades of black and white behind. From then on, the world only showed its colours when raindrops fell. And that is why ...’

‘People are happy when Rain passes their way.’ April slid her hand from under the cover and touched Mum’s. ‘Is it true?’

‘No, little angel.’ She smoothed April’s mist-grey hair. ‘It’s a story.’

‘Not even a teensy bit true? Grandma said it was true. She found Rain’s tower.’ April pushed against her pillow and sat up. Her grey eyes sparkled. ‘What if I could find the Rain Wizard and ask him to return the colours? Grandma would like that.’

‘Grandma was a wonderful storyteller, and you have an active imagination. If colours were around us all the time our eyes would ache, and nothing would get done as some people...’ she smiled at her daughter, ‘...would gaze at the wonder of colour all day.’

April squeezed her eyes shut. She could imagine a world full of colour. Maybe people would be happier, as happy as they were when it rained, but all the time.

‘Grandma said she was ten when she found Rain Wizard’s tower. I’ll be ten on Saturday,’ April said and slumped back onto her pillow. ‘I really miss her. It hurts just here,’ April touched her chest.

‘I feel that too, angel.’ Mum hugged her tight. ‘The ache will fade, but the memories of Grandma won’t. She will always be part of our lives.’

‘Oh,’ April said, wanting to believe Mum. ‘Do I have to go to school tomorrow?’

‘Yes, April, you do. I’m sorry, but I have to do some legal things.’ She rubbed her eyes. ‘But the forecast is rain, and I’ve a surprise for you after school, if you’re not too tired.’

‘I won’t be.’ April