HI SKY story

Sarah sat on her front lawn, along with Uncle Lawrence and her cat Boots. The green grass felt nice and cool on her legs and bare feet.

Across the street was Victoria Park. A walking path disappeared among the many trees reaching into the sky.

She smiled as clouds formed marshmallows shapes ready to toast. They bobbed along like sheep ahead of the wind.

"I know something," she said suddenly.

Boots shook his head from a deep sleep. Hunting mice last night was hard work. He got up, stretched then jumped into Sarah’s lap to continue his dream.

"What do you mean?" her uncle asked. He too had been enjoying the quietness of the moment. A warm ray of sunlight lay across his hand.

"The sun is going to fall down," Sarah answered matter-of-factly.

"Silly little girl," Uncle Lawrence said with a shake of his head. Sarah did not feel sad at his words. Because she knew something he did not.

They decided to go for a walk in the Park. Yes, the trees did stretch high into the sky. Branches were like long fingers pointing at the clouds.

The sun invited them to walk further along the trail.

Sarah’s happiness soon burst out in song.

“Uncle, thank you for watching over me
and even though you think I'm silly
I know something you don't.
The sun will fall down,
just wait and see.”

“Hurray!” Sarah yelled. She bent down and picked up her red ball hiding behind some rose bushes. It was the missing one she looked for the other day. Yes, mother will be pleased.

Her uncle was also proud. Trees along the trail seemed to stretch on forever. Finally they arrived at the children’s fun place.

Uncle pushed her on the swing. Then watched her climb the exercise ladder and tumble quickly down the slide.

And they raced each other to the water fountain.

Sarah was getting tired from all this activity. And the very bright sun was trying to turn everyone into brown toast.

She was glad they wore wide-brimmed hats.

Watching children play baseball in the field was neat. Also the wading pool for wee-ones was quite busy.

Swings flew through the air. Boys and girls climbed higher and higher as parents pushed them. Children kept yelling, “Push harder!”

And the sun dropped lower in the sky.

Crows called out a warning. "Caw! Caw!" they shrieked.

"Don't be afraid," Sarah said in answer to their nervous fluttering.

"Aren’t you afraid if the sky does fall down?" Uncle Lawrence asked.

"No, I'm not," was her quick reply.

She wasn’t just a brave little girl. Sarah was also a smart little girl. She listened to stories her mom told.

About day and night, and how the beautiful sky changes.

Sarah and her uncle returned to their front lawn. And soon her mother's caring hand touched her head. "Are you cold, my dear?"

"A little," Sarah answered, carefully watching the sky.

"Do you want to come in?" her mother asked.

"Not yet," Sarah said. "I want to stay until the sun falls down. I want uncle to see it too."

Everything was beginning to get dark. Almost like a blanket covering the earth. Mother, daughter and uncle stared at the horizon.

Sundown was a blaze of color. Different shades were stacked one on top of another. Then the sun slowly fell from the sky.

It soon turned to blackness. “Now I understand,” her uncle said.

Later from her bedroom window Sarah blew kisses at the moon. It shone its flashlight beam upon her face.

Mother's goodnight hugs still kept her warm.

The sky soon filled with winking stars. Trees hid in the shadows. And the falling sun lay at rest.

Its day’s journey was now complete.

* * *

(c) Richard & Esther Provencher 2007

Co-authors Richard and Esther Provencher invite you to view their newest novel SOMEONE’S SON written during Richard’s recovery from a stroke, which gob-smacked him in 1999. It is a Young Adult novel dealing with a family crisis. http://www.synergebooks.com/ebook_someonesson.html