Rain arrives without warningthundering on the roofwater pours like a waterfallthrough the tin guttereveryone hurries away looking for shelter
A small childstands in the rainboth arms spread wideface lifted to the skylaughing very loud inside the sound of rain
The child's mother calls out"come in or you'll get soaked"the child does not hearstill stands in the rainshirt soaked through hair stuck to the cheeks
A large puddlebefore the old doorstepthe child jumps into itwater splashing everywherea dog barks once
When the rain easesonly then will the child come inthe mother takes a towelwiping and scolding at oncethe child still smiles brightly as if never wet
The rain has stopped completelythe tin roof still dripsthe final dropsfall into the puddlethe child stands shivering lips turning purple