Highly Commended Story - A Gust Of Rain

“A Gust Of Rain” by Prakritee Chakraborty, Ramakrishna Vivekananda Mission, India, is the Highly Commended story in the junior category of the second biannual Short Story Contest 2020.

Prakritee Chakraborty is a 12-year-old girl who is fond of writing stories and poems. She also likes to paint and read books. She especially likes to write stories expressing emotions and showing that no one is weak. She likes to study and her favorite subjects are English and Math. Prakritee also loves to visit places in different parts of her country, India and around the world, with the motive of exploring them and enjoying the natural beauty. She loves the trees and rain very much.

A Gust Of Rain

The wooden window had already become wet. The water drops - with some dried leaves and dust - were hitting the window with much force. Through a very narrow window, an eye was looking outside. And as soon as it was seeing a glance of the strong thunderstorm outside, it closed the opening of the window with fear. But in the fierce battle between fear and curiosity, like every time - curiosity wins! Again, the opening can be seen, and the eye would look through the window. The eye can only see the rain, can only feel the thunder with those eyes. The girl hates the Braille script books, but she loves the music of thunder, the exigent call of the rain. Yes, she still remembers the sight of the cloudy sky during monsoon, the dancing trees and the flying leaves. But the sight lost its power in front of the archenemy blindness, which stopped her from seeing the water-logged roads. But still she can feel the thunderstorm - and in her mind, she can see it.

Miss Leewi teaches this girl to learn Braille script and to make an idea of objects by touching. But the only thing she learnt from her was to see the plants and feel their love. Marina can feel here is the trunk, here are leaves, here are flowers. Yes, there are blossoming flowers existing in this world. Flowers bloom, and after that, they fall, being dried up. But they have no fault for this punishment of drying up.

Is it raining? Marina was right. She can feel the thunder, the thunder of rain outside and the thunder of blood inside the heart, lub-dub, lub-dub, lub and stops. The 'dub' again starts with Marina's fear. Actually, the rain cannot destroy blood and fear!

Then she heard the voice of Miss Leewi asking her for being ready to begin a new Braille script chapter. Marina was fearful and she tried to escape but Miss held her and shouted, " Marina! When will you stop this madness? What's wrong with you? "

Marina cried, " Never!"

She expected that Miss would now begin to fight her. But to her most astonishment, Miss Leewi let go of her hand. Miss was sitting quietly. Marina heard the sound of sobbing. Is Miss crying because of her shout? Marina was repentant and she touched her and whispered - " Sorry".

Miss said, " Close your eyes, Marina" - she was still sobbing.

Marina was surprised - who tells a blind girl to close her eyes? But she did not revolt again, because whatever, closing eyes is much better than learning. Miss Leewi asked her, " Marina, can you see light?"

-"Miss, there is only darkness for a blind."

-"Concentrate and you will see millions of light sources in the form of dots."

Marina concentrated and she really saw light, which reproducing another group of light points - the scene was incredible! Each of those points were hostile to each other, wishing to resist the power of each other. Marina asked," What are these?"

-"Drops."

-"Drops of light? "

-"No, drops of happiness."

-"These are light and happiness, miss! So, where am I blind? Who says I am blind?"

-"Yes Marina, you are not blind. The blood that flows inside you is a solution of light and joy, whose destination is your heart and brain. Those drops actually help you understand the ratio of light and joy inside you. It proves that you are not blind, but you can give the address of light to this blind world - you can give happiness and remove darkness of tears from human life. Feel the call of rain and thunder, they are calling you to the highest point of the sky, from where your shine will reach the whole world. I know Marina can do that! Right?"

Marina burst into tears and hugged Miss Leewi and screamed, "I am sorry, Miss!". Miss also began to cry due to the influence of Marina's emotional cry and said, “I know my Marina can change the world." Marina replied, "I will".

A gust of rain that day left happiness for her. The two souls then held the tears as a catalyst and were bound in the same bond as a result of the reaction of pure love. The two of them, holding each other's hands, will surely one day tell the world the true definitions of joy, light, happiness and pure love. The sky will be waiting for her.