#AutumnWriting day 3 - rain

When I was a little girl, I loved the rain. While everyone in my family hid from the raindrops, I headed out, with my bright yellow raincoat on, and my yellow polkadot boots, and I ran out to jump in puddles, and stand with my head tilted back, catching raindrops on my tongue. My favourite spot to be in the rain was under the old chestnut tree in the corner of our garden. It was so big and tall, with wide branches I could shelter under. I loved the tree because that’s where the faeries lived. I loved to do the rain dances with them, and sing their rain songs. I loved it when they hopped from leaf to leaf and sang their songs. My dad killed the tree when I tried to hop along with the faeries and fell out of the tree. I’ve never found my friends again. But every time it rains, I go look for chestnut trees and wait for their songs, I wait to see the leaves bounce under their weight as they dance. Every time I’m disappointed. But even now, after 70 years, I keep looking, I keep seeking…