The Short Story for Kids

By Widya

         In the early morning, I used to be watered by Billy. This unusual morning, he is going to water me with his big smile and the uniform that fits perfectly in him. My green leaves dance happily in the splash of water. Then, I see a rainbow across the sunlight above my yellow flower. At that moment, I felt so grateful to have Billy. 

I am a sunflower with bright yellow colour and healthy green leaves. The sun is shining bright and never shy to show himself lately. He just looks like me with a bright yellow colour. His name is Sun and I am a sunflower, the mini version of him.  Billy is my owner. He is a cute boy with dimples on his left cheek. In the early morning, he regularly greets me and has a little conversation with me. 

“Hi Alvin, nice to see you this morning. You are thirsty, right?” he says while his hand grabs a watering can that is filled with fresh water. It is time to get my breakfast with water and sunlight.

“Wow, your green leaf is turning brown. Wait, I will take a scissor and cut it for you.” Then, he runs to the house to find a scissor. Look, he really cares about me. He wants to cut my brown leaf to prevent pests and give space to a new leaf.

“Billy, come on. It is almost seven o’clock. You may be late to school. Don’t forget to bring your lunch box.” His Mom is calling him, oh right, it is Monday. He cannot be late to school on his first day. Today is Billy’s first day in his elementary school. Time flies so fast, Billy is a student right now. 

“Okay wait Mom, give me a second to cut Alvin’s brown leaf. I promise I will do it quickly.” He came to me in a hurry but he is successful in cutting my brown leaves. I am ready to start the day with my new fresh look. After waving his hand to me, he gets in the car and gives me a smile.

It is 11 p.m., the sun shining so bright right over my head. People out there are sweating too much but I am still here, under the sun, waiting for Billy to greet me. This hot weather never makes me give up on my decision. However, the breeze’s swing makes me comfortable on this hot day. Slowly I feel sleepy and have a nap right after. 

Five hours later at 4 p.m. I am awakened because of hearing a boy’s laughter. Billy finally comes home after my exhausting day without him. Then Billy running happily approaches me, his face telling me his joy. 

“Did you know Alvin? I really enjoyed playing in the playground with Teddy. He was so kind to me.” Tell Billy, with his dimples appearing. My leaves are wiggling by the wind, meaning I was happy to hear that. 

“Tomorrow, Teddy and I have a plan to stay the night with our family for summer holiday for around a week.” A week seems so long without seeing and having a conversation with Billy. It means I will not see him and stay alone. After hearing that statement, the hot weather starts to sting my skin.

Today, in the early morning, the car engine sounded so rumbling. The sun has not shown himself yet but Billy is ready to have his vacation with Teddy. “Mom, have you packed my swimsuit? Because it is summertime and I am going to swim.” Billy shouted, while carrying a backpack on his back. “Yes, it is already in the car, Honey,” his Mommy replied. After the short conversation, Billy’s car goes away through the dark road. 

Soon, the sun starts to rise, the light passes through the gaps in the cloud. It is summertime, the sun will be very hot for a whole day. Plants will need more water to make sure they do the photosynthesis well. During the day, the sunlight may be burning the living things that walk under the sun. I'm standing here, under the hot summer, in the middle of the garden so that even the shadow of the tree will not fall on me. In the hot summer, no one remembers to water me neither Billy or anybody.

Two days later, nights are so cold and days are very hot. The extreme weather makes a sunflower like me seem difficult to survive.  There is just hot weather and no rain pouring down the earth. Summertime is everyone’s favorite season but not for me. This summertime is going to kill plants like me with its scorching light. It’s been five days since Billy left me and it’s been five days too, I live without any water and fertilizer. Today, my leaves are wilting and yellowing because of a lack of water. My flower petals started to dry out and fall off because of the heat pressure. 

I imagine Billy has so much fun with Teddy swimming together in the swimming pool. They have coconut water and play on the beach together. But here, I don't have any water to drink. I feel like I suffer in a drought all the time. 

I can’t believe it’s been a week since Billy went on vacation with Teddy. I have no leaves on my stem. And now, my stem is brown because I have been sunburned for a week. I can’t cook my food properly because I don't have enough water to help me. The soil beneath is just making many big cracks and getting dry white. My beautiful yellow is gone. 

Until one afternoon, I feel something cold flowing in my roots. I feel alive for the second time. I can feel the sunlight as the warm thing again which touches my petals. Billy, he is watering my crack soil with the tears on his dimples. “I promise Alvin, I will not leave you anymore without any water.”