Little Tina sat outside looking at the falling rain. Her eyes traced the travels of a big raindrop as it fell from the sky on to a coco leaf then to a single blade of grass. It then disappeared into the ground. The rain was now a gentle drizzle, but last night it had been heavy with lightening blazing across the sky. Uncle Jack said that was just the rehearsal, the real thing hadn't started yet.

In Tina's eight-year-old mind, the 'real thing' was enormous, gigantic. It sounded like the coming of the end of the world. She realised something big was happening when her mother started to buy extra flour, sugar, rice and canned products although it wasn't Christmas. Mommy had not told her exactly what was going to happen except to tell her she was to be brave because a big storm was coming. To make matters worse, Tina had also heard her telling Daddy who was overseas, that they were well prepared for the storm and Uncle Jack had fixed the roof.

What Mommy didn't know was that her friend Keena had gone on to her computer at home and googled 'a big storm'. Keena had also spoken with her big brother who had explained that a hurricane was on its way to the island. Keena was worried because her grandma said the last hurricane was a direct hit and several persons had died. Keena's grandmother had filled her in on all the juicy details.

The rain was now coming harder. Maybe the big storm was here. What was it going to do when it got here? Would they lose their house like Keena's grandmother? What about her pet goat 'Diddy'? Would he be all right, or would Mommy make him come inside to shelter from the rain? She just had to know.

Tina got up so quickly she almost fell over the 'Welcome' mat at the front of the verandah. Her questions tumbled over each other so fast, she was breathless by the time she reached her mother. "Tina, slow down. What's the matter?" It didn't take much for Mrs Harvey to realise that in the mind of her precious little girl, this big storm had grown into a monster with the ability to destroy and wreak havoc on her little world. With that in mind, she paused from her preparations to give her daughter a reassuring hug and to explain exactly what the big storm meant.

Ann Marie Rodriques

PeaceWater Services

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