Reflections

"No, it's okay really, I was just watching the storm," came the reply.

"Well you don't look all right, Jonathan. You must be frozen? Are you coming down with something perhaps?" Dorothy frowned then, enhancing her middle-aged facial wrinkles, hoping that her concerned look would persuade Jonathan to open up to her. She didn't just want to come right out and ask if he'd been crying. He was always trying to pretend he was mature beyond his years and she could see no point in causing him further embarrassment.

"Perhaps you'd prefer to talk to your Uncle then if -"

"No, really, I'm not sick or anything," he interrupted. "I just really want to go to the carnival tomorrow. I hate having to be shut up in this old place all the time and you won't let us do anything, Aunt Dorothy!" He almost shouted this and turned back to face the window.

"Well, Jonathan, I thought you enjoyed your visits with us and besides, the weather has been truly awful. I'm sure your Mother wouldn't want you playing outside to catch your death, now would she? And as for going to the Carnival, you know full well that you have to ask your Uncle about that." Dorothy Malone already knew that her husband would not allow the children to go.

"Anyway, looking at those clouds, I'm sure it will still be raining for a few days yet and they'll probably have to postpone the Carnival altogether. Now let's have no more of this nonsense, come downstairs and wait with Sarah while I finish the dinner." Dorothy waited at the door until Jonathan reluctantly pulled himself away from the window then followed him down the stairs into the kitchen.

The next day, it was still raining and Jonathan was just as miserable. The night before, William Malone had told the children that Carnivals and the like were a waste of money and had refused his permission for either of them to attend.

The rain continued for most of the morning. Yet in spite of the inclement conditions, the carnival opened as scheduled; organisers hopeful that the reports of clearing weather would turn out to be correct, ignoring the warnings that more storms were likely to return later in the afternoon or evening. So with light drizzle still soaking the already muddy showgrounds, the carnival began with all of its usual fanfare.

When at last there was a break in the deluge, the children finally managed to leave the dreary farmhouse. Jonathan had given in to his sister's pleas to explore the forest, so together they set off down the cobbled path that led across a rain-swollen stream and into the forest. When they reached the bridge Jonathan stopped to skip stones across the fast flowing water. With little success, he soon tired of this and continued along the path whilst Sarah remained on the bridge, staring down into the water.

"Jonny, come quick! I've found one - I've found one!"

"Found what?" Jonathan yelled back at her.

"A fairy, Jonny, I've found a fairy. Look, here in the water!"

"What?" he shouted, running back to the bridge where Sarah was jumping up and down with childish excitement.

"Look, here!" She pointed towards the water. "I've found a fairy here in the stream. I've really found one!"

Jonathan joined her on the bridge just as light rain began to fall once again. He looked down to the water where Sarah was pointing, the surface of which was becoming even more disturbed with the increasing rainfall.