Where Stars Touch Reality: A Collection of Short Stories

The Day Winter Ended

This is a rewrite of Ray Bradbury's short story All Summer in A Day.

Hello, my name is Will.
Well William Tyler Syl.
Please try to understand,
That this was not my plan.

After 7 years of rain,
And awful, constant, pain.
I couldn't let her slide.
And I, was justified.

Margot, she was my neighbor.
Oh, she put me through much labor. 
When Mum said to be her friend,
I knew how that would end.

She was a devious little soul-
With so much self-control.
And when she made a mess,
She acted in distress.

So, it was me who got whipped,
And went to bed with bloody lips.
And over time you crack,
With every thundering smack.

All I had was this book,
Until one day she took,
My poem about the sun,
And that's when I was done. 

I think the sun is like a flower,
That blooms for just one hour. 
Those were my favorite lines.
She wouldn't win. No, not this time.

"You didn't write that!" I had said.
But the teacher- she was misled.
Margot had won again.
And me- I was condemned.

They beat me bloody good.
And I screamed just like I should.
And yet throughout the pain,
I saw all I could gain. 

When they were done I had resolved
That, on the morrow, she would fall.
On that very special morn,
When the sun conquered the storm. 

I made my classmates fight
And while Ms. Mary solved that plight,
I snuck into the copy room,
And broke printers with a broom.

Ms. Mary knew technology.
She'd be the first they'd call, you see.
And when she left to fix that,
I had time to deal with the rat.

As the gray left from the sky, 
To the windows, pinned were eyes.
But Margot didn't need to look,
She had learned all from my book.

Anyway, Margot knew the sun, 
And she was the only one.
I just had to make things fair-
Without Mary, I was boss here.

"You will not see the sun," I said,
"Not until the day you're dead."
Little Margot, she just stared.
But for this, I was prepared.

"Speak!" I said with a shove.
"Speak!" For here you're not loved.
"Speak!" Cause you are my curse.
"Speak!" Before things get worse.

The other kids looked at me strange.
They probably thought I deranged.
Now things were getting climactic. 
That is when I changed tactics.

"Go away!" This day I have rued.
"Go away!" For I am not through.
"Go away! And know I hate you.
"Go away!" Before I make you.

Margot, she is such a pill,
Of course, 'cause she remained still.
But, this very august,
I'd be sure to keep my promise.

"I bet there will be no sun today.
Margot told us, and we got played."
At this, Margot began to cry.
I almost regret that lie.

With this, she finally spoke.
Her voice barely more than a croak.
"But, the scientists know,
That this is the day the rain goes."

I was clearly not impressed.
As I removed the source of stress.
The closet we put her in locked tight.
I'm surprised. She didn't even fight.

With that we went to find
The teacher we had been assigned.
She called, "Is everyone here?"
Yes!" Somehow, she didn't overhear...

Margot's protests, they were in vein.
For she missed the day without rain.
We played for two hours, having fun,
Without her the dreaded one.

But Clary had to cry,
When Nancy realized,
That the most pleasant hours were over...
And Margot missed the exposure.

They ran back to Margot's prison
And when the locks were risen,
She was found sobbing in the rubble
Can you guess who got in trouble?