Rain at Rainbow Beach

Malloren Landis Justice sighed as she looked out of her kitchen into the back yard.

Rain ran down the window pane.

Malloren hated rain more than she hated being cooped up inside. But she had no choice; she would have to wait until it cleared up.

There was so much she had to do. The shopping list she had meticulously written lay on the kitchen table, a large black pot sat empty on the stove top, the clock on the kitchen wall ticked, its hands steadily counting the seconds away as the rain continued to fall.

She was sure this recipe would work. The children loved apples, why they ate enough of the things from her orchard. Her trees were in danger of being picked bare.

Yes, apple cakes would be sure to do the trick. She had all the necessary ingredients in her well stocked pantry. All she was missing was flour, butter and a few eggs.

If she could just get out to the Rainbow Beach Market she would be able to put everything together and have a plate ready for when the children were walking past on their way home from school. She was sure the cakes were the way to stop them. To stop them stealing her precious apples; kicking their balls in her yard; knocking on her door then running away; throwing stones at her windows; pestering her cat; spreading rumours that her house was haunted and calling her names. Yes, it could all be stopped with a little plate of apple cakes.

Malloren mused for a while, imagining how happy the children would be to find her cakes at the gate. The look on their faces as they bit into the delicious morsels. When she looked up from her reverie she found the rain had cleared. She giggled to herself, bid goodbye to her cat and pushed her shopping list into her pocket.

In her excitement she swung the front door, stepped outside and slammed the door shut behind her. At the same moment the vibrations from the slamming door shook loose a shower of rainwater from the eaves overhanging the door.

Malloren looked up and froze in terror. There was an agonising scream as the water splashed upon her upturned face.

“Nooooooooo!” she howled as her skin burned and sizzled, “Nooooooooo!”

Two small boys stood behind a large tree that grew beyond Malloren Justice’s front gate. Their mouths gaped wide in horror and astonishment as they watched the screaming woman on the doorstep writhe, shrink and, finally, disappear.

The boys stood silently for a moment longer then one spoke,

“See, I told you she was a witch! Just wait til Jesse gets home from school and we can tell him!”

“Yeah,” replied his brother, they stood still again, watching the empty step in silence. After a moment the younger one shifted impatiently.

”Let’s go get some apples.”

Rainbow Beach Awakes

There is a taste of something new in the air. After months of quiet and stillness the residents of Rainbow Beach are stirring, whispers spread wings and flutter from mouth to mouth. Excitement unfurls like the bunting being hung from the shops and houses along the beach-front.

“They are returning!”

Windows are washed, doorsteps swept. In the evenings music is heard in the cafes and the tantalising aroma of delicious carnival food fills the air.

The visitors are returning and the town is showing her colour and warmth again.

 

 

Down at the wharf crates are being unloaded from boats. Crates full of bottles with a strange green liquid are stacked ready to be carted to the nearest hotel. 

“Now we’re in for some fun,” murmurs one deckhand to another, ” Guess who’s back in town?”