Chapter 1 - Goodbye, July!

Summer was the hottest season here. The leaves went very green and very lively, but the lakes were almost boiling. The streets were full of people: men, women, teenagers, and kids. Everybody seemed to be disturbed by this weather. They wore all kinds of T-shirts and shorts. Teenagers yelled and fought with each other. Little girls begged their mothers to wear their favorite skirts. Boys shouted rudely at their brothers and sisters to ask them to buy an ice cream. Nobody wanted to study or work.

It was July 31st. Almost everyone was standing on a small street. It was the largest street in this town, but it was really small. Everybody—including a little girl named Jane—was all looking at a stone statue in a small square and waiting for something.

Jane was a six-year-old girl with long straight blonde hair falling to her shoulders. She also had thin blonde eyebrows above her shiny sky blue eyes, fair smooth skin and pink lips. She was relatively short and slim.

Jane thought it was so boring. She did not smile and licked her ice cream again and again.

“I’m bored, mom. When on earth will we stop waiting?” asked the little girl impatiently.

“Just wait, honey,” said Jane’s mother.

Sweat ran down from Jane’s head and streamed into her eyes. She wiped her eyes with her hands took a big bite of her strawberry ice cream. Who are we waiting? thought Jane quietly, Maybe we are waiting for some fantastic people in the town or some heroes. She licked her empty cone of her ice cream.

Suddenly Jane heard some sounds from the square. She looked up. Lines of men were holding drums and horns and playing them. They walked from the square towards the street. It was a loud music! And then, after the men, stepping gracefully, was a woman , a young beautiful woman! She had long straight green hair, shining green eyes, and she wore a long green dress with small yellow and white flowers in it. Her dress, her eyes, and her hair, all glittered with vitality in the sunshine. Jane gasped. She had never seen such a beautiful person. 

“So that’s July!” whispered Jane. She was excited, so excited that she forgot all about waiting.

“Yes,” said Jane’s mother. “She will be leaving soon.”

“Oooh,” whispered Jane sadly.

“Do not worry,” said Jane’s father. “We’ll see August soon. Maybe August is better than July!”

“Okay,” Jane said excitedly. She almost forgot July. She nearly felt sweat disappearing from her.

“Mom! Mom! MOM! SHE’S LEAVING!” cried Jane sadly. “SHE IS LEAVING! MOM!” She pointed at July, who was walking slowly back to the square.

“Don’t be so sad, Jannie! ” said Jane’s mother softly. “You can say goodbye.”

“Goodbye! Goodbye! GOODBYE!” Jane waved to July. July unexpectedly waved back!

“GOODBYE! GOODBYE! JULY! GOODBYE, JULY! GOODBYE!”

“Stop, honey!” said Jane’s mother.

“Stop! NOW!” shouted Jane’s father sternly. 

“I WANT TO SEE JULY! I WANT TO SEE HER! I WANNA SEE AUGUST TOO! JULY! AUGUST! I WANT TO SEE THEM! PLEASE! I WANT TO SEE JULY AND AUGUST! OH, PLEASE!” Jane cried loudly. Tears almost fell from her big eyes.

But Jane was pretending. She did not really cry. 

“Jannie! STOP! ” shouted Jane’s mother, “Stop now! There is a ceremony for ‘July to August’ at midnight, but you, you are too young! You can’t go! You can’t stay up at night and wait for midnight.”

A ceremony? At midnight? Jane thought quietly. She almost could not believe it. She stopped pretending. An idea went through Jane’s mind like a lightning. She had a plan.