Chapter 2 - At Midnight

“Jannie! Don’t cry!”

“July! July! Mom, I don’t want to go to sleep! I – ”

Jane was sitting on her bed, stroking her blanket and shouting at her mother. In fact, she wanted to see August even more than July. She even wanted to make friends with him or her.

“Don’t cry, my honey,” said Jane’s mother softly. She patted Jane on her head.

“But – ” Jane didn't finish her sentence. She lay down on her bed. 

“Good night, Jannie,” her mother said.

Jane turned her lights off. She covered herself with the blanket and looked at her mother. Her mother kissed Jane and shut the door. Everything was silent. After Jane’s mother’s footsteps disappeared in the doorway, Jane turned on her lamp. It was still dark, but it was bright enough to see her alarm clock. Eight thirty-two. Jane sat up and turned on the alarm at eleven forty. And then, she put her clock back to her small table and turned off the lamp. She lay down.

Everything was silent again.

Jane tossed and turned and couldn't sleep. She shut her eyes tightly in a vain attempt to sleep.

The room windows were half opened. Wind blew through the windows, making the curtains open. The moonlight came in gently and seemed to be very mysterious, as if it was telling Jane something – maybe some secrets. Jane looked at the alarm clock by the moonlight. Eight forty. Jane shut her eyes again. 

Suddenly, Jane heard a sound. “Ding! Ding ding! ” Jane opened her eyes and looked up. It was her alarm. Jane touched the clock and turned off the alarm. She looked at the clock again. Eleven forty-two. The alarm had been ringing for two minutes. Jane rubbed her eyes and rolled over to get out of bed. She quickly took off her pajamas and put on a pink T-shirt, a yellow and brown jacket, a pair of pink and yellow shorts, and a pair of white trainers. She went out of her room and shut the door silently and crept downstairs. She put a handful of orange candies into her pocket habitually. 

Jane opened the door of the house. It made a bit of crunching noise. She stepped out and shut the door gently. It was very dark outside. Jane was a bit regretful, because she was afraid of dark places. She suddenly remembered about August. She was thrilled again. 

Jane went out of her yard excitedly. She saw a light. And another. Another, and another! The lights filled the street. Jane walked and jogged. She ran. Suddenly she stopped. She didn’t know where was the ceremony and how to get there. She saw the small street which she had seen July in the afternoon. It was crowded. Everybody was still waiting for something – maybe it’s August! 

Jane made her way through the crowd to a little boy. The boy was not very tall but taller than Jane. He was skinny. He had got short curly red hair, as red as the rising red sun. He had also got dark blue squinted eyes, reddish lips and a straight nose. There was no expression on his pale face so he looked very emotionless. He was playing a needle! Jane looked at her watch. Eleven fifty-six. She looked up. 

A woman was walking away from the square slowly. She was July. After July, some girls were coming and holding glass bottles and branches with green leaves on them. Some boys were waving at the people. After the girls and boys, a four-wheeled carriage was moving towards the street. The carriage was very large, as large as a small house. It was pure white and globular in shape. Four strong brown horses were pulling the carriage. The girls and boys stopped, and the carriage stopped, too. A young man came down from the carriage and said,“I am August!” 

Jane was excited. She climbed onto a bench and waved at August. “Are you mad?” asked a boy. He was the boy with red hair who stood beside her. “What’s your name?”asked Jane. She looked at the boy. His face was still emotionless. He didn’t answer. 

Jane didn’t care about the boy. She ran towards the carriage.

“You are mad!” shouted the boy behind her. He was chasing Jane! 

“August! August!” shouted Jane excitedly.

“STOP!” someone yelled at Jane. Jane felt somebody grab the boy and her. Her heart sank.