It was another gloomy day in the village of Maple Leave. The sun wasn't shinning, the birds weren't singing but the rain was defiantly pouring. The sky was the darkest of greys and clouds were easily hidden, their shape faded and blended across the pallet. The wind was hard and sharply cold, whipping and curling through the air, rustling the tree leaves across the park. The grass where Lucy Marigold was sitting that afternoon, under her favourite birch tree was damp. When pressure was applied to the area, small puddles formed, but she didn't mind getting wet, in fact she loved it, water in all shapes and sizes. Any activity that included water, Lucy was their living it to the full, enjoying every second of it. She resembled a beautiful fish out of water. As she pulled her hands further into her rain jacket, leaning over her favourite book she was quietly reading, a massive gust of wind ripped at the books pages turning the page from which she was reading, putting her off track. She grasped the books pages with her dampened fingers placing her fingerprints on the paper as she turned back to the one she was ready from. Lucy's bright green eyes flicked rapidly back and forth across the paper, her lips miming the words flowing into her head, her fingers gripping tighter as she reached the end of the words written. Suddenly, Lucy slammed the book shut and started running home, excited by what she had just read, eager to get home to tell her mother the twists and turns of the unraveling story.

When Lucy reached the street of which her house was on, she looked back and forth for the house with the light brown roof and the little red door. On the door was a brass number, number 24. Houses passed with the numbers 15, 17 and 19 on her left then 16, 18 and 20 on her right. Almost there, Lucy thought keeping her pace, just two more blocks to go. The village they lived in was quite small and everything was close by. Everyone in the village knew each other well, so there was no need to be worried. People looked out for each other, everything was perfect.

Lucy reached the gravel path to her house in thirty seconds or less. The gravel crunched under her feet as she raced up the path towards the house. The daisies in the flowerbed were bent over slightly by the pressure of the still going rain. The front door was immediately pushed opened of the little two-story home, calling to her mother as she entered. "Mum Mum, guess what, guess what happened". Lucy flicked on the hall light to see where she was heading. Her wet shoes squelched with every step she took, her red curly hair bounced, small raindrops dripped from the ringlets, splashing onto her red jacket. Taking a sharp right into the lounge room, she found her mother sitting on their much-loved couch clutching a small thick notebook scribbling furiously. "Mum", Lucy spoke sweetly, "are you busy?"

"Yes honey I'm a little busy at the moment" her mother said not looking up from her writing, "Is there anything you need?" Lucy walked further in to the room, sitting on the single seater lounge chair closest to the fire and bookcase. "I just wanted to tell you what happen in the story". Lucy placed the small blue book on her lap, twirling it round. "Oh Lucy you've read this book hundred times, I already know what happens" her mother sighed."Please" Lucy begged. Lucy's mother placed the notebook and pen down beside her, looking up to see her nine-year-old daughter, her fingers locked together in the pleading position. One word easily described how she looked-wet, soaking dripping wet. The mother smiled walking over to Lucy, she softened her tone "Alright then you can tell me but after a bath, look at you I told you not to stay out in the rain and this is why, you're absolutely filthy" Lucy's mother brought her hands down her little girls body tickling her under the ribs, Lucy giggled "Stop, that tickles" Her mother laughed at the words of the innocent child. "Come on then" the mother said, standing in the doorway. Lucy placed the book onto the shelf, heading up stairs to the washroom.

Her mother started to run the bath, pouring in dribbles of rose-smelling soap, bubbles started to form in the quickly rising water. Lucy left her mother, heading to her bedroom to get her pyjamas ready. She turned on the light as she entered. Swinging her light blue cupboard doors open, she searched for her favourite butterfly nightgown. The cupboard stood in the middle of the room up against the right wall, her bed laid against the left. She spotted the dress at the very end of the railing, reaching up high to take it down. Sliding the dress off the coat hanger, she threw the hanger onto the floor, racing out of the room leaving the cupboard doors open and the room's light blazing. "I got it", Lucy said racing back into the bathroom, throwing the dress down onto the chair next to the bathtub. "Now its time to get you clean" Her mother said tousling the girl's hair. Lucy smiled.

The bath water was warm and foamy; Lucy scrubbed the dirt from her pores with an aquamarine loaf, making sure to clean behind the ears. She then poured a small amount of shampoo into her palm and rubbed it through her head of curls, making a thick bubbly lather. After she was fully clean and dressed, Lucy went down stairs to the kitchen to ask her mother what was for dinner. "Roast chicken with a side baked potatoes and carrots" her mother answered, checking the meal baking in the oven. Lucy's licked her lips, "Mmm, my favourite".

Upstairs, Lucy was back in the bathroom brushing her hair. How should I tie it,she thought, ponytail or bun? She messed around with it a bit, finally deciding on a medium loop bun. Happy with the way she looked; she headed down the hall, back to her room. She had school was in the morning, so her uniform need to be ready. Her mother left her laundry in a white basket near the door of her room, ready to put away. Lucy lifted the basket onto the bed, moving neatly stacked clothes in to her cupboard draws as she searched for the needed clothing items. As usual, the uniform was at the bottom of the basket; Lucy bet her mother did this on purpose, otherwise, the clothes would sit there for weeks.