The Tree ,The Rain ,and The Rainbow

                It was about twelve years ago when I often spent my time with the three kids who were two years older than me. They are Rian,Ichan,and Susang. I was an eight year kid at that time, and even though I was the youngest among all of the kids, they never ostracized me. That’s why I felt so happy when I spent my time with them. Once, we had our own ‘secret garden’ which was located in the yard behind the Susang’s home.It was not too wide,but there was a big old rambutan tree which was opposite to the mango tree.Beside,it was also overgrown with kinds of flower like roses,orchids,and some cactus which made Rian felt so annoyed, every time he saw it he wanted to cut it into thick slices.

                The peaceful ambience of our ‘secret garden’ made us felt like in The Garden of Eden, even though actually we just lay down under the rambutan tree and being placed on a plaited mat.Once,it was so cloudy and we were lying down when the ‘host’ offered us some pieces of watermelon.Susang asked us to come into the house because the rain seemed to fall soon.”It is better for us to stay here and wait for the rain come”, Ichan was whining.On the other hand, Rian and I just kept on wolf the watermelon down and didn’t pay attention to the host’ bid.”Hey,all of you,you should come into the house”,Susang’s sister shouted. We all  just stated at her and said nothing at all.

                And the rain finally come hard and we got up directly from the plaited mat. Initially,we would come into the house but Ichan who was a smarty-pants kid, offered a crazy idea to us.”We mustn’t come into the house, how about going out in the rain?”,he offered. I never thought of this crazy thinking but I said yes directly,and so did Rian,he looked so enthusiastic.”What are you guys talking about?It’s a heavy rain and I won’t do that!”Susang  whine.”It’s up to you,but we won’t regard you as our friend anymore if you don’t want to come with us!”,Ichan thundered.”Yayayaya,what are we waiting for?Let’s go and beat the rain guys!”,Rian shouted enthusiastically.”Come on,just leave this ‘coward  boy’ behind guys!”,Ichan said sarcastically and then he ran first to leave us behind. Rian and I followed him and apparently, Susang followed us too.

                We ran after Ichan who left us behind and looked back occasionally.He suddenly stopped running and again offered a crazy idea,”how about having a race to the stadium?”.He challenged us to have a race to a stadium which was only about  1 km from Susang’s house.But,just for your information, the stadium was exactly in front of my home and both of my mom and my dad would be absolutely angry with me if they found me going out in the rain.”What?My mom would kill me if she found me doing this crazy idea!”,I shouted.”So?It’s not our business,you can leave now boy!”,now Rian disputed me.”Come on,for those who can arrive at the stadium first,he is the winner and the three losers have to buy a drink for him,understand?”,Ichan explained.”Yes,we got you sir!”,Rian and Susang shouted.”Okey,1,2,3,go,go,go”,Ichan shouted and all of us started the race.

               

While having the race,there was a thunder struck and all of us shocked but kept on running.”Woow,what a scary thunder”,I shouted.”How do you feel guys?Is it pretty crazy,isn’t it?”Ichan was screaming out loud as if he wanted to express his freedom.”I’ve never felt so free like this before guys!yuhuuu!”,Susang scream out loud.”Shut your mouth up!I am gonna’ beat you all guys!”,Rian ran faster and now he is leading the race.At that moment,I couldn’t really explain what I felt because that was really the moment when I found happiness,freedom and friendship all at once.At that moment too, I was shocked by the thunder but I was not afraid at all and I just felt so enthusiastic. 

We finally finished our race,and the winner was………..…Rian!”I win,I win,I win…You’re all the losers…hahahaha”,he shouted boastfully.”You have to buy a drink for me!”,he asked for the reward. “Yup,we’ll buy it later,look at that guys,the gate is opened why don’t we come into the stadium?”Ichan offered.”Of course,come on in guys….!”,Susang screamed again.We started to run into the stadium and all of us were screaming to express our freedom.”Daaaaar…”the thunder struck again.”Face downward guys!”,Susang shouted.”Woooow…hahahaha…”,all of us just laugh out loud and started to run again.Rian and Susang  were suddenly clapping eyes on me,they looked as if they wanted to invite me to strike Ichan.We three ran after Ichan and this is it,we caught and struck him.He shouted and said that he gave up on us.

After It rained about for an hour,the rain stop slowly.We were so tired after having race,and running around the field.Then, all of us lay down in a side of the field just being silent watching the rainbow which was looked as if it smiled at us.No one of us spoke, that was really the moment where there were only we’re four,the rain and the rainbow.I guessed that the sky and the rainbow might laugh to see our craziness.Yup!The craziness of four innocent children who didn’t know the world and sin I think.I write this writing while here the rain is coming and the thunder shock me again.If I have a time machine,I would like to go back to that time,to see the tree,feel the rain,and watch the rainbow smile at me.