Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning by Danette Haworth

out a long sigh. “I know,” she says, clutching her coffee cup with both hands. “It’s a terrible thing.”
    I look at her. Which terrible thing is she talking about? Lord knows there’s so many, it’s hard to pick just one. I’m fretting over that antenna and how it attracted the lightning, but still I shouldn’t have made Lottie bake those pies. I’m thinking on Lottie staying at Melissa’s and what if they become better friends than me and Lottie, but I’d rather be her second best friend than have her move away. And on top of that, on top of all of that, Melissa’s got me so’s I have to think twice about Eddie every time I see him.
    Everything normal is slipping away. Don’t tell me not to worry. How can I not worry with this mishmash of troubles?
    My chest heaves with a long sigh. I got to pick one thing to stew over and right now, that’s Lottie and her family.
    â€œWhat are they going to do, Momma?” My eyes get wet as I wait for her answer, but I don’t let myself cry.
    She sits down and puts her hand on top of mine. She shakes her head. “I don’t know.”
    My heart twists when she says that. When something’s fixable, grown-ups say hopeful things like, “It’ll be okay,” or “Don’t you worry yourself over that,” but when a grown-up says “I don’t know,” you got yourself something to worry about. I hang my head. “What can I do?”
    Momma reaches over and rubs my shoulders before getting up. “You can pray for them,” she says. She pats me on the back and leaves the room.
    I sit there, holding the pen. Oh, Lord, I say. Not out loud, ’cause He can hear you when you’re talking just in your mind. But I don’t get no further than that. I don’t know what to ask Him to do.
    Then it comes to me. Mr. Townsend’s writing letters, but no one’s writing back. He doesn’t know Melissa’s secret. I grab a pad of paper and start a letter to our newspaper. I know they help people, ’cause they always got those funds going at Christmas and during hurricane season for people in need.
    When I grab the newspaper, it falls open to Today’s Word: jubilant, which means joyful, full of happiness. I tear jubilant out and add it to my word collection. Even though I am the exact opposite of jubilant, I can see it’s a good word. It sounds like candy, something colorful and sweet you can chew on for a long time.
    Flipping around the newspaper, I find the place they list the names of the writers. One man’s name is on top. I figure he’s the most important person at the paper, so I address my letter to him and write the first sentence: My best friend’s house got struck by lightning and they are people in need.
    I describe Lottie’s family and how they are all split up right now and how they can’t possibly move because that would be the worst thing in the world. Describing the lightning’s easy; describing everything else is harder. I use my best handwriting.
    I look the letter over real good. Only one thing’s missing now. I dash out of the kitchen and into the dining room where Momma keeps my school picture in a frame. Sliding it out carefully, I run back and seal my picture and my letter in an envelope. Tomorrow morning, I will mail it.

23
    I am inside the cave, listening. The river bubbles nearby. A heron cackles as he flies over. Then the breeze rustles through the trees; that’s my favorite part because of the hollow sound it makes inside the cave.
    I’m here because I’m thinking. School is fixing to start in a few weeks. I make a list in my head of the good things and a list of the bad things. Good things: riding the bus—I never done that before. Sharing a locker—me and Lottie will be lockermates and we’re going to put up one of those little chalkboards inside and write each other notes.