Curtis, or “Cutis” as his little sister called him, was a boy with an unstoppable sense of adventure. At eight years old, he believed the best moments in life happened outside, especially when it rained. He loved the feeling of raindrops tapping against his skin, the smell of wet earth, and the way puddles seemed to invite him for a splash.
But there was a problem. His mom didn’t share his enthusiasm for playing in the rain. She thought it was messy, dangerous, and sure to make him sick. “Curtis, you are not to step outside in this weather!” she had warned him earlier that day as dark clouds rolled in, promising a heavy downpour.
Yet, that only made Curtis want to go out even more.
He watched from the window as fat raindrops hit the pavement. His fingers twitched with excitement. The cool wind made the trees sway, and the puddles in the yard expanded with each passing minute. It was perfect.
But how could he get past his mom? She was in the kitchen, humming a tune as she chopped vegetables. The back door was too close to her. The front door made a loud creaking noise.
The laundry room had a small window, just big enough for him to squeeze through. His heart pounded with excitement. This was it—his great escape!
Curtis tiptoed to his room, grabbed his old rain boots, and stuffed them under his shirt. If he put them on now, the clunky sound would give him away. He crept down the hallway, pausing when he heard his mom’s footsteps. When the sound faded, he slipped into the laundry room, carefully closing the door behind him.
The window was higher than he had thought. He stacked a laundry basket and a bucket on top of each other and climbed up. Pushing the window open, he took a deep breath. The air smelled fresh, full of the promise of adventure.
Carefully, he swung one leg over, then the other. As he dropped to the wet grass below, a thrill shot through him. He had done it! He was outside!
The rain hit his face, cool and exhilarating. He quickly pulled his boots from under his shirt and slipped them on. The first thing he did was run straight into a puddle, laughing as water splashed up around him.
The backyard was his kingdom now. He stretched his arms out, letting the rain drench his clothes. He jumped from puddle to puddle, pretending he was an explorer discovering a lost world.
