Anything can happen when the wind changes. Anything. Even the most extraordinary things. Black can turn into green, bad into good, a man into a woman, a cat into a dog. Anything can happen. The wind brings seeds to fields, clouds full of water, birds and animals. It can destroy a house or create a harmony. The wind can do anything. Anything.
Lily White knew it, because her mother always said that if not for the wind, she would never have had such a wonderful daughter. But Lily White didn’t know that the wind can bring people together and separate them.
This magical day Lily woke up at night in the tiny room in the attic of her mother’s house because the wind opened the window. So enraged and violently that the window frame couldn’t help but breaking. Lily was a brave girl, so she stood up from her bed and tried to fix the frame. But the wind was so strong that she almost fell from the window. So, Lily crawled back to her bed and stared in the dark.
- Hello.
The voice came out suddenly from outside. Lily peered at the window but didn’t see anything. “The wind?” – she thought and at the very moment heard the answer.
- Yes, my dear Lily. The wind.
- Who is there?
Lily was still a brave girl, but…it was really strange. Maybe Sean Stone tried to frighten her. “Oh, just get into my arms!”
- No, Lily. Sean is sleeping in his bed. And I think he dreams about you.
“Did I say it loudly?” – Lily thought – “No. No!”
The wind became strong and the poor window was about to break completely. Lily pulled up her blanket closer and tried to see something behind the window glass. But whatever it was, it seemed to hide very cleaverly.
- Lily….Lily….
The voice was speaking again. Whispering…almost whispering.
- Who are you?
- The wind..
- The wind?
- The wind!
The echoing voice became louder as the wind blew stronger.
- Winds don’t talk. Winds are not alive.
- Not alive? Why?
- Because…Because…
Lily didn’t know what to say. Indeed. Why? Who said they are not alive. No books say it. And Lily read lots of them in her 12-year-old life.
- Well…Why aren’t we alive?
The voice was whispering again as the wind blew weaker.
- I don’t know. Winds aren’t humans or animals or birds or flies or…Well. I don’t know/
Lily was lost. If noone is playing jokes with her, then it can be a wind itself.
- Winds also play jokes.
The voice was again speaking to Lily’s mind.
- And today I’m going to play with you, little Lily.
- I like playing, - Lily said – But I don’t know how to play with winds.
- I will show you.
And saying this the wind broke the weak window and flew inside the room. It went round and round, making a tiny tornado in the Lily’s tiny room. Then the wind caught Lily and whirled her faster and faster. Lily was laughing, turning her head upside down and spinning herself, making circles.
Then a new breaking sound came up. That was the table lamp Lily’s mother bought for her on New Year.
- Oh..!!
Lily stopped laughing.
- The room is too small for such a play. We will break something again.
- Let’s go outside, - the wind said – There is much more space for us, dear Lily.
- No, if I go downstairs, my mom will wake up and she doesn’t let me play at night.
- Then.., - the wind answered – I will take you through the window and whirl you and spin you.
And the wind took little Lily and brought her out through the window hole. They were flying in the sky between trees and houses, looking at the windows and making jokes about sleeping people. They even threw little stones at Sean Stone’s window, but he didn’t wake up. Then Lily threw a bigger stone and Stone looked out to see who it was, but the wind took Lily quickly away.
- Tomorrow at school I will make jokes about Sean. Haha. Everyone will laugh at his pink pajamas.
- I an glad you have fun, Lily. – the wind said – But now I’m going to show you a special place.
- A special place? – Lily was excited.
- Yes. Do you like swings, Lily?
- Of course I like swings. All children like it. You didn’t know that?
- Haha. Of course I know. But I also know that you like it more then other children.
That was true. Lily was swinging since she could walk or even before that. Her mother always said that it came from her daddy, who died 7 years ago. Lily’s mom would always remember how Lily’s father used to spend all Sundays swinging and swinging like a child in the house's yard. But one day he fell from the swing and something broke in his heart and he died. After that the swing was removed and Lily could swing only at school and her friends’ yards, when her mom didn’t see it. Otherwise she could cry a lot.
- We will swing a bit in a special place. Don’t worry about your mother.
- Alright. Show me the special place, dear wind.
And the wind took little Lily carefully to the highest hill in their town. The hill was all covered with soft grass and green bushy bushes. And on the very top of the hill grew a big oak tree – so big that it even closed the full moon above. The wind seated Lily on a thick branch.
- This, dear Lily, is the Love Tree.
- Love Tree?
- Yes. This tree brought love into the hearts of two people. They were young and beautiful and tried to hide from a storm wind under the tree. Thus they met, held each other to warm and not be so afraid of the strong wind. They fell in love with each other and built a swing.
The wind took Lily on a rope swing and started to rock her softly.
- They spent days and nights swinging together, holding each other and saying love words. They were glaring at stars and counting them. They were making wishes on the full moon and kissing each other as it was their common wish. They were happy and they were in love for many happy years.
Lily was terribly tired and as the wind was talking about the Love Tree she fell asleep on the swing.
Next morning Lily woke up in her bed. The window was still broken and the lamp as well. Her mother went upstairs and said all these ahs and ohs, when she saw the mess in the room.
- What happened here? Oh, Lily!!
Lily looked at her mom and told her about the story with the wind and the play and the Love Tree. Then suddenly Lily’s mother held her tight and began to cry.
- Why are you crying, mommy?
- No, nothing, my dear. It’s just I was worried about you.
Lily’s mother wiped her tears.
- Come downstairs in 20 minutes, I will make some pancakes for you.
- Alright mommy.
Lily’s mom went downstairs to the kitchen and stared at the photograph on the fridge. Two young people – her and a handsome brunet – were sitting on a swing attached to a huge tree. The subscribe under the photo said: “To my loving wife on our first year marriage anniversary. I thank the wind that brought us together”.
The pancakes burnt. Anything can happen when the wind changes.