Page 1
A majestic white waterfall spread before our eyes. The huge cliff was split by the rushing water, plunging hundreds of metres down. When our eyes followed the plummeting water, we caught the true beauty of nature: a rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple shone so brightly that they held our eyes like a colourful curtain of dreams.
This was the legendary King Rainbow. Finally, we had made it.
I looked at John, my little brother. His eyes twinkled with joy. I grabbed his hand tightly and stretched my right hand towards the rainbow. My heart was about to burst. "Mum, please wake up," I whispered, and I closed my eyes as I touched the rainbow.
Page 2
Three days earlier.
The smell of a hospital sticks to your clothes. Not only your clothes; it seems to soak into your skin. I felt as if I carried that smell wherever I went.
Again, I sat right next to Mum and held her hand. She looked so peaceful that no one would believe she was in a coma. It had happened a week ago. John was reading a book in the corner chair. This had become our routine: after school, straight to the hospital, homework beside Mum's bed, and back to school from the hospital. On weekends we went home to our empty house for fresh clothes. Our dad had gone when we were babies. Mum said he had gone overseas and never called.
Then Dr Shim came in. His face was dark. "I am sorry, boys," he said quietly. "Your mum may not live for more than another week." He left the room quickly. His words were a silent bomb that destroyed everything.
Page 3
I don't remember how long we wept, with John in my arms. He was only nine, but Mum's sickness had made us grow up fast. The room grew dim as the sky outside darkened. Being only twelve, I felt I had to be a father for John and carry the whole world on my skinny shoulders. I didn't understand why terrible things happened to some people while other people's lives seemed perfect.
"Mum, you must live," I whispered, squeezing her hand.
Then I remembered something: a story about a rainbow somewhere in the south. I had read it in a magazine once. A great waterfall made a rainbow that people could see whenever the sun shone. At the bottom of the page was a little note: There is a legend that if you touch the rainbow, all your wishes will come true.
I stood up. I knew what to do.
Page 4
We packed quickly. We broke open our piggy bank for bus tickets and bought dried fruit, jerky and bread. We took a bus to Lomping and arrived at the foot of the mountain.
Trekking to the waterfall was not easy for two small boys, but nothing could stop us. We had a mission: to save Mum. There was nothing else we could do.
It took us five hours. We climbed over boulders, crossed rivers, squeezed along narrow paths and walked through tunnels of trees. It was hard, but we could not stop. At last we heard the roar of rushing water. We hurried. We arrived at the foot of the cliff, where we could see the whole waterfall. The beautiful rainbow was right in front of our eyes. I stretched out my hand and touched it.
Page 5
Nothing happened.
I had expected a flash of light, or thunder, or maybe that we would black out. None of that happened. The sun was going down, and we had to hurry back to the town.
"That's it?" John muttered, his voice full of disappointment.
I took his hand and we headed down in the fading light. We stayed in the little town overnight and took the bus back to the hospital the next morning. We were hungry. We were tired. Most of all, we were sad. It seemed our last hope hadn't worked. Neither of us said a word.
As the bus pulled up at the hospital, my phone rang. It was Dr Shim.
"Jake, come quickly! Your mum is awake!"
We ran to her room. That was the best run of my whole life. The morning sun gently wrapped our tired bodies and filled our hearts with hope.
The End