Tiny stared out of the window and sighed. Every day this week had been painted with the same dull and friendless grey. Perhaps a walk outside would help; she grabbed a collecting-jar for any treasures lurking in the gloom, and headed for the door. Outside, it was even worse than she’d imagined. The winds screamed through the shivering trees, as the sky cried thin, cruel tears across the landscape.
If she had blinked, she would have missed it; a small ball of light that lay hidden between the trees. Tiny moved closer, her heart quickening. The golden orb pulsed in the growing darkness.
‘It’s the last ray of sun!’ she gasped, trapping it in the jar, and placing her hand over the mouth. Tiny carried the jar back home, taking care not to burn her hands. Once in the cellar, she screwed on a lid, applied a label, and stood back to admire her collection. The Last Ray of Sun sat next to Lightening in a Bottle, Silver Starlight Sprinkles, and Moonbeam Marinade.
The room was drenched in a glorious light, and strands of rainbow glitter-dust danced and swirled about the room. Tiny could have stayed all day, but she felt a pinch of guilt as the storm raged outside the window. She would have to find a way to share it, and the dusty lemonade-stand winking from the shadows provided the answer.
By morning the sky had dried its eyes, and Tiny was ready for customers. One by one the residents drew near, attracted by the halo of light and the sign that read, “Free sunshine-tea!” As they sipped on the delicious nectar, smiles lit up their faces and troubles dissolved into the chill morning mist. Tiny took a sip of sunshine and felt the heat brighten her belly. It slipped all the way to her littlest toes and branded itself in her mind, and there it would stay, ready for another rainy day.