The Cloud in a Jar

It is a windy Tuesday in April. Nadia is standing on the roof of her building with an empty jar. She wants a pet, but her mom always says, "No animals in the apartment." So Nadia has a plan.

Big clouds are flying over the roofs. One little white cloud is flying very low. It is round and soft, like a ball of cotton. Nadia jumps up with the open jar. Got it! She closes the lid and runs downstairs.

In her room, she puts the jar on her desk. "You're my new pet," she says. She opens the lid to say hello, and the cloud flies out. It stops over her bed.

Then the cloud starts to get dark. Drops are falling on the bed, on the floor, and on Nadia's books. It is raining in her room! The little cloud is moving to the window and looking at the other clouds.

Nadia looks at her wet books, then at the cloud. "You're sad," she says quietly. "You miss your home." She opens the window wide. "Go on. Go home."

The little cloud flies out. Soon it is white again, with the other clouds. Nadia's bed is wet, and she still has no pet. But the sun is coming out, and a rainbow is shining over the roofs.