Second place, Prose - 'March Rain, Year 2 Scholars, New South Wales'

Miss Flossy spoke to her class. "Alright, children, we've a few minutes before noontide, let's clear your workplace and rearrange them into a square or rectangle, you decide. We're going to make a little rain, right in our classroom."

A mad rush ensued; pens and pencils flew, tossed into their desks, chairs were pulled back and desks spun around. Once again classroom furniture zigzagged into place. Broad grins all around, everyone was proud. They'd made the perfect rectangle.

"Brilliant, boys and girls!" Miss Flossy said, beaming. She lightly clapped her hands together.

"Sit down! Time for fun! Time for meteorological fun. Remember that word?"

High pitched voices squealed, feet shuffled, and a last chair scraped. Children slid into their seats and a hush fell over the room. All eyes were on Miss Flossy.

"What next, teacher?" Billy, always a bit ahead of the others, asked.

"Oh, just you wait, Billy," she said, then Miss Flossy swept her hand in the air, as she moved from one side of the room to the other, creating an arc. In a conspiratorial tone she continued, "There are clouds overhead ... dark, low hanging clouds," she revealed. "Can you see them?"

The children bent their necks and looked all around. A few said, "Ahhhh."

"Look at me, scholars," Miss Flossy began. "Curl your fingers just so and hold them over your desks. We're almost ready to start. Lightly tap your desktops with your fingertips, your nail tips, really. Do you hear that? It's a gentle, welcome rain, rising and falling."

Children murmured, laughter floated on the air and out the classroom door while their fingers beat a rapid tattoo. Scholars tilted their heads to listen as sound ricocheted off the tables, walls and ceiling.

"Rain's falling harder!" teacher said. "It's a pelting rain! Our classroom's in the midst of a full blown storm. Bang your desks, make them rumble!" Bright eyed, Miss Flossy's voice rose with the rain's ferocity.

Mrs. Hardy, from down the hall, peeked into the room from the doorway.

Her face was creased with concern. "There's quite a ruckus going on in here, Miss Flossy!" she called as loud as she dared.

"Yes, there is!" Miss Flossy said with a flick of her hand. "We're quite busy, can't talk right now, how about lunch? Or better yet, teatime!" she tossed over her shoulder.

"I don't know about this," Mrs. Hardy said, eyes flashing. "We most certainly will talk. Teatime it is!" She disappeared.

The whole room was burbling now. A downpour mixed with the cries of boys and girls happily pounding their desks and a teacher who fairly twirled across the room. The steady patter of rainmakers percolated and subsided. Miss Flossy smiled, then called out, "The rain's coming down in buckets! Open your hands and slap your desks, thump with your fists, scholars!"

She grabbed a ruler off the blackboard's chalk rail and whacked the nearby bin. Ka-pow!

"Lightning, scholars! Thunder!" Ka-pow!

Children churned away and desks danced. A few students huddled and covered their ears. Miss Flossy saw them and moved to the front of the room.

"Listen, children, it's a fast moving storm and nearly coming to an end. Watch me, please," she instructed as she raised her hands over her head for a few minutes.

"You all know what's next. As I slowly lower my hands to my sides, you must quiet this rainstorm and allow it to pass. Watch me now," she used her softest inside voice.

"Okay, friends. If you're standing, please sit down. If you're already seated, place your hands flat on your desks and put your head down. Nice and easy, hush. Heads down on your hands. Shhh. The rainstorm's over, time to rest for a few."

Obedient, the students did as told. Silence fell over the room, but not spirits.

"What a fine and welcome rain you made, scholars. Splendid, truly splendid," she said, smiling. She lightly clapped her hands, then held them together.

"Let's line up, it's a little after noon. We don't want to be late. Others will ask, 'What was going on in your classroom?' and you feel free to say today we had significant precipitation in Room 222. That'll hold them for awhile. I'll take care of the rest. Don't worry about your desks, we'll rearrange after mealtime."

Many in the class clapped, then rose to stand in line. Miss Flossy dismissed the class once everyone was waiting by the door.

Billy, last in line, turned to her before stepping over the threshold and asked,

"Miss Flossy? Will we ever do that again?"

"If circumstances call for such an occasion, Billy. Yes."

Billy spun around, his eyes wide.

"Teacher? That was brilliant!"

"Splendid, Billy, splendid. I'll remember you said that," Miss Flossy's words were slow and measured.

Billy skipped out the door and Miss Flossy kicked her heels in the air.

"That's right! Brilliant!" She leaned back and punched the air a time or two.

She waved to her reflection in the coatroom mirror, collected her sandwich and handbag, then stepped out of her room, turning to ease her door shut.