A Summer Storm

"Early, too early", Adam thought to himself.

The covers that seemed to twist around him every evening now laid bunched on the floor, kicked off during the heat of the night.

"Go back to sleep, you've still got a few hours…" ran through his mind, and although weary, he was alert and felt that sleep would be not come easily.

Reaching up, he slicked back the hair that had become mussed during the evening and lay back on the pillow. His room was stifling hot, the air heavy with moisture. A storm was definitely on its way. He sighed heavily, and stretched out, his bed creaking gently under him. A breeze wafted through the window, and he heard the low rumble of thunder in the distance, sounding rather ominous. Thankful for the breeze, Adam got up and walked over to the window, sliding it up as far as it would go. He glanced out the window and spotted a streak of lightening. The air blew through the window in short hot puffs, promising rain was on the way, and hopefully, Adam thought, cooler temperatures, too. He shifted his weight, leaning against the sill, staring out into the blackness.

Thoughts ran through his mind. He remembered how Joe used to come into his room on nights like this, when a storm threatened. He smiled. Even at six, Joe had always tried to make it through on his own, and Adam had known that. Several times, Joe had waited till the storm was almost upon the house before he crept into his oldest brother's room, lower lip trembling, looking defeated. Adam would move over, letting Joe curl up beside him.

Some nights, Joe would talk quietly with him while the storm passed, mostly about things that were important to a six-year-old boy: his pony, the way Hop Sing had yelled at him for taking a doughnut or cookie, or a new hiding place in the barn. Adam always listened, and waited patiently for the boy to tire himself out.
Once his brother was asleep beside him, Adam would listen as the storm howled overhead, and place his hand comfortingly on Joe's back. He would sometimes wake if there was a particularly loud boom of thunder. His older brother's hand was a reassurance that allowed Joe to relax and fall back asleep. Adam would settle back in his bed, Joe beside him, curled up and sleeping, and smile to himself. He really loved being an older brother. Yes, he really did.

A flicker of lightening closely followed by a deafening boom of thunder brought Adam back to reality. A deluge of rain began to fall from the sky, and he hurriedly closed his window all but a few inches. The gusts of wind from the storm cooled his room to a comfortable temperature. He sat down on his bed, smiling to himself, knowing that sleep would come easily now. The fond memories of an older brother comforting a younger one nearly fifteen years ago were on his mind as he fixed his bed sheets and settled down to sleep.

Down the hall, Joe stirred in his room, the thunder awakening him. He lay in bed for a moment, the next crash of thunder fully opening his eyes. Lightening flickered through the window, and he blinked in frustration, wrinkling his nose. Rolling over, Joe settled back down and a thought crossed his mind as he drifted back to sleep: a thought of a hand resting on his back many years ago, a hand that brought him comfort when he was scared.
"Thanks, Adam," Joe thought, as he drifted back off to sleep.
He really loved having an older brother. Yes, he really did.