The Wizard of Arts

Somewhere over the rainbow

The next morning, Lucera was excited for the art fair at Parque Almendariz this afternoon. When she and her sisters went downstairs for breakfast, they were surprised to see three matching dresses but in different colors. Elena's dress was pink with red frills and sash, Maricela's was lime green with a magenta sash and frills, and Lucera's was light blue-violet with a darker sash and frills.

"Do you like your dresses for the art fair?" Rosa asked.

"Son hermosos—gracias, Mamá," Elena smiled.

After breakfast, the sisters put some casual clothes on. Just as the girls came down, Rosa had gotten a phone call from her mother. "Okay, Mamá, we'll be there," she said. "Hasta luego."

"¿Qué pasa, Rosa?" Jesus asked.

"Mamá and Papá's car broke down in the middle of the road, and they need help getting to the garage," Rosa said.

"Can we help?" Maricela asked.

"If you want to," Jesus said.

"Lucera, do you want to stay here and clear your mind?" Rosa asked.

"Okay, Mami," Lucera said.

"We'll be back by 11:30," Rosa said. "Hasta luego." She, Jesus, Elena, and Maricela went off.

Lucera decided to try on her dress for the art fair. Once she put it on, she decided to draw some pictures in her sketchbook to kill the time. While she did, she saw the many colors of her paints, pencils, and crayons, and then she looked outside. "Algun lugar sin problemas," she told herself. "Could there really be such a place? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by boat or train—it's far, far away, behind the moon, beyond the rain..." Then she began to sing.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

There's a land that I heard of

Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true

Someday, I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far

Behind me

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow

Bluebirds fly

Birds fly over the rainbow

Why then oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow,

Why oh why can't I?

Lucera really wished she could find a place where there was no trouble at all—then Dolores wouldn't give her such a hard time. Suddenly, there was shaking, and the shaking got harder—and Lucera realized it was an earthquake. She tried to duck under her desk, but the bookcase shook so hard that a book fell off and landed on her head.