Dragon Breaths After the Tumble
Zara built all morning. Block on block on block. Purple, yellow, green, round, square, arched. Lion lay on the rug and watched. Her tower grew taller than her shoulders, and Zara set the little triangle on top with careful fingers.
"Dad! Come see! It's the tallest one ever!" Zara spun around to wave. Her elbow brushed the bottom block, just a little. The whole tower wobbled, leaned, and tumbled down across the rug, block after block, before Dad even reached the door.
Zara stared at the pile. Then the storm rolled in. Her fists went tight. Her feet stomped on the rug. Her face scrunched up cross and red. "It fell! It FELL! I'm so mad!" she shouted, loud as thunder.
Marcus did not hurry her and did not leave. He sat down on the rug, a little way off, and kept his voice low. "That was a big tall tower, and you wanted me to see it. I'm right here." Lion pressed close to Zara's side.
The stomps got slower. The storm was still rumbling inside her, though, and it felt too big for the playroom. Zara looked at Dad. She looked at Lion. She knew she needed somewhere different to let it settle down.
Where does Zara go to get away from the noisy feeling?
